Social Factors Shaping Personality

Personality defines a person. Due to personality humans are able to differentiate themselves among others. It’s an important concept and its origin should be questioned. Is personality an inborn concept or are humans predisposed to factors that form and shape their personality? In "Sex and Temperament," Margaret Mead explores this concept. Men and women are predisposed to societal factors that influence their personality. This can be seen through their behavior and cognitive differences.

Gender inequality, is a factor that helps shape personality with the guidance of society. Gender inequality deals with the treatment of individuals based on their gender, usually favoring male or females. From this inequality a social construct known as the

Although both men and women have the same qualifications, it is statistically evident that men have a greater likelihood of getting hired. As a result of men being hired more, women consequently tend to feel inferior. . Kay and Shipman state,“ Compared with men, women don’t consider themselves as ready for promotions, they predict they’ll do worse on tests, and they generally underestimate their abilities. This disparity stems from factors ranging from upbringing to biology.” These feelings of inferiority then cause women to never fully explore their potential, thus fulfilling that prophecy that women are less qualified than men. In “The Confidence Gap” by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman it is stated how in a survey women are asked how they feel in their professions. Kay and Shipman state, “The shortage of female confidence is increasingly well quantified and well documented. In 2011, the Institute of Leadership and Management, in the United Kingdom, surveyed British managers about how confident they feel in their professions. Half the female respondents reported self-doubt about their job performance and careers, compared with fewer than a third of male

Both men and women’s personalities are seen to be affected by societal factors weather through behavior and cognitive differences. Personality gives individuals a chance to be different and to be differentiate. Although a person is seemed to be affected in their everyday lives by society, individuals seem to not notice the changes nor to question it. A question known to individuals and will it be answered? Is personality an inborn concept or are humans predisposed to factors that form and shape their