Do you think aspects of your personality are inherited or learned?

[jacquie4000]

would use the word "influenced" rather than learned or inherited.

I have been influenced by my upbringing, but I have made choices either conciously or sub consciously to adopt certain behavior charecteristics. I am not a slave to the enviornment that surrounds me.

Much the same can be said for my genetics. I am not the average of my mom and dad. I am unique, just like everyone else on this planet.

To be sure, one of the biggest cop outs used by jerks: "That's just the way I am!" We get that, now CHANGE your personality you dolt! In this respect, the tiger can change it's spots by making the decision to. The big decisions need to be accompanied by a host of tiny decisions, but they are possible. ___________________________

But would you not say that some people either have either learned or inherited the stength to be able to change? Some people learned or inherited a weakness within themselves that makes it impossiable or extremely hard for them to change.

 

[Scuba Pete]

Anyone can change. Anyone can stay the same.

It depends on whether they see a need and how compelling that need is.

 

[jacquie4000]

I tend to disagree with that to a point. For instance we will stick with the instance of Alcholism. MY mother is a bindge alcholic, almost everyone of her siblings are, two infact two have died from it. In my family It is me and my brother, My father and my mother. My father was never an alcholic. Yet me and my brother due have the tendicies. But my brother is so much like my mother it is not funny. He has struggled to quit he does try to change he seeks help at everyturn, but always struggles. I am a mix of both my parents and of course my own learned behaviors and personalites that I have become. But I do have the strength of my father which makes it easier for me to overcome alcholism. So I think for some it is easier then others and not everyone can just change or stay the same as you say. But that is just my opinion of course...

 

[Scuba Pete]

First, I am sorry about your siblings. That has to be tough!

My dad died an alcoholic, and my mother has tendencies towards that. I have never felt the "need" to drink, and am one of those who can enjoy or refrain depending on what is happening.

I refuse to be a victim, either of my genetics or my environment. I am ADD and always have been. I have had to develop strategies to help me cope. I COULD sink into the morass of being ADD and justify every action or inaction, but I chose to hold myself accountable. I see the need to change and am doing it.

 

[jacquie4000]

I

refuse to be a victim, either of my genetics or my environment. I am ADD and always have been. I have had to develop strategies to help me cope. I COULD sink into the morass of being ADD and justify every action or inaction, but I chose to hold myself accountable. I see the need to change and am doing it.

I have ADD to and so does my son neither of us use it to justify anything either. But we do joke about it sometimes. My son is 13 and has such a long way in improving himself. He has made the honor roll the last two marking periods which I of course am very proud of...off topic.

 

[PureX]

But would you not say that some people either have either learned or inherited the stength to be able to change? Some people learned or inherited a weakness within themselves that makes it impossiable or extremely hard for them to change.

I have thought a lot over the years on this question, as I have seen some people healed from chronic addiction, and others fall to their deaths in it. And I've finally realized that there just isn't any way for me to know the answer to this. I honestly don't know why some people are able to rise above even the most powerful defects of character (genetic, learned, or otherwise), while others fall victim to themselves time and time again. Unless I can live inside them, there's just no way for me to know, and I'm not sure I could know even then.

 

[jacquie4000]

Nice answer PureX.

 

[michel]

So far as I understand the science, much of our basic personality is genetically based.

I have to agree; not through learning, but mainly through what I have observed.

My wife knew my Father for quite some time; she agrees with what a psychologist "dreged" from me; I have most of my Father's character and mannerisms.

My father was a "Fix it" - no time to show emotion (because that would have been very unmanly); if there is a problem, you just approach it from a purely logical and objective angle, and find an answer..........

Strangely, though I have tried for years to change, there is much of that in me. I have learned to show emotion (or at least to let it have its say), but the number of times my wife has commented (ruefully) "How like your Dad..........."

There is even a stranger "link"; I have a book given by my Dad's Father to him, it is signed - the signatures are almost identical. Coincidentally, mine is almost identical as well - and I wasn't around my Father at the time of developping a signature - I was at boarding school. I don't think I would ever have seen his signature before that time because "I was a child" as he would have said.

I have a photo taken by one of my sons which could be one of my father - the same stance, the same look - everything, except that it is me.

My wife and I have noticed the same quirky displays of genetic inheritance in our two children.

 

[Sunstone]

I would use the word "influenced" rather than learned or inherited.

I have been influenced by my upbringing, but I have made choices either consciously or subconsciously to adopt or reject various behavior characteristics. I am not a slave to the environment that surrounds me.

Much the same can be said for my genetics. I am not the average of my mom and dad. I am unique, just like everyone else on this planet.

To be sure, one of the biggest cop outs used by jerks: "That's just the way I am!" We get that, now CHANGE your personality you dolt! In this respect, the tiger can change it's spots by making the decision to. The big decisions need to be accompanied by a host of tiny decisions, but they are possible.

Interesting. I'm not aware of any science that supports your speculation that a "leopard can change its spots". Could you reference some studies?

 

[Scuba Pete]

http://www.sff.net/people/karawynn/justso/leopard.htp There ya go... how it happened in the first place!

 

[Scuba Pete]

BTW,

an excerpt from the OT which many attribute to being about the Messiah:

Isaiah 11:6 The wolf will live with the lamb,
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling together;
and a little child will lead them. NIV

So the leopard can change, if only by the power of God.

 

[jacquie4000]

You confussed me a minute with the name.......lol