Experiences that Affected my Personality. Free Essay

I think that experiences in childhood have more impacts on the development of a child more than the basics of biology. While I cannot remember most of my days between 1-4 years, I have memories of some of my experiences from 5 years to probably 14 years, where my childhood started to fade. These experiences shaped who I grew up to become as I came to learn that experiences are founded mainly on sensory information while experiences, on the other hand, exert significant influence on behaviors and personality throughout one's life. Adventures may be harmful or positive, but in most cases, they are the critical determinants of what a person becomes.

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One experience that shaped my personality was my parents' constant discipline cases. I was brought up in an environment where morals were crucial for everything. I remember assuming that coming home late was a right as I could do whatever I wanted. Even though it was not the only mistake I ever did, the punishments that came after taught me what is expected of me. The constant caning and "grounding" were all based on operant conditioning. In this theory, when good deeds are rewarded, they are repeated, but when others are punished, most likely, they won't be repeated (Cherry, 2019). It is all based on the set of learning methods that uses reinforcement and punishment to either increase or decrease responses. In my childhood, I am still a believer in discipline because later, I learned that they did not hate me but only wanted the best for me.

Another experience that shaped my personality is my parents' marriage and the bonds they expressed to my siblings and myself. My parents wanted to show us they were good together, even though they had their issues from time to time. They managed to stick together through the problems, and even as a child, I could see that. Not only did it give me some peace, but it also helped me to become a reserved person when it comes to relationships. I usually try to listen before making judgments. Such development was based on classical conditioning. It is a learning that creates a link between stimuli and reactions (Cherry, 2019). When I saw my mother frown, I knew they had issues, so I avoided pestering her and acted like everything was normal. It taught me to learn from looking and avoid making judgments before getting into another person's shoes

Watching TV also shaped my childhood a lot. In my childhood, I loved watching a comic drama where the protagonist had a lot of love for nature and humanity. The program was always attached to so many emotions that I could not miss for anything. Slowly, I developed the urge to become a better person even as a child. I could treat others with respect and give my peers childish advice that fitted to the occasions. Until now, I am an introverted person, and I believe humanity deserves better. Observational learning is very crucial to a child's growth (Cherry, 2019). Luckily, my parents only allowed us to watch the best programs as they knew how they would impact our lives.

Another experience that shaped my childhood is their devotion to religion. We used to attend almost all church meetings where children would be separated and educated on some aspects of life. As a lover of humanity, the teachings were one of my favorite parts of the meetings. I think they mold my self-esteem as I always feel confident in all my activities. Into my adulthood, being raised in such an individualistic culture turned me into a person who holds specific norms that I believe people should accustom themselves (Ryan & Deci, 2017). I think that the presentations cultivated in me the desire for autonomy, and I've always stood firm for the things I believe.

References

Cherry, K. (2019). Experience and Development. Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/experience-and-development-2795113. 6th March 2020.

Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2017). Self-determination theory: Basic psychological needs in motivation, development, and wellness. Guilford Publications.