For eons nature has directed the course of evolution. Genes crafted through relentless trial have long decided the fate of living things in this world. That is until mankind came along. With the rise of society, and the complexity of the human mind, nature was no longer the sole architect of behavior. Today, personality isn’t confined to inherited parameters. Instead it is the combination of thoughts, actions, and experiences. To take the first step in resolving this issue one must understand what personality is. The American Psychological Association states, “personality refers to individual differences in characteristic patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving. The study of personality focuses on two broad areas: One is understanding individual …show more content…
We don’t start with any personality at all. Rather, it is developed solely from one’s sensory experience and interaction with the social environment (New World Encyclopedia 1). This concept diminishes the weight science would put on genetics and promotes the importance of environment is one’s personal growth. Modern science has challenged this idea with empirical data suggesting that many observable characteristics, or phenotypes, are inherited. This however does not entirely negate Locke’s 17th century philosophy, in fact it only bring his theory one step closer to the elusive truth of …show more content…
Tabula rasa states that people start as a blank slate, and though the slate is in void of any data or experience, there does exist an inherited slate. This “slate” would be comprised of the genetic phenotypes that scientific data affirms, but a person’s entire personality cannot be fully expressed solely by this one bland slab. Like Locke suggests, it is the social environment inscribing upon one’s inherited phenotypes that truly defines who we are as individuals. This goes to show that while genes play a small part in composing personality, it is the environmental factors that ultimately shape who one becomes. This environment that surrounds an individual includes paternal affection and discipline, and relationship with siblings, neighbors, peers, and teachers (Sharma 1). This composes the society that harbors personal growth. This is the same growth distinguishes humanity from from the rest of the natural world. These factors influence personality development through two major channels: decisions and