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PSYCHO-SOCIAL EFFECTS ON
PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT
ABSTRACT
Both environment and genetics exert their effects in shaping up personality of an
individual. From traits to preferences, we are inherently inclined to use our
previously learned, observational or acquired behaviors. Parenting style, early
relationships, schooling, sibling relationships (sibling rivalry), teachers attitude
(criticism and bullying) and interpersonal experiences (romantic attachments)
influence our growth and generate coping mechanisms.

INTRODUCTION
Environment has its own impact on the development of an individual's
personality. Relationship between parents and the relationship between parents
and their children matters a lot, as every person who is present in our
environment contributes in modeling our personality in one way or another. Every
relationship of our lives has something to tell us, as relationships are like a
mirror, which facilitates us to see a reflection of our attitudes, opinions, and most
importantly how we are seen by others1. Why people like us? What makes them to
hate us?

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These questions always bother a healthy mind as how one appears to others,
what people think of me? How much trustworthy my attitudes are for them!
MULTIFACTORIAL THEORIES
There are many factors that one can evaluate before assessing an individuals
personality. These factors are thought as predisposing factors for modifying ones
personality make over. Early relationships with siblings, social response on
mischievous behaviors or on compliant attitudes, attitudes of our friends towards
ourselves, bonding, social approval or persistent rejection in the family or in outer
settings; are all these factors that can lead one to make basic templates in his or
her mind2. All these components shape the way we think or see the world. From
early times of life, these reactions, which we receive frequently from outside
sources, engross such templates in our brains. By the time we grow up, these
templates make us react, think and feel in an automatic fashion while among
different people and in different settings.
We harbor fears and use defense mechanisms to come to play in accordance with
the feeling of security that we have for our environment 3. The state of
vulnerability that we feel within ourselves leads us to decide whether to trust or
not to trust others.
There are some pertinent behaviors that usually end up in psychiatry/psychology
clinics in their early phases of life. These particular behaviors are precipitated
earlier due to some common risk factors in life. These risk factors include
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parental discord or separation, poor parent-child relationship, history of physical,
emotional or sexual abuse, lack of appreciation and praise, poor bonding in outer
circles (friends, relatives, and neighborhoods) 4.

BEHAVIORAL OUTCOMES
These behaviors include persistent anger outbursts that are not in proportion
with the trigger, repeated self-harming attitudes in the form of wrist slashing,
overdose of sedatives or other measures that can threat others, manipulation in
trivial matters, difficulty in setting boundaries in relationships which is
manifested by enmeshed bonding alternating with episodes of fierce despise for
the same individual, impulsivity, unable to stick on one decision, prone for verbal
or physical abuse, gets easily bored from constructive or engaging activities, too
much demanding approach and on slight refusal, a continuous effort to coerce
others through extreme measures of self harm . There is a constant shift among
friends circle; characterized by repeated jolts from idealization to extreme
devaluation, instability in relationships and mood swings. These mood swings
render one to think or act irrationally 5.
These individuals have problems in keeping themselves away from maladaptive
coping strategies. During stressful times, as a way to deal with a particular
situation, they are prone to acquire poor coping techniques and incline towards

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addiction, dependence, antisocial or reckless behaviors such as rash driving,
gambling, sex games, truancy, teen-age pregnancy and homosexuality 6.
RECOGNITION AND ASSESSMENT
Identification of these behaviors should lead parents or care-takers to consult
psychological assistance as soon as possible. Behavioral reinforcements by
teachers, parents, elders and guardians are first hand methods in todays life to
deal with bad conduct or defiant attitudes 7.
But before all these measures can be considered, its crucial to inspect
retrospectively the pre-existing social, environmental and developmental factors
that a child found since the time he or she has gained consciousness.
Sometimes, merely the correction of some triggering attitude by any family
member abolishes the consequential bad behavior in a teen. So its not always the
fact that the younger ones are wrong. Many times their behaviors represent an
outcome of stimuli that they have found since their childhood 8. In most of these
cases behavioral management takes major role as compare to mere medications.

CONCLUSION
In case of children and adolescent, most of their problematic behaviors are
reflection of their environment. Their coping mechanisms are devised strategies of
an ego. Strong self components (self-esteem, confidence and self awareness) can
facilitate ego to come up with mature defense mechanisms as well as effective
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dealing with stressors. Good and nurturing parenting styles can fill this deficit
and raise healthy society for the future.

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Sherman, D. K., & Cohen, G. L. (2006). The psychology of self-defense: Self-affirmation

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Amato, P. R., & Keith, B. (1991). Parental divorce and the well-being of children: a meta-

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analysis. Psychological bulletin, 110(1), 26.

Kernberg, O. (1967). Borderline personality organization. Journal of the American Psychoanalytic

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Association, 15(3), 641-685.

Tremblay, R. E. (2000). The development of aggressive behaviour during childhood: What have we

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Rutter, M. (1971). Parentchild separation: psychological effects on the children.Journal of Child

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Psychology and Psychiatry, 12(4), 233-260

Dishion, T. J., Nelson, S. E., & Bullock, B. M. (2004). Premature adolescent autonomy: Parent
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