Is personality geneticly determined.

Post Reply New Topic

Ok, i had a discussion at work with some colleagues who took up the side "most of a persons personality comes from their parents". I disagreed and said it is decided by environmental factors, except for those personality traits which are instinctual.

my argument: if you had identical twins and placed them in different families which gave them different environments to grow up in, they would not have the same personality. And most likely, twins growing up in the same family would be quite different.

What do you all think? And why?

I think, that genetic factor plays an important role in personality, but environmental factors are significant too.

so what do you base that response on?

I've read about indentical twins in different families: personalities weren't identical, but had a lot of common traits (it was confirmed by statistical calculations).

what do you mean by traits

Such traits of personality, as temperament, characther, intellect. They are strongly influenced by genetic factors. Some of them are common for almost all people, e.g. genetically determined instincts.

I think Personality is genetic but opinions, views and believes (which can contribute towards personality) are environmental. I voted yes in any case.

Possibly. My parents are ESTJ and INTP. They ended up having me and my NT brother.
I am ENFP and he is ENTP. It seems both of us have more the temperaments of my father but I dont get why I am a Feeler.

The foundations are.

Traits such as high impulsivity, emotionality, shyness from new activities, risk-seeking, a balanced mood and more can be inherited from your parents (or other ancestors) and are then further influenced by environmental factors throughout life, but will not be eradicated.

There are twin studies that suggest the opposite.

Genetics and environment are both important variables in the formation of personality.

I agree with this.

Perhaps two shy and reserved parents who have children shouldn't be too surprised if some of their children are shy also. I would think it would be unfair for parents like this to expect their kids to be "social butterflies" (yet some still do). The parent's behaviour can also influence how the child behaves as well as genetics.

I believe that the basic personality "hardware" of the brain is present from birth.

The environment probably influences how these personality traits are expressed though.
People can learn from their mistakes and adapt their behaviour to some extent.
I think it's very much like getting a "software upgrade" but the basic hardware is still the same.

Reading your post before replying doesn't chang my answer. Genetics play a large factor, but not large enough for me to vote "yes". Still, large enough that I can't vote "no".

Also, the statement "most of a persons personality comes from their parents" is irrelevant to the question asked. Parents, after all, give the child their genes AND give a child the biggests environmental influence. And while adopted children are raised by parents other than their biological parents, the word parent still applies.

I was talking to my Aunt just yesterday, I when waving my arms about when I was explaining something, she said, "Wow, you're so like your father in the way you gesticulate. You're like a double of your father"

The funny thing is, I don't recall seeing my father waving my arms about when he explains things, he usually goes to a pub when he socializes, and that's not my scene. So, yes, I think allot of personalty is genetic, how else would I e.g. wave my arms about just like my Dad, when I never saw or copied his mannerisms?

I suspect that many personality tendencies are genetically predisposed. Whether the predispositions actually verify is a complex combination of environmental and biochemical factors.

I share this view. There are many physical traits that you inherit genetically that can act as triggers for personality traits, so the triggers are heritable but the personality traits themselves are purely psychological and they can change.

This is a truism and applies to most complex traits.