I think the statement of Harris as quoted below is basically a truism that almost no one disputes. That a person's personality is largely developed from an innate temperament with relatively little environmental influence is almost inherent in the definition of personality as a cross-situational set of stable traits. No parent of more than one child argues the point that children come into the world with a temperament different from their siblings. The controversial part is not alluded to in that sentence: the belief that personality is not mainly innate but shaped by peers. I think the statement fits best with the radical behaviorist statement that there is no such thing as personality, only responses to various situations we find ourselves in based on the consequences of previous responses made in such situations. So either the statement is a truism or it doesn't correctly use the word "personality". Further explication reveals that Harris' use of the word "personality" in the above sentence is idiosyncratic. She basically argues that a person's responses are situation-specific: the responses made among their peers are different from the responses made in the home. It is not as if responses made among peers become part of a personality that will influence their interactions with their parents as would be suggested by the term "personality". It is simply that responses made in peer situations are due to the situation and not to any long-lasting stable traits.
Rick Dr. Rick Froman, Chair Division of Humanities and Social Sciences John Brown University Siloam Springs, AR 72761 [EMAIL PROTECTED] ________________________________________ From: Allen Esterson [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 3:43 AM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: Re:[tips] Harris 1995 [Was Nurture assumption] First: In relation to Harris, her contention is that parents do not have any "long term effects on the development of their child's personality". Compare this with Joan's assertion in the first sentence quoted above that Harris has "boldly" stated that "parents are not important". (That Joan then quotes accurately what Harris actually contends does not alter the erroneousness of that first sentence in relation to Harris.) --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
