Watson was an American psychologist who proposed the behavioral perspective. The approach suggested that the keys to understanding development are observable behavior and outside stimuli in the environment. I strongly agree with Watson that apart from genes, anything about an individual is based on the environment. It is no doubt that the environment plays a major role in not only the early development but the entire life of a person. I was born and raised in Ghana and using myself as an example, I can say for a fact that the environment in which I find myself now has had a great impact on me as an individual. I am the direct “photocopy” of my father. I took his height, skin color, face, nails. I used to be a very quiet and shy person. It was very difficult …show more content…
That is how my mother is, and I know I learned and adapted to those characteristics because my childhood was influenced by the people I spend most of my time with and the environment I grew up in. When I got to the United States, it took me a while to adjust to the system. I cannot recall how I transitioned from the shy person to someone who can stand in from of a whole congregation and talk at church or in front of a class and talk. I couldn’t look into the eyes of an elderly person when I was talking because, in my culture, it is a sign of disrespect. I believe it was the environment that changed me. I remember when I visited Ghana 4 years ago, all my friends were amazed including my family of how I have become vocal. I had changed totally and my mother was astonished. She frankly told me she like the person I have become. I went to a youth program around that same time and I was told to give a speech. No one gave me prior notice, but I was able to deliver