Interactionism
PSY 230
Family members, the neighborhood, the city, the culture of the area all have an influence on one’s personality. Traditional practices, customs, the rules and regulations of society have an
influence on personality. One’s personality is made up of all the internal components one has on
the inside including feelings, thoughts, fears, what makes one happy, and motivates. Personality
is also made up of beliefs and behaviors, beginning very young with ...view middle of the document...
Cultures that promote individuality may lead to a more stable personality then one
from a culture or society that stresses interdependence. How one reacts to situations in life likely
will be strongly influenced by social experiences.
In comparing the four positions of the nature traits, behavioral dispositions is a more easily
understood concept then just linguistic categories used to describe human behavior. A
methodology including factor analysis to understand behavior is more exact then simply writing
off traits as being nothing more than convenient fiction as suggested in the linguistics categories.
Behavioral dispositions incorporate taking variables and making them factors. The relationship
of these factors can explain the relationship of the variables. There is more though to
understanding behavior and traits then using a mathematical equation. We can bring together
patterns of traits influenced by culture and heredity.
The four positions of the nature of traits are still ambiguous enough to not be the definitive
answer to understanding behavior or traits. Though we want to understand why man behaves as
he does human nature dictates it will take many valid methods to do so.