The Influence of Life Experiences On Personality During Adulthood Posted On : Jan-31-2010 | seen (1305) times | Article Word Count : 1079 |
There are many theories surrounding the effect of one鈥檚 behavior on hisher personality. The more humanistic approach as stated by Clinical psychiatrist Carl Rogers in his theory of personality explains that human behavior is 鈥渆xquisitely rational鈥?(Rogers Cheap Air VaporMax Sandals , 1961, p.194). There are many theories surrounding the effect of one鈥檚 behavior on hisher personality. The more humanistic approach as stated by Clinical psychiatrist Carl Rogers in his theory of personality explains that human behavior is 鈥渆xquisitely rational鈥?(Rogers, 1961, p.194). Rogers went on to theorize that the core of nature in man is essentially positive and he is a trustworthy organism. On the other hand Cheap Air VaporMax , there is the belief that personality traits can be heavily influenced by culture as cited in an article published in January, 2002 (Triandis, 2002). So what is it that causes one to remain this way or even to become dishonest and untrustworthy? The answers to these questions lie somewhere between those personality traits that derive from the early development of character and those shaped by culture and environment.
Personality traits are developed early on, but can change as a person matures. While culture and environment serve to heavily influence these traits from the very beginning of one鈥檚 life Cheap Air Max2 Light , life style and experiences continue to do so even when adulthood is reached. The differences lie in the ability to make choices. Whereas children often have no control of their environment, adults are able to alter what is around them at any given time. They may choose to remove themselves from unpleasant situations while migrating over to those that are more gratifying. These shifts may result from specific experiences or as a form of personal growth. Whatever the reasons, a number of factors may be involved.
Though personality traits derived from cultural experiences are often seen early on in life, they can continue to develop and evolve even in adulthood. There has been controversy surrounding the theory on how culture affects one鈥檚 personality. As cited in a 2002 publication by the Annual Review of Psychology Cheap Air Max Zero , it was argued that individual differences in one鈥檚 conduct are narrowly dependent in context and because of this, do not generalize a cross context (Triandis, 2002). Here, global traits would not exist. It was also further argued that early childcare practices would not necessarily predict consequences in the development of adult character.
There are Cheap Air Max Uptempo , however, more positive evaluations that have arisen from this theory on how culture affects personality. The same article cited a book that defended the utility of culture and personality studies, mentioning studies that were designed to improve the interaction across various cultures (Triandis, 2002). Though there are some marked differences in the theories that exist involving cultural aspects of the development of personality traits Cheap Air Max TN , there are other important factors that cannot be ignored.
Life style is believed to be a major influence on personality, though it can be argued that personality strongly affects life style choices. Life style is also strongly affected by life experiences, and can be allowed to dictate important decisions that are made all throughout adulthood. Attitudes are often derived from these experiences and how they are perceived. These attitudes can be carried throughout life and sometimes become the basis of both trial and triumph.
Life style related personality traits affect every decision one makes from career choices to interpersonal relationships. In an article published by the Department of Psychology, Montclair State College Cheap Air Max Thea , three separate life style patterns were defined and conclusions were drawn as to how each could affect one鈥檚 personality and how the outcomes could be influenced. The life style patterns studied were: traditional, neotraditional and nontraditional. Though this study focused on women, the outcome can cross over into both genders. Here factors such as attitudes, role concepts Cheap Air Max Tailwind , personal motivation and the quality of employment experiences (O鈥機onnell, year unspecified). The way in which people interact with one another can also be traced back to personality traits related to life style and over all life experiences.
How a person deals with various life experiences is strongly related to hisher coping mechanisms. How a person from one particular culture who has one set of life experiences copes with a specific event will differ significantly from someone from a completely different culture and who possesses a different set of experiences. Age is also a factor that is often used when studying coping mechanisms. It has been shown through a series of studies that people who are considered elderly often deal with various situations in a more positi