No, genes alone cannot determine one’s personality. Both inheritance and environmental determinants decide one’s personality.
Genes are transferred from parents to offspring as a result of reproduction. These genes carry traits which determine the characteristics that the newly formed individual would possess. For instance, the hairless or hairy ears, height, big or small eyes and so on. The dynamics between genes and behavior alter since we gain experiences which become acquired traits. In some cases genes, while in some other cases, the environment determines our behavior.
Researchers use a mathematical formula called the heritability estimate to decipher the influence that genes have on an individual’s behavior in a particular environment. To be able to influence personality, genes need to be expressed at the cellular level. This can be studied while the RNA is getting unzipped during which proteins and hormones are produced.
Hence our characteristics carried by genes are shaped both by environmental and inheritance factors. The interaction of these two forces is instrumental in determining the personality of an individual.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can you name the big five personality traits?
Openness, extraversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, neuroticism.
2. What is the difference between fraternal and identical twins?
Fraternal twins develop from two different eggs that are fertilized by two different sperms whereas identical twins are developed from the same fertilized egg that splits into two. Unlike identical twins, the genetic code of fraternal twins is not identical. The gender of the identical twins is the same whereas the gender of the fraternal twins is usually different
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Related Links:
| Genetic Material- DNA vs RNA |
| Molecular Basis Of Inheritance |
| Are Personalities Inherited |
| Does Environment And Genetics Affect Behaviour And Intelligence |
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