Early experiences, parental and peer interactions, and other perceptions guided my behavioral practices regarding individual differences. Specific sensory inputs (such as sight, contact, and smell) stimulate and strengthen neural connections, while others hinder them from disuse (Heino et al., 2021). My upbringing and traumatic experiences caused and taught me how to behave. This essay discusses the effects of environment and learning experiences on my conduct and compares the influences to other behavioral models. Behavior is mostly shaped by one’s experiences and the people in their environment.
The learning experiences and environment model influenced my behavior and shaped how I view myself, the people around me, and the world. Parental relations and peer groups are the most significant aspects of the environment that shaped my behavior. Children’s habits, religious convictions, and political leanings all show signs of being influenced by their families (Heino et al., 2021). My likelihood of developing psychiatric problems increased when I constantly experienced traumatic incidents, but having such occurrences also helped me to handle stress in the future better. Trauma altered my beliefs about the future in several ways, including loss of hope, lowered expectations, and fear that some life events will not occur (for example, access to education, a successful relationship, and favorable opportunities).
Contrary to learning experiences and environment, it is common for people to behave based on unconscious mental processes; unrestrained judgment. Some people have stronger biological desires to have companionship than others, but everyone wants to feel safe from danger and injustice; thus, these sentiments and behaviors are likely hardwired into the genetic makeup. Thinking processes control behavior by influencing individuals’ finest solutions to problems through deliberation about what they believe to be correct (Heino et al., 2021). Conditions of worth involve behavioral approaches that individuals think they should uphold to earn the approval of their peers. Free will elicit high levels of self-control and behavior by boosting motivation and readiness to attempt.
Regarding individual differences, my behavior was shaped by my upbringing, relationships with parents and peers, and general worldview. My behavior was not only affected by trauma but also shaped by it. People often act and make assumptions about the actions and characters of others based on very little or no information, with those judgments mainly coming from unconscious mental processes. The presence of free will elicits high levels of self-control and behavior because it increases drive and willingness to try.
Reference
Heino, M. T., Knittle, K., Noone, C., Hasselman, F., & Hankonen, N. (2021). Studying behavior change mechanisms under complexity. Behavioral Sciences, 11(5), 1-22.