Interviewing Two Adolescents from Different Cultural Backgrounds - Coursework Example

PSYCHOLOGY Psychology: cultural backgrounds The kind of environment and cultures that we grow in have a huge effect in our lives and they mode us to what we are/shall in the future and the things we do. Our lives depends on the intelligence that we do contain that enables us to understand and be able to live with other people due to the rationality and resources that we have that enhances us to cope with life challenges. Through the knowledge and intelligence that is from the mind, we are able to distinguish between a right and a wrong and be able to associate with other people effectively. The level of intelligence however, how hard it is to measure, the things that a person does will distinguish the person from the less or the more intelligent person that is through their deeds. The people will see a quality person who thinks beyond and has good optimistic management that he or she puts to practice. In the analysis of the cultural backgrounds my close friends who I interviewed, some of their experiences, as they were kids, Jeffrey and Joe, both are from very different backgrounds and their social status reflects that too. Family and home life The two were from very different backgrounds showing their differences; Jeffrey is from a high middle class and is 23-years. He is the eldest between other two siblings and feels that the mother is she who has been emotionally supportive as he was a young boy as his father was a busy man. He often speaks English and some broken Spanish with the family. On the other hand Joe is 22-years old and in a low class. He also has two siblings with the parents working. He takes the responsibility of fetching his brother from school and gives him a hug. He feels that the mother is the one who offered the emotional support while he was young, he is close to the siblings than the father whom is never around due to work though at times he could pop in for some little help. While growing up, all the children would be right to up-bring them morally right and spending some time with the children enables them to feel closer to the parents. More so, the children learn a lot from what the people around are doing. The nurturing of the kids while young determines their future responsibilities. Despite of the work commitments, the parents should enhance that they create some opportune moments with their children to enhance they understand their children well. Both Jeffrey and Joe participated in the playing of games. With the parents, stepping in to play with them as they grow up they would feel the support especially the fathers. The advice to children is also very effective and ensures that the kids are more knowledgeable with a higher integrity of the moral values. According to Jeffrey’s culture, the stage of childhood is usually taken to consideration as where a child begins learning and where the child is able to identify the things that are in the right or the wrong manner. It is a period of pure innocence. Unlike Joe whom they do not take the period with much interest but he sees it as a period of growing into adults. He fails to classify this in broad details since they perceive less of this kind of culture. This is the period that with good nurturing of the child the child becomes a responsible adult and is able to define the right and the wrongs. In the social theory, it affirms that the way children are brought up is the way they behave in the outside world and they can manage to address various issues that can affect them in a civilized manner. In definitions of culture and how both have been able, to identify with the culture Jeffrey has more impact on the family, which he feels he is a responsible to it. His family greatly influences him of a higher education that he should pursue and achieve a success. Most of the families even to other people greatly influence the child into growing to a successful person rather than a dependent person. The purpose of having education is not only the achievement of a good job but also be able to associate with other people effectively. On the other hand, Joe on growing up had to neglect his culture as he felt the origins of his culture were more of a burden to bear due to their conflicting ideas. This is a personal decision that is from a result of one growing up and being able to distinguish between the rights and the wrongs. Education is a key factor that enables an individual in learning more of other important things that an individual can possess and claim to have. Joe takes his family, more so the mother, the teachers and his friends as the key motivators for him to pursue a higher education level. They motivate him to take a good root cause and be more responsible in his achievements. The people who influence our accomplishments are always the people who are very close to us and who are constantly reminding us of our responsibilities. School and work Jeffrey has been to school and despite of not showing his performance levels he seems to be an intelligent person with his works very tidy done. He wishes to pursue a higher education level with the support from the parents and friends as well. Joe too is a good performer and too wishes to pursue a higher education in order for him to achieve his goals. However, for Joe the situation is challenging due to the low class level that he is in and feels that he might not be able to pursue a higher education. He feels bad about this, as he is very intelligent and would really want to achieve his dream career despite of the challenges. This has seen him off to work in land scarping, an art installer, and fashion being a model manager, designer and assistant. This he does most of his off school and he does the work very well that shows he is a determined young man. Jeffrey too has worked in the past four years and has done some constructions that have fit him for a successful career. The development of each of them is a good continuation of the works of the mothers who were very supportive and emotionally supported them. A successful person has the privilege of using their intelligence into adopting a good quality course that will enable the person grows fondly in the matters that are of concern. The developmental period of any young adult is very essential in the way the adult will later behave and act in his later developmental stages that are very essential to his or her life. Friendships and identities Both of my interviewers were very friendly to other kids in their early days. The games they played is a confirmation of the two being friendly with other kids. For instance, while growing up Jeffrey could play soccer and skateboard. However, he did love individual games that show he did not have the much comfort of friends unlike Joe. Joe on the other hand, is a lover of sports as he engaged in various sports such as the soccer game, bicycling, running and jogging and the video games. Joe was in a close connection to friends than Jeffrey was and loved being with other kids. This somehow, shows the differences of the two classes where both were brought up in different environments. In Joe’s environment, it is likely to find kids playing together and sharing what they have in common unlike the high middle class where they are less associated with people of different cultures. Joe also identifies his friends as part of his motivation where he says that they play a vital role in his life. Both do identify with their families, are very fond of their families as they feel that the family plays a crucial role in their lives, and are the motivators for their pursuance in higher education. Joe fails to identify himself with his culture pointing out that his culture origin does not reflect in his beliefs, as it is a mixture of various ideas. The people that we do associate with are very important in our lives and they way they influence us can either be positive or negative to our thoughts. The people who are around us greatly influence our self-esteem and can either be helpful or not. It is the duty of parents to ensure that the children grow in a friendly environment in order to nurture their talents and their capabilities in their growing to young adults. A positive feedback for the child or a teenager enables the young adult into responding adequately and capably of the things that are demand of him or her. In the teenagers the level of high esteem is essential in the way parents tend to make comparisons. Positive comparisons influences the teenager positively while a negative comparison diminishes the capability of that young adult and may feel rejected and unloved. The parents and other elderly people should be very careful with how they nurture their young ones into responsible adults. The moral development teaching them of the religion one would desire for the young ones is also very important as this enables the child to realize that there is a certain belief and a superficial being that needs respect. Reference McDougall, W. (1990). An introduction to social psychology. London: Methuen. Read More