Question

Summarize the ways physical, social, and environmental factors influence aspects of personality psychology throughout the course, and explain how related views have changed over time.

Answer 1

Note: This response is in UK English, please paste the response to MS Word and you should be able to spot discrepancies easily. You may elaborate the answer based on personal views or your classwork if necessary.

(Answer) Basically, the aspects of the physical, social and environmental factors would contribute towards their understanding, ideas and opinions. All of these factors are a part of the “nature” and “nurture” factors that influence the personality of the individual. The first would be the “nature” factor or the inherent personality of the child and the second would be the “nurture” factor of the upbringing that would influence the personality. These influences begin when one might be a child.

Bronfenbrenner explained that everything in a child’s environment is likely to affect how they grow and develop. He went on to explain that a child’s inherent qualities affect the social environment and vice-versa.

Bronfenbrenner’s biological model is in the form of concentric circles or levels that influence a child.

The first level – The Microsystem which is the child itself.

The second level – The Mesosystem which comprise of the family, school, playground, peers, religious institutions and healthcare systems.

The third level – The Ecosystem which contains the extended family, neighbours, friends of the family, legal services, social welfare services and the mass media.

The fourth level – The Macrosystem is formed by the attitudes and ideologies of the society.

The fifth level – The Chronosystem is formed by all of the events and transitions that occur within a child’s life.

Even though the basic systems have changed over time, there are new factors that might also help influence the child in their growing years. Introspection, therapeutic sessions, travels, online interactions and other factors are equally responsible for giving an individual the social and environmental exposures that are necessary for certain kinds of personality developments. Even though Bronfenbrenner, Piaget, Freud and Erickson’s personality development models are still relevant, it is only that there are new environmental variables that need to be considered.