Parental Influence Test
How did your parent(s) influence you?
A new analysis led by Joshua Jackson, associate professor of psychological and brain sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, explores how parents’ personalities can shape the lives of their children, for better or worse.
The study found that parents’ personalities have a significant impact on a child’s life, even after taking the child’s personality into account. In other words, parents have a marked influence on their children.
How did your parent(s) affect you? To take the test, indicate your answer to each of the statements below.
Question 1 of 25
My parent(s)…
Are often tense, jittery, or nervous.
Disagree | Agree |
NEXT
The Parental Influence Test is based on the work of Wright, A. J., & Jackson, J. J. (2023). Is parent personality associated with adolescent outcomes for their child? A response surface analysis approach. Infant and Child Development, e2395, but is not associated with Wright or Jackson.
Parents play a significant role in shaping their children's personalities. From an early age, children look up to their parents as role models and try to emulate their behavior. As such, it is not surprising that parents' personalities can significantly impact the development of their children's personalities.
One of the primary ways in which parents' personalities influence their children is through modeling. Children observe and imitate their parent's behavior, whether it's positive or negative. For example, if a parent is consistently patient, kind, and empathetic, their child is likely to adopt these same traits. On the other hand, if a parent is frequently angry, rude, or aggressive, their child is more likely to exhibit these same behaviors. This modeling effect can have a profound impact on children's personalities, both in the short and long term.
Parental personalities can also affect children's emotional development. Parents who are emotionally available, responsive, and supportive tend to have children who are more emotionally stable and well-adjusted. Conversely, parents who are emotionally distant, critical, or dismissive can cause their children to struggle with emotional regulation and self-esteem.
Another way in which parents' personalities can impact their children is through the transmission of values and beliefs. Parents who prioritize certain values, such as honesty, integrity, and hard work, tend to pass these same values down to their children. Children who grow up in such an environment are more likely to internalize these values and carry them into adulthood. Conversely, parents who prioritize negative values, such as materialism or dishonesty, can influence their children to develop similar attitudes and beliefs.
Finally, parents' personalities can also impact their children's cognitive development. Parents who are curious, open-minded, and intellectually engaged tend to foster these same traits in their children. Children who grow up in such an environment are often more curious, inquisitive, and interested in learning. On the other hand, parents who are intellectually disengaged, closed-minded, or uninterested in learning can stifle their children's intellectual growth and curiosity.
In conclusion, parents' personalities play a significant role in shaping their children's personalities. Through modeling, emotional availability, the transmission of values and beliefs, and cognitive engagement, parents can have a profound impact on their children's development. Therefore, it is crucial for parents to be mindful of their own personalities and behaviors, as these can have long-lasting effects on their children's lives. By being positive role models, emotionally available, and transmitting positive values and beliefs, parents can help their children develop into happy, healthy, and well-adjusted adults.
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