A person’s personality and attitude are dynamic and made up of various, complex set of factors. The question of nature versus nurture and its contribution to a person’s personality has been debated for decades. Based on the interview that I conducted, I have come to a conclusion that one’s environment plays a more crucial role in one’s behavior. This is because one’s upbringing and culture overrode any biological tendencies that a person may inherently and internally possess.
I interviewed a close family friend of mine named Lauren Reyes. To figure out if biology has an impact on her behavior, I asked her if hormones influence her behavior towards other people. She said that she experiences mood swings but “[my] actions usually depend on the situation and the expectation of others.” Her answer conveyed that the expectation of others around her has been primarily based on what society deems is the proper reaction/behavior in a given situation.
I also inquired about the traits that she have that has been influenced by her parents. She said that being kind, helpful, forgiving and considerate are the traits that she has learned from her parents. She has internalized being kind and helpful to the point that she is aware that she reflects those attributes when dealing with other people. This is demonstrated when I asked her how she sees herself. She told me that she sees herself as “friendly, approachable, and nice/kind….like[s] to hel[p] others.” Her notion of herself as helpful is in turn perceived by others because she said that “I guess others just see me that way as well, because they turn to me for help.”
In addition, her forgiving attitude is exhibited by the fact that she cannot stay mad at a person for a week. She also considers herself as “soft”, hence she easily forgives people. Meanwhile her considerate nature is illustrated when she does things for other people, especially to those that are dear to her, that she knows will benefit them. This is what motivates her to accomplish her goals and to do something productive in her life. Also, being considerate toward others is a strong influence on her behavior. Therefore, her actions in any matter will always be based upon how it will effect the lives or situation of those that she knows well and cares about.
Her considerate nature is a clear indication of her INJF personality, which is based upon the Myers Briggs Test that can be taken by anyone who wants to know what kind of personality he/she have. An INJF person has a “strong desire to contribute to the welfare of others and genuinely enjoy helping their companions,” which she agrees are accurate descriptions of who she is. Thus, these people are regarded as the “Counselor Types.”
This caring and helpful tendency extends to her romantic relationship. She thinks that an ideal relationship is when a person trieds to “mak[e] the other person [their significant other] happy.” She also acts like the motherly type in the relationship because she “like[s] to take care of [her] partner.”
Similarly, her solid relationship with her friends is based upon the fact that she cares about them. This is also the reason that she remains loyal to them. This behavior is also reflective of her INJF personality, which shows that “she makes a decision based on emotion.” In this case, choosing her friends depending on how they make her feel. Also, these genuine and warm feelings are extended to people that she just met. Although she admitted that she self-monitors her behavior around people that she just met and she is extra nice to them.
Moreover, the fact that her parents have few, close friends influenced her view and attitude on choosing her friends wisely and the kind of people she befriends. She said that she becomes friends with people who are nice and trustworthy. Thus, she is very selective when it comes to the people she will be friends with, which is also a mark of an INJF.
On the contrary, her performance in school has been greatly influenced by her desire to “make [her] parents proud…[Hence] I study hard to maintain my good grades.” Thus, the desire to be outstanding in whatever she is doing comes from within. Therefore, Lauren is clearly motivated intrinsically. She also mentioned that her motivation to do well is not because she wants or expects a reward for a task. The reason she engages in a certain task is she gains a feeling of contentment whenever she is doing a specific task. In effect, this has contributed to a young lady who has become and continually shows to be a responsible person in all aspects of her life.
Her responsible attitude, which also reflects a tremendous sense of independence, has ensued because her parents came home at around 8-9pm. Hence, they were not really around when she gets home after school. She described this circumstance as a significant part of her life and has made her who she is right now. It has also resulted in her not liking to rely on other people.
As a former student, she preferred to study at home in her room with music playing in the background. This particular trait exhibited by Lauren is in accordance with INFJ personality, which states that “when the INFJ’s thinking function is operative [the person becomes] most aloof… such distancing is merely an indication that the seer is hard at work” (Butt). In addition, learning new information for her becomes easier if she observes the behavior being performed.
On the other hand, her Filipino culture has molded her to be respectful towards older people, and accomodating to others. She said that she obeys older people out of respect and courtesy towards them. While her accommodating tendencies stem from the fact that she is viewed by others as approachable.
Likewise, Lauren personally believes that culture “play[s] a role in forming personality and attitude [because] culture tells you the acceptable and unacceptable attitudes.” Also, according to Lauren culture determine gender roles because gender roles are “dictated by society…For example, men should not be too emotional; they have to be logical. Women, on the other hand, should be neat with their stuff.”
Numerous studies has also suggested that a person’s environment is responsible for one’s behavior. Robert Tyron, a pioneer in behavior genetics, conducted a study among rats that are bright in going around a maze versus rats that are dull in performing the same task. The study showed that the dull rats’ ability to go around the maze improved once they were placed in a stimulating environment. Hence, the study indicated that the stimulating environment improved the rat’s capability in going around the maze (Intelligence and Mental Abilities).
In addition, psychologist H.M. Skeels observed children who resided in orphanages in Iowa and were neglected by the adults that took care of them. The adults never read them stories, talk to them or played with them. The children were considered subnormal in intelligence when they took an IQ test. Two of the orphan girls were transferred to a an adult ward wherein the people “play[ed] with them, read to them, cheer[ed] them when they took their first steps, and encourag[ed] them to talk” (Intelligence and Mental Abilities). After 18 months, the IQ scores of these two girls improved.
It is apparent, just with the studies mentioned earlier, that a person’s environment affected a person’s intelligence and performance in life. While my interview with Lauren also showed that a person’s upbringing and culture contributes to a person’s personality and attitude. Lauren’s traits-such as her kind, helpful, forgiving and considerate nature- and behavior toward others are formed and developed by her parents. While her culture played a part in her attitude and relations toward older people. However, her motivation for doing any task comes from within and her interactions with people are based on how she feels toward them.
Overall, I personally believe that one’s environment clearly shapes a person’s personality and attitude in the long-run. People usually act in accordance with expected beliefs and mannerisms in the culture they are apart of. Hence, even if there is a segment of the population that are aggressive because they have high-levels of testosterone, proper etiquette and knowledge of societal norms will probably make them refrain from beating their loved ones or strangers. They may also decide to seek help with their out-of-control, aggressive behavior. Also, adequate child-rearing is essential to produce mature and responsible adults in our society. Thus, living conditions should be conducive to the development of a healthy, mature and responsible individual.
Reference
Butt, J. (2005). Introverted intuitive feeling judging. Retrieved February 1, 2008 from http://typelogic.com/infj.html