Blog Post #5 – How Do Childhood Experiences Influence Our Identity as Individuals?

In my final blog post, I am going to summarize my research and attempt to answer my big question, “How Do Childhood Experiences Influence Our Identity as Individuals?”

I have been researching some main topics that I have used to help me answer this question:

• Early childhood education
• Core beliefs and values that correspond to make our identity
• Memories
• Trauma and negative memories
• Parts of the brain that are used with memory and emotion (Amygdala + Hippocampus)

I can say that during my research, I have found the significance of these things that contribute to personality and identity when you grow up. In addition, I found more topics that are key to identity, that develops in early childhood, which are interactions with others, the role of parents or caregivers and the amount of socialization a child has (1). These are all key aspects to form identity and it is important to note that there is not one clear answer or response.

It is important to add that many parts of our identity are out of our control. To start, the family that we are born in makes a huge difference. Our family is where we get most of our values and beliefs. We cannot choose how our parents are going to respond to our needs and this can change the way we see ourselves. Think about this, if our parents don’t make us feel good or confident about ourselves, we can develop strong insecurities, project them on other people and create a monster inside of yourself and it was all out of your control. Other aspects such as friends make a difference and how we act around other people, will they accept you, do you have good friends that you can trust. Experiences, memories and beliefs that are formed in early childhood are bound to stick with you, especially negative memories and false beliefs that will skew how you see the world. (2)

My point is that our identity is out of our control and mostly based around early childhood, specifically how we see ourselves, others and the world. These beliefs will stay with us for the rest of our lives. The important thing to note is that our identity is already made up for us and it has more to do with external events that you cannot control. So, next time you wonder why people aren’t the nicest, or why people even commit crimes, think of it differently than “it is just their fault”, because they most likely have little control on how their grew up and the experiences that they encountered as a child, to make them act violently or dangerously.

“The roots of our adult selves go right back to our first experiences” (3). Our whole identity isn’t contributed to our early childhood experiences as we have the right to make our own decisions, but it makes a big difference in the relationships in our life, how we react to stress or change and when we must make big decisions. To understand why we are the way we are, because of our memories and experiences is a key part to discover our true selves. We can look to our beliefs and wonder why they are exist and if they are worth keeping. Understanding our beliefs can help us accept our true selves and be free to set new possibilities of change. Our beliefs and experiences from our childhood are not set in stone and it is possible to reflect and review what makes us, us. Our childhood is a big part of who we are, but external and internal aspects as we grow past our youth are still a big part of our identity and personality. (3)

In conclusion, our childhood experiences develop into memories and are a big base of our identity. They are a basis of how we act on a daily basis, how we perceive ourselves, others and the world. These perceptions can be a big part of our mental health and our future reactions to stress and anxiety. If we experience strong negative memories in our childhood, we can develop trauma and develop a trigger that greatly impacts our lives. Our experiences before the age of 7 creates a strong core belief system, which is our the roots of our beliefs that we feel we need to defend even though we do not know why we defend it (4). These beliefs can integrate into our identity and the way we see ourselves which can lead to insecurities and fears that can be projected onto others. Whether we choose to reflect on our childhood beliefs and develop a better sense of self, it is our decision, but note that our identity is not set in stone.

Sources:

1. How Childhood Memories Shape Your Adult Identity. 20 Oct. 2023, www.richmanmagazine.com/how-childhood-memories-shape-your-adult-identity/.
2. Psychology Today. “Identity | Psychology Today Canada.” Www.psychologytoday.com, www.psychologytoday.com/ca/basics/identity.
3. Maddox, Lucy. “Blueprint: How Our Childhood Makes Us Who We Are.” British Science Association, 29 Mar. 2018, www.britishscienceassociation.org/blog/blueprint-how-our-childhood-makes-us-who-we-are.
4. Wade, Danielle. “Core Beliefs: Definition, How to Identify, and More.” Www.medicalnewstoday.com, 23 Aug. 2022, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/core-beliefs.