Chapter 2 Your Environment Affects Who You Are
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Your Family
The family provides the single most important environmental
influence on a child’s personality development. It is within the family
that the infant fi rst learns to love and trust others. This sense of trust is
gained in the early years through the love and consistent responses of
the baby’s caregiver. Family members also shape the child’s personality
development through the beliefs and behaviors they impart to the child.
In a positive and nurturing family environment, children learn
they are loved. Because they know they are loved, they are able to take
the psychological risks necessary to learn new things. They know the
important thing is to try their best. If they fail, their family will be there
to comfort them and help them try again.
As children grow, they learn to be sensitive to the feelings of others.
They learn to be considerate of other family members and to treat others
as they themselves would like to be treated. This understanding
influences the environment which children later provide as adults
for their own children. Thus, positive (or negative) family beliefs and
behaviors are often passed from generation to generation.
Peers gain in importance.
Environmental Factors That Affect Personality Development
Now Five Years After High School
Family is a primary factor. For some, marriage may be a
primary family infl uence.
Peers may be several different
“sets” of friends.
Formal education has an infl uential
position.
Formal education remains a past or
current infl uence.
Occupation can become important. Occupation can become a primary
factor.
Religion is an individual choice. Religion is an individual choice.
Community becomes important. Community gains in importance.
2-2
Several environmental factors affect the personality development of high school
students. These factors shift in importance during the years after high school.