Monday, November 15, 2010
Personality theories
Based on the theories we studied in class, I think it's safe to conclude that personality has both biological and environmental factors. I think the biological theory has a lot of weight behind it, specifically the research done on identical twins. If identical twins were reared apart and they still have an extremely high correlation in the Big Five personality traits than it is very likely personality could partially be inherited. Personally, I can definitely see similarities in the personalities of me and my family. Though these can be environmentally based, I do feel there is a deeper relation, because there are a wide variety of other factors that can affect behavior beyond the home you grew up in. If hair color and height can be inherited than why can't agreeableness or neuroticism be inherited?
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I think you make a good point. However, I do not think that "agreeableness" has anything to do with genetics meaning you aren't born with it. I think it has more to do with observational learning throughout the household and whether or not you get along with each other in the first place. So I think that personality traits are learned rather than inherited because so much time is spent around your parents that inheriting it is kind of a given.
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