Can the environment affect your personality development?

Yes absolutely. For example, suppose someone experiences a traumatic event, such as the death of a parent or sibling, a crippling diseases like cancer, an economic disaster, or even a family move to a strange new city. Factors such as these can influence personality development (Eccles, 2009; Peterson, et al., 2014; Rothbart, 2011). This is true for school environments as well. For instance, making new friends, being bullied, an even transition from elementary to middle school can influence our students' developing personalities (Schunk, Meece, & Pintrich, 2014; Schwerdt & West, 2011).