The human influence on the environment

It is no secret that the environment surrounding us influences our growth and development. So how does the way we perceive our environment make us different from each other? Each individual has personal attributes that makes that person perceive things differently. These personal attributes are so diverse such that a person acting in a certain manner may cause two individuals to have different perceptions of the exact same actions. The differences can be physical, psychological, and cultural or the way our perception is set in that specific environment. 

The first way we are different from each other based on our perception of our environment is influenced by physical factors. A good example is when a dark and brown person spend the whole day working in the hot summer sun. The darker guy has more melanin under his skin while the lighter skinned fellow has less melanin. The darker guy will find the sun less harsh ad even enjoy the free vitamin D. On the other hand, the lighter skinned guy will feel the environment is very harsh. 

Secondly, a person’s psychological state may differentiate his perception of the environment from another person’s perception. This boils down to certain experiences and events that may have affected the psychological equilibrium of an individual. In some instances, we would expect many individuals to react in a certain way. However, the different contours in our lives play a crucial role that ensures we perceive the environment surrounding us with different levels of malaise, compassion or anxiety. 

Cultural background also influences how we perceive the environment and in turn make us different from the next person. In some culture, the environment and its inhabitants are valued and even worshipped. In other cultures, the surrounding environment is an avenue for economic growth, sacred ground or symbol of the society. Cultures can influence our instincts and genetic disposition and hence affect how people perceive the environment due to differences in interpreting the information we receive. People will always be inclined to interpret the information processed in their brain with varying degrees of bias depending on what is cultural norm to them. 

In addition to these, our perception may be set in a different way as compared to our fellow human. Consequently, our attitudes, values and beliefs will differ in diverse ways. In some instances, we are forced to have different expectation or results on the same event happening in our environment. A great example is when two friends attend a basketball match but each supports the opposing team. Each one of them will perceive his/her team to be better and to have had the best chances in the game. 

In conclusion, humans may share the same environment, but will have divergent perception of experience. Our belief systems help shape our perception, thus the believer chooses his/her beliefs, experiences and perceptions. Bottom line, I attach weight to the fact that everyone is born with unique characteristics embedded in them. All the same, the environment neighboring each person can advance or inhibit the person’s perception leading to contrasting characters.

The human perception on the environment

There are two main distinctions of perception that I am focused on in this article are positive and negative views, however professionals in the field of psychology can surely provide research and data to show many other variations of perception. The distinction of perception that I feel garners the most attention as it relates to your environment is the positive image. We usually attribute a positive image to things that we find attractive or that we think might make us feel better about ourselves. Also, when we see things that are familiar in our environment, we tend to accept it as being positive. For instance, if you were flipping through the television channels, you would probably bypass the shows that you have never watched. This is largely due to the fact that unattractive and unfamiliar things may imply a negative image to you. These views of both positive and negative relate directly to your environment because we are all products of our environment. Another example would be, if you were to sleep over at a friend’s house where it is unsanitary. You would probably feel uncomfortable and would certainly not sleep as well as you would in a clean home. Environment is a major factor because it can affect whether you have a positive or negative image to apply to a person, place, or thing.

In addition to the environment, the media also plays a major role in determining how we think and perceive things. Today, we live in a world that’s largely driven by social media and we use blog sites and magazines to dictate images of beauty. If the so-called fashion experts that examine the red carpets at major celebrity galas don’t call it glamorous or say it’s out of season you don’t think you have any style. Also, many of us won’t own up to the fact that we are obsessed with reality TV. To make matters worse, you can’t turn on the TV without seeing a headline story about the latest celebrity breakup or political scandal, as if there’s no better news! Statistics and stereotypes have also trained us to think a certain way and I don’t expect this to change much in the coming years. People today are more focused on material things than moral things and this could be why there are so many problems facing the world.

Usually when a person grows up in a poverty stricken environment, they are exposed to more negative images than positive ones, which I can relate to. It is easy for a person to get distracted when you only see negative images in your environment and at the same time, the media is indirectly shaping your perception for you. This is especially a problem in the black community because black males are constantly seeking validation and are struggling to establish their identities in the professional world. This is why it’s very important that everyone, no matter your race, take the time to start thinking for yourselves and reasoning with the challenges that are facing society. The only way to fix a problem of this magnitude is for people to come together and work together. It shouldn’t matter what type of environment you have been exposed to because everyone brings something unique to the table.

Sometimes people can come from a negative environment and not conform to the way others around them think. Somehow the negativity becomes fuel and is turned into grit and determination. That negative environment could serve as inspiration, causing that person to be fearless and assertive in any environment. The growth and view of society can change a display of once nature.

The factors influencing perception of the;environment

The perception of our surroundings partially defines and distinct us from one another since the world around us is influenced by the environment in which we are in. In order to understand the influence of the environment on how we distinguish the world as well as how it differentiates us from others, it is important to understand the meaning of the word perceive. Perception is defined as the capability to see, hear, or notice something by using our God given senses. Every person is at liberty to their own way of thinking and everyone;s mind is distinct from other people;s minds. Every individual;s mind is modified or rather customized by the environment to which the individual is exposed to over different life stages. There are two key distinguishing factors of perception which include the negative and the positive image. Nevertheless, experts in the field of psychology highlight other forms of perception in the prior scholarly studies. The distinguishing factor of perception that gathers the most attention to our environment is the positive image. In many cases, we feature positive images to stuffs that we find appealing and attractive especially those things that we have a better feeling in us towards them. Additionally, we mostly tend to consider things that are familiar in our environment as positive. For instance, a person flicking over television channels pass through many channels only to select one which is more appealing to him or her. And this is something that is distinct in every person. Another instance is a situation where an individual want to spend a night at a friend;s house which is untidy. The individual might find it uncomfortable to spend the night at the friend;s place due to the untidiness. In such a case, the environment is a determinant factor in the decision making by the individual. However, a different person might find it comfortable to spend the night in that environment which clearly demonstrates that the environment has different implications to the each of the individuals.
Today, we live in a world that’s largely driven by social media and we use blog sites and magazines to dictate images of beauty. If the so-called fashion experts that examine the red carpets at major celebrity galas don’t call it glamorous or say it’s out of season you don’t think you have any style. Also, many of us won’t own up to the fact that we are obsessed with reality TV. To make matters worse, you can’t turn on the TV without seeing a headline story about the latest celebrity breakup or political scandal, as if there’s no better news! Statistics and stereotypes have also trained us to think a certain way and I don’t expect this to change much in the coming years. People today are more focused on material things than moral things and this could be why there are so many problems facing the world. Sometimes people can come from a negative environment and not conform to the way others around them think. Somehow the negativity becomes fuel and is turned into grit and determination. That negative environment could serve as inspiration, causing that person to be fearless and assertive in any environment.

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