Yusra Khan 12/19/2011 Psychology Prof.

Mcgrath Final Exam Introduction to psychology was one of the most valuable and inspiring courses. It helped people answer questions about life and understand why people do some things in life. Psychology assists in understanding whether it is in our nature, or the way we are nurtured that effects our decisions in our life. The way individual perceive, think and analyze different events in their lives. In the course there were multiple topics discussed that help how individuals develop their identities and subjects that make up an individuals personalities. Psychology is unique and different because unlike science it studies behavior. There are certain topics that do not have scientific explanation and psychology helps identify why things happen the way they do. One of the most interesting topics discussed in the course were how our genetic and environmental factors evaluate our individual differences. It turns out that genetically human beings are not that different from one another. Yet, some humans make up excellent athletes while others excel in mathematics and sciences. If a son of Basketball player is also a great basketball player is it because it is in his genes or was it because of his environment? This is complex subject of whether its our nature or is it how individuals are nurtured. In our body there are millions of cells, in the nucleus of every cell there is genetic master code for the entire body. So the body is like Empire State building with rooms and in each room there is a book with forty-six chapters. Twenty three chapters come from the mother, and twenty three from the father. Each of these forty-six chapters is chromosome, is composed of coiled chain called DNA. Genes are the small segments of this giant DNA molecules and they basically form the words to the chapters of the books. There are about 30,000 gene words. Interesting thing about genes is that they can be

active or inactive, meaning that genes can be turned on by environmental events. David Myers, the author of Psychology; Ninth Edition, genes are like tea bags, the hot water enables the tea bag to express its flavor. So when the genes are turned on they provide the code for creating protein molecules, which are the building blocks of physical development. Therefore, it can be concluded that the genes and environment work together. Our environment is the non-genetic influence on individuals, it starts from prenatal nutrition to the people and things around us. Genes code for particular proteins and they also respond to our environment. Genes determine a person's height, and being athletic and physically fit is due to genes and environment working together. In our society individuals form relationships by appreciating one's personality, and their unique characteristics. Personality is the makeup of individuals characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling and acting. All these things make people unique individuals. There is no exact formula that helps creates personality. There are multiple factors that occur during one's lifetime that formulate one's ability to think, perceive and act towards specific events in their life. When discussing personality, environment has a powerful impact on one's characteristics. Environment starts shaping human beings personality as early as infant age. Human babies become attached to familiar contacts, signs of this attachment are obvious in twelve month old infants who cry when their mothers leave them. Myers describes the optimal period when certain events must take place to facilitate proper development. The author mentions that this critical period occur in the hours shorty after their birth. The first moving object that chicks see is their mother. Birds tend to form rigid attachments. However, children just become attached familiar contacts over some time(critical period). This attachment is bond is survival impulse that keeps infants close their care givers. For many years developmental psychologist reasoned that infants become attached to those individuals who satisfied their needs. However, accidental finding prove that infants attach themselves to familiar contacts. These attachment is done through the critical period which helps in

developing this survival trait. Early development can overshadow what kind of personality an individual might develop over period of time. It may seem like this is an absurd ideology, but there are certain details that can help conclude if one is going to be an outgoing person. For example, If there are two different babies; Baby A is predisposed to be attractive, sociable and easygoing and Baby B is less so. Baby A will attract more affectionate and stimulating care than the Baby B. Baby A is more likely develop an overall warmer and more outgoing personality, compared to Baby B. Along with environment there are multiple other factors that contribute to individuals personality at early stages. Some of the most influential traits of personalities are contributed through parenting. Most parents are not educated about this essential information. Parents have significant amount of influence on their children. There are different styles of parenting. Each style of parenting can formulate specific types of personalities in children. Without making it too complex, there seems to be three different types of parenting. Some parents are authoritarian, which means that they impose rules and expect obedience. They tell their children what to do, and do not allow them to question their authority. Children raised in an authoritarian environment tend to have less social skills, and less self-esteem as they grow up. Then there are other parents that are permissive. Permissive parents submit to their children s desires but do not expect much from their children. They also use little punishment for their wrong doings. Permissive parents leads to aggressive, and immature individuals. Lastly, Authoritative parents are demanding and responsive. They exert control by setting up rules and enforcing them on their children. Authoritative parents explain the reason for their restrictions, especially with older children and they allow children to discuss when setting up these regulations. Authoritative seems to be the ideal parenting method. According to Myers book, Psychology; Ninth Edition in Modules, some critics suggest that effective parenting may vary by culture(Myers 193). In more than 200 cultures world wide confirm the social and academic correlates of loving and authoritative parenting, and the effects are stronger when children are embedded in authoritative

communities with connected adults who model good life. There seems to be a pattern in authoritative parenting. Parents reward children for their behavior, or doings. As period of time, rewards increase as child shows positive results in development. In this process the child is aware of the type of behavior is expected from them to earn their reward. If this pattern is does not follow through, the child may become confused as to what is right and what is wrong. They may get confused in judging what their expectations are. For example, if a child is rewarded with ice cream for a B in his class, then he should be rewarded higher for an A next time. If he is not rewarded, then this may conflict with his development of judging what is right and wrong. Adolescents that do not have clear perspective of right and wrong, are likely to have difficulty developing reasoning power. Social development is affected by your culture and surroundings. According to theorist Erick Erickson, each stage of life has its own psychosocial task, a crisis that needs resolution. Young children deal with issues of trust, school age children strive for competence, and adolescents are in the process of synthesizing past, present and future possibilities. At this point in life they are beginning to question the purpose of their lives. Adolescents in individualistic cultures examine different selves in different situations. This is the process in which individuals are forming identities. Most Hollywood films, and shows portray teenagers as rebellious confused individuals. Teenagers go through a process in which they apply different selves to help them figure out who they really are. This process is especially complex for adolescents in United States with international parents. As Pakistani-American girl, I have had difficult time in recognizing my identity. My parents have continuously influenced me with Pakistani traditions, enforced religion and culture on my everyday life. Around my friends I applied my American personality, with my parents I was forced to reason between Pakistani girl, and American citizen, this was the most sensitive subject because it was difficult for me to decide who was the real me. Now, I am twenty years old and I tend to have better judgment of myself. I take the best of both worlds and put it together. Few years ago, I was questioning the existence of God, now I have discovered that I am agnostic, but I still value Pakistani traditions.

Even though I have a better sense of myself, I still feel that I am constantly changing and trying to improve myself as I am learning, and experiencing from life. Thus, traditional and less individualistic culture inform adolescents about who they are, and they often prohibit them to discovering and deciding for themselves. Often times adolescents may adopt in opposition of their parents. This especially occurs in western cultures due to peer influence on individuals. Myers describes teenagers as herd animals, they all follow each other. People in general are social animalsand American teens are happiest when with friends, and unhappiest when lonely(Myers 202). In high schools there are different cliques, and groups of friends that dress alike, and discuss particular music. The personalities of these adolescents are influenced by the type of media they are interested in. For example, Gothic music listeners tend to dress up in dark colored cloths that represent the bands they enjoy listening to. During adolescents, when individuals have clear comfortable sense of who they are they become ready to form close emotional relationships. In most cultures this time period is the graduation process of adolescents to adults. Many societies bestow individuals with adult responsibilities shortly after sexual maturity. In the mid twenties, the young adult is to work, get married and provide for his family. However, this process is delayed in western cultures because further education has become a compulsory part of western societies. Individuals in these societies often depend on their parents until they graduate college and have a degree in their hand. Thus, psychology is not a science that can be measured. It is a study that is continuously analyzed. It introduces methods that can be studied over period of time and offer us multiple conclusions. Psychology helps understand why people are the way they are. It also helps us conclude how people will turn out later on in life. These studies are valuable to teachers, parents and individuals overall. Psychological research helps us answer complicated problems that science can not always understand.