What effect do genes and environment have on your intelligence and personality?

[Lizzy23 Becker]

I was reading an article recently, and the writer was vociferously asserting that everyone has 2 eyes, 2 arms, 2 legs, 2 ears, a nose, and a brain. So if I can do something, you can do it as well!

Having a background in Medical Sciences and training as a nurse for the NHS, I know that's not even remotely true. Even though we have similar body structures, our genetic makeup isn't the same which gives rise to diversity and makes us different from one another. If everyone was same as everyone else, life would be pretty boring don't you think

[Rchou89]

In middle school, one of my teachers had us play this game -- you may have played a version of it as well. Basically, the entire class lines up at the starting line for a race. The teacher then asked everyone whose parents own a house to take a step forward. Everyone whose parents are still together can also take a step forward. If you're white, take a step forward. If you're male take a step forward. And so on, listing characteristics that give people an advantage over others in life. Once done, the race begins, with the starting finish line being the same for everyone.

This is supposed to illustrate that we are not really all the same. We each have advantages and disadvantages. Some are genetic, like skin color, sex, etc. Others are environmental. And they shape the people we become -- our personalities and the levels of intelligence we're able to achieve. And yes, it makes for a diverse, and definitely not boring, world.

Got to be honest though, I wasn't expecting to be having this conversation on a forum about distance learning . But since we're here, let me ask a related question: Does distance learning help balance those environmental and genetic scales when it comes to accessibility?

I think it's a start. Being able to learn from anywhere (provided you have access to a stable internet connection and computer) allows people from all walks of life further their education on their own terms. It means that a more diverse population has access to continuing education.

[kdy]

Yes, I think it's a start. From a time when our skills and interests are limited to what education is offered in our local areas, distance learning will open more oppotunities and flexibility to one's learning.

I remember visiting a a community when I was a teenager, Most residents in the community are miners. It was like an employment dynasty passed on from one generation to the next only because that's all there is in the place. I think access to learn another skill can change that.

[stan]

Twin studies suggest that between 40 and 80% of the variance in IQ is linked to genetics. This suggests that genetics has a significant part to play in the IQ levels of individuals. There is also evidence to suggest that children who where breastfed during the first three to five months had higher IQ results at age six. Obviously school attendance or lack of are environmental factors that can make an impact also.

[sammie83]

According to the US government, both genetics and environmental factors influence intelligence: https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/primer/traits/intelligence

Without a doubt family, upbringing, educational opportunities, nutrition, family life, availability of learning resources and intellectual stimulation all play a factor. Genetically I would think that some are more naturally gifted when it comes to mathematics, literature or problem-solving. While some who have genetic complications are deprived of these gifts. Its a very interesting topic and I believe many scientific journals and articles cover this very topic. If anyone know of any please do share with us.

[jcoppi29]

I think the psychological terms generally included for the "nature and nurture" topic are: epigenetic psychology and phylogenetic endowment. I recall having written a term paper regarding the epigenetic psychology topic and found out that the Nature vs Nurture argument had long been debunked in terms of human behavior and traits simply because they found indicative proof that both are relative to each other.

What happens, as the studies had mentioned, is that particular emotions depending on degree or intensity alter the type of genes passed on to the next generation. It was suspected that this was the root cause of generational trauma or even phobias. The modifications in the next generation's genes have some roots in the previous' generations experiences prior to breeding, combining nature and nurture into a rolling snowball of traits like intelligence.

Nature is a given that gets triggered by Nurture, but nurture can also change the nature factor passed to the next generation. Intelligence may not always be in the genes, but with enough development and nurture, it may be passed on to the next generation.

[Kamille]

Most studies suggest that intellectual ability is largely inherited while personality is greatly influenced by environment.
I believe a person's intelligence and personality is tempered by their genes, and fueled by their environment.

Here is a good read from Simply Psychology
https://www.simplypsychology.org/naturevsnurture.html

[mjmnl]

Some may argue that genes and environment have a separate effect on a person's intelligence and personality. However, some studies are showing that certain genetic traits only show up when triggered by the environment. They actually work hand in hand. One doesn't only affect a person but both nature and nurture have a contribution to our personality and intelligence.

[GladysMae]

I was reading an article recently, and the writer was vociferously asserting that everyone has 2 eyes, 2 arms, 2 legs, 2 ears, a nose, and a brain. So if I can do something, you can do it as well!

Having a background in Medical Sciences and training as a nurse for the NHS, I know that's not even remotely true. Even though we have similar body structures, our genetic makeup isn't the same which gives rise to diversity and makes us different from one another. If everyone was same as everyone else, life would be pretty boring don't you think

Can you share the link to the article?

Seems like a nature versus nurture argument. But, nature can be nurtured. Whatever is in the body (nature) can be developed by the environment where that body grows (nurture). Whatever is in nature also acts as the limit for growth, no matter how nurturing the environment is.

[sammie83]

I have to agree Gladys. The environment can have positive or negative effects. No matter or subtle or large the environmental differences are. They affect so many aspects of ones ability to succeed, focus, stay healthy...

[GladysMae]

Thank you, Sammie. It would be interesting to see the effect of the lockdowns on the kids. With this pandemic, the children's physical environment is gonna be confined to the home. I am thinking that whatever genetic character they got from their family will be amplified in their personality and intelligence. Their environment will be heavily controlled by the adults. Are we gonna see clones?

Also, how would the virtual world play a part in this? Bodies are physically at home but their minds are out there. I must say my kids are on their console or phones a lot more than when schools were open.

It would really be an interesting thing to find out, in several years.

[Skye]

Both genes and the environment have effects on intelligence and personality. What is intrinsic can only be developed so much by what is in the environment. Your intrinsic traits, dictated by your genes, will be your limiter as well. We must also define what sort of intelligence we are talking about. With recent studies, we now have a lot of Qs to consider - IQ, EQ, AQ and so on. Personality is how we show the world we are. So personality is greatly affected by the environment because it is one way of expressing a person's adaptation to its surroundings.

[Lou]

According to this article: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-fa...igence-2795285, both genetics and environment play a role in determining intelligence. As an example in the article, a child may have been born with genes for intelligence. However, if that particular child is nurtured in an environment where he/she is malnourished and the child has no access to learning opportunities, the child, most likely, will score low on IQ measures.

[kdy]

I am on the side of nurture . I believe that personality is so flexible and ever so changing as we grow, and a very big factor is the environment.As we are born, we bring with us the genes we inherited. However, we forge our skills, intelligence, perception, personality, principles, likes and dislikes etc based on our experiences and exposure. Thus, as we continue to experience life, our intelligence and personality will change regardless of the genes that were passed on to us.

[Indelible_Mark]

It's almost like you are saying personality is the product of 'life choices' -events, stimuli that steers one through a smorgasbord of it-then's...Is this really how one acquired 'vision'? ambition? perception? self-worth? all based off the givens of the circles one swims in?

I don't think there is a dichotomy here. I have seen many success-stories that many call the phenomenon as 'luck' that a person is ready at the the right time and place, AND follows-thru. I'm not one to believe in 'destiny' either even as I stand witness to the truth that "all things have a place and a role to fulfill" be it the contribution of genes and/or the environment it grows in.

[kdy]

Indelible_Mark , am sorry. I don't think II understood your comment. Did you somehow think that I was talking about our personality and intelligence being a product of destiny or luck?

[jcoppi29]

I don't know if it's just me, but I noticed, most times as I met more people, smart ones, not so smart ones, well EQ-ed, and unstable sorts, more often than not, people who have had traumatic or abusive childhoods either become very smart and intelligent or the total opposite. So I did some digging with these, considering my Psych background.

It would seem that the people who develop their intelligence early on in childhood blame themselves internally and aggressively earlier in their formative years that it led to constant self-doubt, self-questioning, and eventually self-awareness. There's a particular level or brand of responses to the self-blame mechanism (that all abuse victims suffer) wherein a victim doubts themselves so much, they eventually develop coping mechanisms for that self-doubt and learn and grow towards achievement. It becomes compensatory intelligence to not feel that intense internalized sense of self-doubt.

Alternatively, other victims or actually, overly spoiled ones that fail to learn the self-blame module, generally learn defensiveness and blaming everyone else. These are the sort that is minimally self-aware of their errors, that continuously rationalize their way out of error and inadequacy, that because they're convinced they don't have a problem, they don't grow at all. They instead become stubborn, condescending and short on the intelligence department. This, additionally, can also be a compensatory path of revenge. A childhood of abuse can either create someone that blames themselves all their lives, they get mentally ill even if they're intelligent OR create the type that avenges their inner abused child, and blindly goes the extreme opposite of finding errors everywhere else.

Most of us are likely somewhere between those poles. Point is, this tackles the nature aspect and the nurture, as I mentioned in another post, are the trigger traits. The paradox of self-doubt and intelligence versus hyper-confidence and stupidity is popularly called the Dunning-Kruger effect. I guess we can say that a resolution, therefore is simple:

1. Have enough self-doubt to be self-aware and keep on growing as a result.
2. Believe yourself enough to stay motivated.

[Skye]

Intelligence is "the ability to learn or understand or to deal with new or trying situations," as defined in Merriam Webster https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intelligence. On the same site personality is defined as "the complex of characteristics that distinguishes an individual or a nation or group."

So genes play a big part in the intelligence of a person, since one's genetic make up will determine what your body CAN do. As for personality, this is greatly affected by the environment. Personality is the mask we wear and show the world.

[Gerhard]

Tried and tested theory is that ones family is the basis of how one grows up to be. Environment can play a factor but it is secondary as how parent's as well as support systems at home or in the family is where one gets their intelligence and personality.

[Skye]

I am not sure what you mean by family? Family as a source of your genes or family as the environment where a person grows up to be?

Are saying that genes determine one's intelligence and personality? That no matter how great your environment is, you are limited by your genetic make up?

But personality is something that is developed as a person grows up. Are you saying that the personality of a person is encoded in his DNA?

[JerryYan]

Both definitely have an effect to the intelligence and personality of a person. We have psychology and the social sciences to prove effects of environment to personality and intelligence. It is important to note, however, that activating them, also in terms of genetics, by key experiences or factors such as health, nutrition, and lifestyle to enable those are what's crucial to enable development of which in a person.

[Indelible_Mark]

First I disagree that psychology and/or or social sciences exist to prove or disprove anything. I think these are disciplines founded on the fact that we have nature AND nurture --parts of the whole that these sciences look into for answers.

Second, 'activating' makes me sound like i've a code that's been embedded and gets switched on -where is the off switch then?- maybe there are triggers..maybe there are key phases and stages..how does one even begin!

Lastly, culture is supposed to complete a man. Where does culture belong? nature because each one has some degree of appreciation senses? Or is culture from nurture because whatever these are these come from the collective experience? Either way (or both) the young are smarter and stronger every generation.

[JerryYan]

sorry that was worded wrongly. I meant that psychology and the social sciences show that our environment is an essential factor in some of their studies in the topics of personality and intelligence. They and together with the other factors you've mentioned could contribute to how once's intelligence results.

[Gerhard]

Not to open old wounds but gene selection was an age old practice already and a cause of great conflict (as well as numerous movies). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_race

The master race "master people") is a concept in Nazi ideology in which the putative Nordic or Aryan races, predominant among Germans and other northern European peoples, are deemed the highest in racial hierarchy. Members of this alleged master race were referred to as Herrenmenschen ("master humans").

The Nazi theorist Alfred Rosenberg believed that the Nordic race was descended from Proto-Aryans, who he believed had prehistorically dwelt on the North German Plain and ultimately originated on the lost continent of Atlantis. The Nazis declared that the Nordics (now referred to as the Germanic peoples), or Aryans as they sometimes called them, were superior to all other races. The Nazis believed they were entitled to expand territorially. This concept is known as Nordicism. The actual policy that was implemented by the Nazis resulted in the Aryan certificate. This document, which was required by law for all citizens of the Reich was the "Lesser Aryan certificate" (Kleiner Ariernachweis). This could be obtained through an Ahnenpass, which required the owner to trace their lineage through baptism, birth certificates or certified proof thereof that all grandparents were of "Aryan descent".

The Slavs (along with Gypsies and Jews) were defined as being racially inferior and non-Aryan Untermenschen, and were thus considered to be a danger to the "Aryan" or Germanic master race. According to the Nazi secret Hunger Plan and Generalplan Ost, the Slavic population was to be removed from Central Europe through expulsion, enslavement, starvation, and extermination, except for a small percentage who were deemed to be non-Slavic descendants of Germanic settlers, and thus suitable for Germanisation.

[jcoppi29]

Sadly, the Nazi ideology and Rosenberg's theory are ill-informed. Scientifically speaking, there is solid evidence that all of our species originated in Africa -- yes, that means, a chunk of our genetics will always trace back to Africa.

During that time, the species went through different stages of adapting to their migratory environments as some strands from Africa went to the Americas, Europe, Asia, and everywhere else. It was their adaptations that gave variety.

We've also mingled with other species such as the Neanderthals and the denisovans, consequently developing some genetically obtained reistances from particular conditions, depending on the amount of cross-breeding.

The Aryan purist ideology sadly is merely a result of inherited tribalism from apes. It's the same psychological module that fosters wars and dehumanization of human species for war-time purposes.

[Bjun]

This reminds me of what my dad always told me when I was growing up: If other people can do it, so can you. Like what you've read in the article, he said that I have 2 eyes, 2 arms, 2 legs, 2 ears, a nose, and a brain just like everybody else. But then I remembered a quote from Eintein saying, "Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."

Yes, most of us have 2 arms, 2 legs, etc. But, all of us are wired differently. We are not capable of the same things. the trick is to find what we are good at and develop that.

[Gerhard]

I still stick with the Master Race theory. Einstein did come from the master race you know... but just defected hahaha