In the multiple stages of the life of a person, the changes in demeanor and how one approaches

the world will continually develop with the different factors that affect them entirely throughout their
lives. Some come from the very close proximities of a home, some come from the extremities of the
environment, and some come from the exposure to the outside world with society and its need for
conformity. However, one of the complex concepts that a person could ever understand is themselves.
How are we to know that what we are is based on who we brought up ourselves to be or whether if it
came from the external influences that we experience in our day-to-day lives? The matter of
understanding the idea of “who we are” is truly difficult to explain, but the concept of selfhood somehow
gives us an insight towards who we are now and gives us a sense of idea on who we can become in the
future. Selfhood is a continual process of change of our qualities, characteristics, and experiences. This
serves a critical role in the situation of establishing connections and relationships with other people. As
we grow older, our self-awareness continually expands. We become more independent, and we shift our
priorities towards different goals, and we learn how to accept ourselves. Our ideals are shaped by how we
change and approach the world. The same goes for how we interact with others. The natural effect of
aging is that as someone becomes older, there are typical changes in attitude and behavior over time. A
lot of these changes in a person’s characteristics affect how they show compassion and empathy towards
others.

Is empathy something that we must learn or is it something that comes inherently? The consensus is that
empathy is a complex trait that results from a confluence of genetic, developmental, and environmental
factors. Despite the fact that some people may have a genetic predisposition toward empathy, empathy
can also be taught and developed through socialization and experience. Easily, we can say that the
influences of a person early in the stages of infancy come from the parents, but how would it become
once they start to get exposed with the cultural norms of society? Social or cultural norms usually is our
second source of influence as it dictates what is to be accepted inside a community. These also play a
huge role towards the development of a person’s empathy. While other cultures place a stronger emphasis
on the value of community and social ties, some cultures place a higher value on individualism and self-
reliance. These cultural norms may have an impact on how people experience and express empathy.
Empathy is a social norm that everyone expects everyone to have. However, biology or early experiences
are not the only factors that affect empathy. Empathy can also be shaped by environmental factors, such
as cultural norms and values. For instance, cultural practices that value individualism may result in lower
levels of empathy, whereas those that value collectivism may encourage higher levels of empathy.
Children and adults alike learn or take notice that they are separate from the environment. They can think
about the aspects of the environment even though these factors may not be within their capability to
manipulate or change. This is what develops a child’s sense of self and object as it allows the child to
understand the continuity of its existence with or without seeing it. One of the early environmental factors
that affect the growth and development of a person’s compassion and empathy are from their parents.
Compassion can be viewed as an adaptive quality that fosters social bonding and cooperation from an
evolutionary perspective. According to research, even infants as young as six months old show some
degree of empathetic response to the suffering of others, indicating that compassion may come naturally
to some people. Generations change differently as time passes. The parent impact the child’s psychosocial
development but in exchange, the parent’s psychosocial growth is impacted by their experience of coping
with the baby and the pressures this creates for them. Even though different parenting styles are effective
in their own ways in other situations because every child is different, and parents must become adaptable
to the way their children act. A lot of children have very difficult temperaments and may require
parenting more than others. Because of these difficult and demanding behaviors, the parents are more
required by them for them to further develop than children who require less parenting overall. These
findings by Pluess and Belsky in 2010 remind us that the behavior of children is influenced by the
behavior of the people in their environments. The growth and the development of a person’s
characteristics and ideals are very susceptible to the presence and involvement of a parental figure in their
life.

As we move through our practical lives and mature, we start to think in a way where we take ourselves
into the equations as an individual and set aside our childish or immature thoughts. Parents play a crucial
role in the growth and development of a person's compassion and empathy, with infants as young as six
months displaying empathetic responses to other people's suffering. However, parenting styles may differ
depending on the child's temperament and behavior, and parents must adapt to their child's needs. While
some people may be genetically predisposed to empathy, it can also be learned and grown through
experience and socialization. Empathy is greatly influenced by cultural norms and values, with some
cultures emphasizing individualism and self-reliance and others emphasizing community and social ties.
Both societal or communal environments and the parental need stages of a person affect how we view
ourselves and gain our identity. The result on how we choose and develop our identities both come from
the nature of our environments and how those around use nurture us from the very beginning of our
needs. The encounters we have, the connections we make, and the decisions we make continue to mold
who we are as we develop and mature. Our environment includes factors such as culture, religion,
socioeconomic status, education, and media. These factors can influence our beliefs, values, and
behaviors, which in turn affect how we see ourselves and our place in the world.

References:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19424620903388554

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jora.12492