Personality Development Nature vs Nurture Non shared vs Shared Environment on personality what effect does it have Shared Environment What effect do similar environments have Identical twins who grow up in different environments still have similar personalities There isn t a huge environmental effect Siblings who grow up in the same environment end up very different in terms of personality Non Shared Environment What effect do different environments have Birth orders seem to have consistent differences a first born vs later born Studies for Personality Development Twin Studies show that about 50 of your personality is genetic Quantitative Trait Loci Approach Identify gene markers for certain personalities Longitudinal Studies A long term case study that looks at individuals personalities from infancy to adulthood Temperament Studies Temperament A proto personality patterns of personality that begin since birth and shape behavior Thomas Chess Study Asked mother to describe a baby s behaviors 40 described as Easy 10 described as Difficult 15 described as Slow to warm Rest is unclassified This study proved maybe that babies are NOT a blank slate maybe mothers are biased about their babies personalities Kegan s Study Mothers brought babies in observed them interacting 10 of babies Uninhibited New people made them distressed 20 of babies Inhibited Still comfortable around new people The babies in these categories showed consistent behavior patterns at 18 24 months and even early adulthood Imprinting when an animal recognizes something as a parent immediately during birth Konrad Lorenz and the baby geese Goslings and ducklings newly hatched follow and bond with whatever moving object they encounter Imprinting is an irreversible process that even affects how the animals mate at maturity they try to mate with humans if they are imprinted with one A similar process happens in humans but is essentially different John Bowlby and the Human Attachment Theory Every human baby tries to bond with its mother in the same way We cry when they leave and we smile when they are near This initial attachment becomes a secure base we explore the world founded on this base We explore the world and then we go back to our secure base As we grow older we need to touch base less and less ex college Mary Ainsworth prot g of Bowlby and her Separation Study Study in Uganda she created a strange situation to study the secure base theory Strange Situation takes a 8 10 month old baby a period of stranger danger The mother and baby interact then the mother leaves and a stranger comes in Babies respond differently to this Strange Situation 60 of the babies have a Secure Attachment When a mother leaves the baby is upset Mother returns baby is calm again 20 of the babies have an Avoidant Attachment Mother leaves the baby seems indifferent and when she returns he s avoidant 20 of the babies have an Anxious Ambivalent Attachment Mother leaves the baby panics and when she returns he s angry and clingy 20 of the babies have a Disorganized Attachment Very unclassifiable confusing bizarre behavior when mother leaves and she returns How does this shape a child s personality Secure Attachment The personality develops with positive characteristics like self reliance self assurance and excitement Insecure Attachment The personality develops with negative characteristics like frustration lack of excitement and troubles getting along socially These styles persist to adulthood they remember their childhoods differently Secure Attachment remember their childhood in a nuanced calm way Insecure Attachment remember their childhood in a dismissive indifferent way Ambivalent Attachment remember their childhood in a preoccupied way Personality Development Studies Erik Ericson and the Psychosocial Stages of Development Most likely the most influential psychoanalytic approach to personality Development occurs in stages a person develops in relation to others The personality doesn t stop developing Ericson identified 8 stages of development Each stage is like a crossroads you can make a good or bad choice that has later consequences depending on the choice you made 1 Trust vs Mistrust 0 1 years when an infant develops a relationship w mother If a mother is always there for her child the infant learns trust but if not the infant learns mistrust Becomes the basis for tolerance or frustration if things go bad an infant that learns trust is tolerant but an infant that learns mistrust become frustrated What emerges from learning trust is a sense of hope 2 Autonomy vs Shame Doubt 2 3 years At this time a child learns to walk talk toilet training and to control themselves If a parent encourages baby to make mistakes and learn from them the child learns autonomy but if a parent discourages a baby s behavior a child learns self doubt What emerges from learning autonomy is a sense of will 3 Initiative vs Guilt 3 5 years A child learns to take initiative explore and pursue goals however small and learn what s bad If a parent disciplines a child consistently without criticism yet encourages their behavior the child learns to take initiative but if a parent shames his child and punishes them the child learns guilt What emerges from learning initiative is a sense of purpose 4 Industry vs Inferiority 5 11 years For the first time a child goes to school and is told what to do and is evaluated by their performance If a child becomes happy being productive he learns a sense of industry but if a child cannot be productive he learns a sense of inferiority What emerges from learning industry is a sense of competence 5 Identity Role Confusion 12 20 years A child begins to question Who am I because people don t treat him like a child anymore cognitive changes and self consciousness If a child successfully resolves his identity he learns a sense of self we integrate and re define all of the elements of his past identity What emerges from learning self is a sense of fidelity or loyalty So far there is no substantial research that proves these stages James Marcia decides to test Erikson s research for Stage 5 There are 4 distinct identity statuses how an identity is accepted 1 Foreclosure identity is not questioned but passed down ex father son 2 Diffusion no real identity and there is no attempt at figuring it out aimless 3 Moratorium there is no real identity but there is exploration to figure it out ex adolescence a teen tries out different hairstyles has