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Genes play a significant role in the development of your personality, so yes, it can affect your personality. We often wonder how one acquires a leadership personality or why one is short-tempered. Such traits are not only inherited from their parents but also some external factors.
- Genes carry the trait and are transferred from parents to offspring via sexual or asexual reproduction. This process is termed genetic inheritance.
- The color of the eye and hair, height, complexion, etc, are the physical traits that are controlled by genes.
- Alleles (one of two or more possible forms of a gene that are found at the same place on a chromosome) alone do not contribute to personality development. According to many researches, about 30-60% of personality changes are due to genes.
- However, there is no specific gene that determines the personality of an individual.
- Some scientists concluded that traits like leadership, and neuroticism are inherited from parents.
- It can also be adapted by external factors like education, environment, culture, community, etc.
Environmental Factors that Influence Our Personality
According to researchers genes are not only the factors that are responsible for the development of personality. Some environmental factors also influence our personality in many ways which are discussed below in detail:
Culture
Culture is a combination of behavior, traditions, knowledge, laws, and beliefs. All this affects the personality of an individual.
- For instance, If an individual has been raised in a self-concerned environment, they will prefer independence and personal success.
Location
Every location around the world has its hardships and experiences that affect the individual's upbringing.
- Example- People staying in the Northwest are exposed to more difficulties and are often prone to depression.
Education
The most common factor that affects the personality of an individual is their place of education.
- For instance, if a person experiences bullying and violence in their school, the person is more likely to be affected by neuroticism.
Multiple Choice Questions
- Gene
- Phenotype
- Karyotype
- Genotype
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Ans. (b) Phenotype
Explanation: All the visible or observable traits of an organism is called a phenotype.
- Eye color
- Complexion
- Height
- Weight
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Ans. (d) Weight
Explanation: Human beings are not born overweight, such traits are acquired overtime. Parents pass on eye color, complexion, and height to their children.
- Easy, active, cautious
- Low, medium, high
- Easy, hard, cautious
- It has no types
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Ans. (c) Easy, active, cautious
Explanation: Temperament is how an individual reacts or behaves to its surroundings. These are of three types easy, active, and cautious.
- Variation in personality
- Behavioural flexibility
- Personality disorder
- All the above
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Ans. (d) All the above
Explanation: The three components of evolutionary personality theory are variation in personality, behavioral flexibility, and personality disorder.
Subjective Questions
Ques. Personality is called polygenic inheritance. Justify. (2 marks)Ans. In polygenic inheritance, individual characteristics or traits are determined by more than one gene.
- About 30-60% of the personality traits are inherited.
- Although not determined exactly, polygenic inheritance involves multiple genes.
Ans. Wilhelm Johannsen coined the term ‘gene’ in the year 1909. The functions of the gene are:
- It helps in the manufacturing of proteins.
- Gene expression and gene regulation.
- Responsible for determining genetic disease.
Ans. The genetic traits inherited from parents to offspring are:
- Color complexion
- Hair colour
- Eye color
- Genetic disorders
- Height
Ans. There are five different types of personality traits namely:
- Extroversion
- Openness
- Agreeableness
- Neuroticism and
- Conscientiousness
Ans. The table below shows the difference between the two:
| Inherited Traits | Acquired Traits |
|---|---|
| These are the traits or characters inherited from their parents. | These are the traits or characters acquired in their lifetime. |
| These traits are dependent on the laws of inheritance. | These traits are dependent on the external factors. |
| They are genetically inherited. | They are not genetically inherited. |
| Example- skin color, and height. | Example- likes, dislikes. |
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