This is something I've been wondering....

[FionordeQuester]

Have scientists and science found any reason how people are born with different personalities and all that? It always seemed just incredible to me how something like that could happen, how people could be so different from each other even at birth.

[lolDeath]

God did it.

[Hatchet]

yea, that's about the extent of my knowledge on the subject as well..

I believe that it has a lot to do with how one's upbringing is to some extent.. sorry :/

Edited April 18, 2010 by Hatchet

[FionordeQuester]

God did it.

Well...yeah, to be honest, that's what I always thought to just didn't want this thread to turn into a GOD EXISTS/NU, UH!/YEAH HUH!/NUH UH!kind of thread Also Hatchet, don't be sorry, if you don't know, you don't know, lol!

Edited April 18, 2010 by FionordeQuester

[lolDeath]

I was joking. I'll make Revan post tonight, since he is my sincerity proxy/love slave.

Edited April 18, 2010 by Death

[Mousefire]

Some say nature. some say nurture. I say both have an effect on personalities.

so yeah, genetics and upbringing do that stuff

Edited April 18, 2010 by mousefire

[FionordeQuester]

I really don't think it's only that. If that were the case, we would've been way different than the people of long ago (Survival of the Fittest and everything), yet, from where I'm standing, not much has changed.

[uguu]

I really don't think it's only that. If that were the case, we would've been way different than the people of long ago (Survival of the Fittest and everything), yet, from where I'm standing, not much has changed.

I'd assume that's because everyone is taught to be obsessed with some ridiculous definition of 'normal'

[FionordeQuester]

Don't see how that's relevant. The point is is that there were people in the old ages that had some characteristics that were EXTREMELY unsuited to surviving this world. There had to be. Denial of reality, laziness, uncooperativeness, all that. One would assume that "Survival of the Fittest" would've wiped em out over the thousands of years we have lived. Yet, check this out! We still have just as much of em as we did those long years ago!

That was the point.

Edited April 18, 2010 by FionordeQuester

[uguu]

People are born faster than people die.

Most people are kept alive for the first 18 years of their lives

[FionordeQuester]

Well...yeah, I guess you have a point, since of course we didn't have those "underage sex" laws that we do now. I still think it's something else, but you have a decent argument.

That creates the question of how all the negative traits began though.

Edited April 18, 2010 by FionordeQuester

[Fireman]

Have scientists and science found any reason how people are born with different personalities and all that? It always seemed just incredible to me how something like that could happen, how people could be so different from each other even at birth.

Wait wait wait. People aren't just born with different personalities. Nurture covers a huge area there too.

I really don't think it's only that. If that were the case, we would've been way different than the people of long ago (Survival of the Fittest and everything), yet, from where I'm standing, not much has changed.

Only that? LRN2PSYCHOLOGY Nature and nurture cover a huge range of things. Without them, you are a simple meatsack.

If that were the case, we would've been way different than the people of long ago (Survival of the Fittest and everything), yet, from where I'm standing, not much has changed.

I don't know if you keep up with current events are not, but...we are significantly different from the people of "long ago."

Don't see how that's relevant. The point is is that there were people in the old ages that had some characteristics that were EXTREMELY unsuited to surviving this world. There had to be. Denial of reality, laziness, uncooperativeness, all that. One would assume that "Survival of the Fittest" would've wiped em out over the thousands of years we have lived.

1)You're assuming that nature is perfect.

2)You're ignoring the upbringing factor.

3)You're assuming nature is fast enough to completely change a species in only thousands of years.

We still have just as much of em as we did those long years ago!

You're going to need statistics here.

That creates the question of how all the negative traits began though.

"Negative" is a very subjective term. For instance, denial of reality may seem like a "negative" trait, but it can protect one from major depression at times.

Also, once again, you are assuming that nature is perfect.

Edited April 18, 2010 by Fireman

[FionordeQuester]

Wait wait wait. People aren't just born with different personalities. Nurture covers a huge area there too.

So you're saying that if raised the exact same way every time, every child will be the same?

I don't know if you keep up with current events are not, but...we are significantly different from the people of "long ago."

Ok. How are we different, besides having more advanced society's? I don't want to hear, "Our brains are more developed" either, because I was talking about Homo-Sapiens from the earliest times they existed.

1)You're assuming that nature is perfect.

I believe you're right. It is most presumptious for me to believe that without doing research first. Can you please tell me how it's not perfect (besides death? That's too obvious)

2)You're ignoring the upbringing factor.

There are guys who grow up to be what a majority of people would generally classify as bad even with a good upbringing while there are guys who grow up to be what a majority of people would generally classify as being good even with a bad upbringing. I'm not saying that it's not incredibly important, I think having a good upbringing is one of the most important things you can have, I'm just saying I don't think it's end all be all of determining ones personality.

3)You're assuming nature is fast enough to completely change a species in only thousands of years.

True. That's rather presumptious as well.

Edited April 18, 2010 by FionordeQuester

[Fayt Zelpher]

Have scientists and science found any reason how people are born with different personalities and all that? It always seemed just incredible to me how something like that could happen, how people could be so different from each other even at birth.

Well, without getting into a huge philosophical/psychological discussion, I'm going to say this much on the matter.

First of all, genetics certainly plays a role in personality. Different genotypes predispose people to make more or less of certain chemicals which influence behavior. Low serotonin levels predispose one to depression while overly high amounts of dopamine make one more likely to be schizophrenic (according to some theories, at least), for example.

However, environmental factors also play a role as well. Someone raised by abusive parents is more likely to be cynical, depressed, and all around more negative while people raised by nurturing parents are going to be happier and more open to interpersonal relationships. In addition, when one is raised by parents who are responsive (though not indulgent), that person becomes happier and more independent.

I mean, that's not NEARLY the full answer, but that's some of what psychologists believe.

As for what specific experiments have been conducted to determine all this, I don't know.

[Esau of Isaac]

So you're saying that if raised the exact same way every time, every child will be the same?

They will be similar, to an extent. I would venture that nature covers a range of expected behavior, however.

Ok. How are we different, besides having more advanced society's? I don't want to hear, "Our brains are more developed" either, because I was talking about Homo-Sapiens from the earliest times they existed.

Would our advanced societies not be different from the hunter-gatherer groups of thousands of years ago?

I believe you're right. It is most presumptious for me to believe that without doing research first. Can you please tell me how it's not perfect (besides death? That's too obvious)

Why should he? Perfect is a pretty big thing. Shouldn't you prove that nature is perfect? What about anything in nature is perfect in the slightest?

[Mousefire]

I really don't think it's only that. If that were the case, we would've been way different than the people of long ago (Survival of the Fittest and everything), yet, from where I'm standing, not much has changed.

We have the genetics of humans. that much will not change unless we evolve. each human gains half their traits from each parent. that much doesn't change. I don't see how we would be that different.

[peener weener]

God did it.

Simpsons did it.

[Fireman]

So you're saying that if raised the exact same way every time, every child will be the same?

Not completely the same. One would assume that your genetics plays a significant role. What I meant in my earlier post was that it's not only genetics that determines your personality.

Ok. How are we different, besides having more advanced society's? I don't want to hear, "Our brains are more developed" either, because I was talking about Homo-Sapiens from the earliest times they existed.

While slightly straying off topic, this article can begin to name some of the physical differences.

Can you please tell me how it's not perfect (besides death? That's too obvious)

Wait. What? You already gave away one reason why it's not perfect (death)--but if you want a different reason, I'll give you one: Nature isn't perfect because "negative traits" in society still exist. Ringing a bell? :/

Also, as a side note: One can also make the argument that death helps "maintain" a population, so it might be a positive to nature. Imagine that if death didn't exist, we'd have over-flooded the Earth already and consumed all its resources and died a horrible death fighting each other for the last drop of water--just had a Dune moment here. But no, that would be a preferable ending. Since we're in this hypothetical world where people do not die, we wouldn't even be granted the mercy of dying. We would have to rely on prisons to hold criminals for the rest of their life. AND WE ALL KNOW HOW WELL THIS WORKS IN COMICS. We would all have to suffer for the rest of eternity. Unless, of course, humans evolve to a point where they do not need normal necessities and don't feel pain or anything of the sort, but...once again, nature isn't perfect.

There are guys who grow up to be what a majority of people would generally classify as bad even with a good upbringing while there are guys who grow up to be what a majority of people would generally classify as being good even with a bad upbringing. I'm not saying that it's not incredibly important, I think having a good upbringing is one of the most important things you can have, I'm just saying I don't think it's end all be all of determining ones personality.

I would assume the answer is genetics. You can be the "bestest" parent in the world ever that gives just the right amount of love and support and just the right amount of strictness and discipline, but that's not necessarily going to "cure" someone of their--oh, let's say-- antisocial personality disorder or their schizophrenia.

Like stated earlier: Personality isn't only influenced by upbringing and it's not only influenced by genetics. The most plausible answer seems to be a combination of both. To what extent does each affect your personality remains a mysterious topic. The best way to determine such--as jokingly proposed by Mark Twain-- would be to raise two boys, each in a barrel while feeding them nutrients through a hole, as their environment--and thus, their upbringing--would be identical. The ethical problems in such an experiment is obvious, so I wouldn't count on researchers being able to figure out whether nature or nurture is more responsible for one's personality anytime soon.

Edited April 19, 2010 by Fireman

[Fayt Zelpher]

We have the genetics of humans. that much will not change unless we evolve. each human gains half their traits from each parent. that much doesn't change. I don't see how we would be that different.

Indeed, that is correct. However, modern human civilization roughly 10,000 years ago (maybe closer to 6,000 years depending on the specific criteria you use). That's roughly 400 generations (or 250 if you use the 6,000 years). In that time, there is no way that random mutations could have caused enough change to the human genome to vastly alter the fundamental genetic code of the human species.

HOWEVER, it is fair to say that over those generations, a couple of things have happened. First off, we are a lot healthier. Most crippling and debilitating diseases (or at least a lot of them) have treatments, and our medical knowledge has increased substantially in other areas.

I think that the main reason for the change in humans over this time is neither genetics nor medicine but rather nutrition. Thanks to modern technology, there is sufficient food (though unfortunately, not in some parts of the world) to feed children properly, and as a result, their brains and bodies are able to properly develop instead of being stunted by poor nutrition.

It is no random chance that humans in the developed world have averaged nearly 2 inches (5 cm) in average height growth over the last 150 years.