Referring back to the poll, I chose that I never know what people think of me and, I have to admit, it sometimes drives me crazy.
When a person has made a strong impression on me, I can often spend much time wondering what goes through their mind when I talk to them, or when they think of me. Although I'd like to think this is due to a general interest in way that I interact with people around me, I rather suspect it stems from my own constant desire to feel validated by people who I hold in high regard. At the risk of this sounding like a narcissitic self-psychoanalysis, I'm assuming that this has a great amount to do with the way I was brought up. Similarly to Swears' description, my family wasn't big on emotional sympathy; but I think this had a rather detrimental effect on me, as I've constantly seeked attention and affection from elsewhere. However, when I have been confronted with it, I find it difficult to react to, since I've rarely been presented with suitable displays of mutual affection at home.
Recently, since finishing exams has given me far too much time to contemplate on menial things, I think I've begun to decide that the way a person is brought up has a colossal bearing on their personality and actions in later life. What I mean by this is the effect of relationships with parents and siblings (or even a lack of both), the structure of emotional support provided by them and even things such as birth order. Maybe it's just because I'm still young and living with my family that they seem to be such an elemental factor in everything I do, or just because I've not yet had the chance to invite any opposition to my opinions, but I do believe that many of the intricacies of an adult's character can be discerned from their experiences with their family.