With the rising prominence of human psychology studies comes the question of whether
childhood
or teenage experience exerts a more profound influence on one person.
This
essay will first elaborate on
both
sides before I draw my final opinion on
this
issue.
On the one hand, the
childhood
period comes into play in the formation of children’s disposition.
This
stems from the fact that it is these formative years when their core character traits commence being established. In combination with their callow mindset in distinguishing between benevolence and malevolence, any external circumstances can have either a marginal or enormous impact on children’s temperament, depending on specific situations. Once these characteristics are embedded in the toddler’s mentalities at an early age, they can follow him or her all along and potentially become a permanent feature of his or her in adulthood life.
For instance
, facts have shown that many adult perpetrators have their criminal behaviours attributed to their sufferings from a pathetic
childhood
such
as parental maltreatment and family separation.
This
has created a breeding ground for resentful attitudes in their mind, turning these children into criminals in the future.
On the other hand
, the teenage experience plays its part in the establishment of a person’s fundamental ideologies. When children enter their teenage years, their cognizance has reached a new level of maturity,
thus
allowing them to acquire inputs from the surrounding environment more proactively.
Also
joining
this
process of ideological development is teenagers’ interaction with a multitude of ideas and viewpoints from numerous people and communities, which forces them to face the dilemma of choice when opting for what beliefs to adhere to. Their choices at
this
critical moment will gradually construct the set of world views and ideologies as guidance for teenagers’ future-life demeanour. A case in point can be seen in teenagers’ career choices. In their
childhood
, they may take a liking to a certain job just
due to
its so-called “fancy” reputation.
However
, once a teenager, they will be presented with more complex factors,
both
internal and external,
such
as self-capabilities or world trends,
thus
a possible switch in career orientation ensuing.
All things considered, proponents from
both
sides have their own grounds for their arguments. From my standpoint,
both
childhood
and teenage times are of equal importance to a person’s future life, shifting the primary issue now to building up a proper
childhood
and teenage environment for the sake of optimal personal development