Introduction to behavioral science
Christina M. Sanchez
University of Phoenix, Axia College

My interviewee’s name is Patricia (Patty) Denise Chavez, she is 28 years old. Patty was born in McAllen Texas in 1980 on November 26th, 1980. She is the second of three children, having and older sister, and a younger brother. She grew up in a Christian home and her parents were pastors of a Pentecostal Church for many years. “We grew up lower than middle class but my parents always tried to give us the best that they possibly could” “My mother always emphasized on the importance of education, she did not graduate from high school because no one ever motivated her but she wanted something different for her own children” “I graduated from high school in the top 10% of my class and attended the Texas A&M University for a single semester before transferring to the University of Texas Pan American in the Spring of 2000, where I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and a minor in Chemistry” “I was always athletic in High School, and while in college I was able to continue to run cross country and track” “I met my husband the summer before my senior year and we were married in June of 2003. Our first daughter was born in December of the same year. My husband was the sole breadwinner for a couple of months and eventually I was able to find a job as a teacher at Mission High School, in Mission Texas” “We then conceived our second child whom was born in November of 2005” “A few months later my husband was laid off from his job and decided to return to school with intensions to complete his degree, in the mean time having applied for the United States Border Patrol” “Shortly after we conceived our third child whom was born in August of 2008 with a condition called “Metopic Synostosis”, which results in one in every 2500 births, which consists of an abnormal head shape and can affect brain growth and development” “Our son had reconstructive surgery in early 2009, at eight months of age, which involved removing the triangular forehead shape and reconstructing to the appropriate shape” “This past year has been very difficult for us because my husband was selected for the United States Border Patrol training Academy in Artesia, New Mexico and upon completing his three month training, he was stationed to work in Laredo, Texas in August of 2008” “We became a commuter couple during that time because I was teaching at the Mission High School and decided to complete my contract through the end of the school year” “It was extremely tough on the kids because they missed their father whom they only saw on the weekends” “Once I completed my contract with the Mission Independent School District in June of 2009, I decided to relocate to Laredo, Texas to be together as a family with my husband” “Everything is going better now that we are all together in one city” “I have a wonderful friend named Christy who is helping us tremendously as we only have each other in this city” “Life at this moment, could not get any better!” P. Chavez (Personal communication September 5, 2009). “I am more of a hands-on type of learner and rather than remembering how I was taught to, however; I find it easy to observe my students at the beginning of the year to distinguish which are going to be the ones to give me more trouble.” “My study habits are different according to the task that needs to be done.” “I always need a quiet study area to be able to focus and concentrate on what I need to.” “At times is may seem difficult to be able to find study time at home with my three children.” ”I usually wait until after I put them to bed, to begin my grading papers, or complete online workshops required by our school.” P. Chavez (Personal communication September 5, 2009) After reading this chapters with Patty, I have gathered that we are alike in the sense that we both need our quiet time to study, and that we both are better learners through hands-on instruction. I always looked up to my older sister, whatever she liked, I liked and whatever she did I would do the same!” “My parents also instilled Christian beliefs into my siblings and I, which I believe has a lot to do with my personality.” “I mostly do things better when they are intrinsically motivating. I love children therefore I had three!” “I had nothing to gain, but I am so happy to have them!” I believe Patty has become the wonderful mother, wife, and, friend because of the beliefs her parents taught her as a child. They were strict and made sure she attended religious services, while other parents did not enforce the same to our friends’. After this interview, I learned that we both had much alike. I too looked up to someone in my family, my aunt who was the youngest of my mom’s sister was the one I was very close too, considering I did not have any sisters to look up to. I too was urged by my parents to follow the teachings and beliefs of our religion; therefore I believe it also plays an important role on the mother, wife, and friend that I am today. Based on each of our scores on the Myers Briggs Trait Inventory, we took the test on different days, and scored differently. Patty’s results are as follows: Mastermind, Introverted intellectual with a preference for finding certainty.”A builder of system and the applier of theoretical models”, and, “201 of total population”. Patty does feel the results are accurate, because she did pay close attention to all the words on the test, and took her time to make sure all answers would be answered correctly. I have learned by this test that she likes to take her time to make sure what she is completing is done properly and she attempts to avoid mistakes as much as she can. Patty is some -what of a perfectionist and does not like to be proven wrong. “I am big on self-monitoring. When others speak their minds, I just stay quiet”. “I dislike confrontations therefore, I only express my views if asked and I always make sure to say “That is my opinion and it doesn’t mean you have to agree or approve,” “My parents brought me up to be quiet and led me to believe that since I was young, my opinion did not matter”. “I rarely had any say so in what I wore and what I did. My opinion or wants rarely mattered”. “I do have pre-conceived motions on races and ethnicity even before I meet a person, however, I always try to be open-minded and give the person a chance.” P. Chavez (Personal communication September 5, 2009) From this part of the interview, I have again, learned that Patty is much like me when it comes to attitudes, but we seem to differ on self-monitoring. We both like to allow others of different race and ethnicity a chance. We both believe that just because a certain race has a certain reputation, not all people of that race are the same. We try to maintain a friendship with just about anyone who is willing to do the same. Both our parents always taught us to respect others and to never think we were better than anyone else. When it comes to self-monitoring, she only speaks when asked her opinion, and I seem to speak even when I should not! At times, I do feel so frustrated that I believe words just slip out of my mouth because of my feelings. Patty is much calmer than I. I do usually confront others when I believe that I need to stand up for myself and my children. From this entire interview, I can conclude that while Patty and I share many things in common, we also have our differences. I have known her for 10 years and thought I knew her very well; however, through the course of this interview, I have learned much more about her. We are both better hands-on learners, we both are intrinsically motivated, and have become the strong women we are because of the support, and strictness of our parents, as young children. The one difference we have is that Patty only speaks when asked for her opinion and I give my opinion even when not asked.

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