A strapping relationship exists between personality and culture adopted in society. Culture, hereditary, and environment affect human behavior (Ferraro, 2007, p.56). An individual’s immediate environment influences the behavior adapted. Environment refers to all surrounding conditions. Elements of the environment, such as relatives, friends, and communication models, contribute to the development of the personality of an individual (Ferraro, 2007, p.60). It is essential to note that human beings exhibit different behaviors when exposed to culture. Apart from the environment, genetic endowment also influences the behavior of an individual.
Human beings adapt to the culture in dissimilar ways, hence differing personalities among people experiencing the same culture. The way people experience culture depends on different factors, such as social grouping, location, and upbringing, among others (Ferraro, 2007, p.66). These experiences vary over time as human personalities keep changing through key stages of life. As human beings develop and mature, their preferences for things such as friends, food, music, social groupings, and career choices keep changing (Ferraro, 2007, p.70). Cultural beliefs such as high dominance and little expression of emotions in men influence human experiences. Several cultures anticipate women to be young and attractive; hence, the age and appearance of women are given more value. Human beings have a work culture that influences the cultural experiences of individuals (Ferraro, 2007, p.71).
Individuals can control their behaviors but cannot order or control the behavior of other people. However, individuals can influence the behavior of others through their own experiences. This influence best applies through interactive forums or processes such as leadership. The first step to influence others is acquiring self-awareness (Weiten, 2010, p.34). Self-awareness applies trough an evolutionary process that requires individual effort and necessary support from various elements of the immediate environment. Individual growth and self-awareness are manifested through the number of relationships individuals develop with other elements in the environment (Weiten, 2010, p.36). Self-awareness is also the principal base for making any form of influence on people’s choices and beliefs. People will probably detest from listening and believing in anything said by an individual who lacks a clear understanding and knowledge of self. People who influence others through their beliefs and actions exhibit valued attitudes, viewpoints, ideas, skills, gifts, and abilities (Weiten, 2010, p.41).
Human beings apply to culture as an avenue for knowledge and productive activity. Culture influences the way human beings perceive life and all its associated features and processes. One fascinating aspect of the process of human development is how people take up everything without considering the legitimacy of the information (Weiten, 2010, p.45). An interesting thing about culture is the manner in which it defines which processes are to apply to the extent of ignoring any one who does the same things in a different manner. The optimal theory of psychology explains that understanding the roles of culture, personality and intolerance of human beings helps in human development through collective and individual growth (Weiten, 2010, p.46). Beliefs play an influential role in simplifying the complexity associated with life. Most human beings collapse due to hostage by cultural belief systems and unmediated cultural experiences. Human beings function on three levels, which are personal interaction, interpersonal levels and the organization (Weiten, 2010, p.49). Personal level constitutes establishing attitudes, bias and prejudice. The interpersonal level of interaction allows for association with other elements in a community. The organization level accommodates various aspects of human development process. However, it is significant to note that human culture and future expectations play a significant role in reducing human contributions to society, as well as influencing the behavior and thinking of fellow human beings (Weiten, 2010, p.54).
Diversity influences behaviors of individuals and their associates. Diversity has contributed enormously to the success witnessed in the world, which would otherwise be uninteresting if human beings were not miscellaneous (Hubbard, 2012, p.23). The greatest contribution offered by diversity is a platform for human beings to express their thoughts. Ethnicity as a form of diversity affects my behavior, as well as that of fellow human beings. Ethnicity refers to affiliation resulting from racial or cultural ties and plays a key function in human development and relations (Hubbard, 2012, p.31). Ethnicity affects human behavior in numerous ways. Ethnicity determines how a child develops and the treatment offered by society to an individual. Positive treatment will result in positive behavior while negative treatment will result in negative behavior. Ethnicity influences human behavior the most during an individual’s formative years (Hubbard, 2012, p.34). A child grows and develops in a certain ethnic group. This leads to a child getting the knowledge and adapting to the culture of the ethnic group from an early age. Ethnicity influences most behavioral features in a human being rather than an individual’s heredity (Hubbard, 2012, p.39). Every ethnic group has its culture that people born in, it is adapted from when people are young until they are mature. This is how ethnicity influences an individual’s behavior, as well as the conduct of other people in society.
References
Ferraro, G. (2007). Cultural Anthropology: An Applied Perspective. California: Cengage Learning.
Hubbard, E. (2012). The Diversity Scorecard. New York: Routledge.
Weiten, W. (2010). Psychology: Themes and Variations, Briefer Version. New York: Cengage Learning.