"Formative influence" refers to the people, experiences, or events that shape or mold a person's character, beliefs, or development. It refers to the factors that have a significant impact on who we become and how we think. Full definition
Beyond physical care, early experiences have a significant formative influence on children's later mental health, social adjustment and personality development. (capmh.biomedcentral.com)
What must not be overlooked is that the authors» separation of Jesus from futurist eschatology, the secularized reduction of his message and mission to (peasant) class protest and social reconstruction, and the refusal to acknowledge the positive and formative influence of Jewish piety on Jesus are all of a piece. (religion-online.org)
Citing Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, and Mark Rothko as formative influences on her practice, she soon developed her revolutionary style of painting to create a prolific body of work. (denverartmuseum.org)