4 ms·

Siblings Share Genes, But Rarely Personalities

16 points by fogus 16y ago

lmkg 16y ago
Identical twins separated at birth tend to have more similar personalities than identical twins who grew up together. The hypothesis is that, due to the presence of each other when growing up, they actively (though subconsciously) differentiate themselves. It's reasonable to assume the same effect would happen to some extent with other siblings. The fact that twins (or siblings) are more similar when raised in different environments would seem to contradict the idea that subtly different environments are responsible for the majority of sibling discrepancy. I'm working on finding the citation. The phenomenon is known as "twinning" but that apparently refers to a bunch of other junk that makes it hard to find what I'm referring to. I may have to dig out my bioethics book when I get home.
- sp332 16y ago
  I'd heard of this effect, and I'd always wondered how it affected more homogenous populations. I wonder how much of the "freakyness" in Japanese culture (I mean from an American perspective!) can be explained by individuals trying to distinguish themselves from the thousands of very similar people they live with.
brfox 16y ago
My two kids had a completely different personality when they were each 2 months old. Their personalities have hardly changed in 4 years. So, none of these 3 theories account for this - I think genetics is a much bigger deal.
torotopo2 16y ago
As one of three boys born within four years of each other, I support Theory Three: Exaggeration. Yeah, we had differences, which were wildly exaggerated and reinforced, and which pushed us into different universities and it all goes to sh!te from there. As the father of two now teen boys born within 12 months, they're freaking aliens compared to each other -- except other people can't tell them apart. It's not my fault.
radioactive21 16y ago
My sister and I are completely opposites. I am an introvert, she is a crazy extrovert. She is a crazy risk taker, while I am risk adverse.
tincholio 16y ago
Anyone interested in this stuff should read Steven Pinker's "The Blank Slate"...

16 points by fogus 16y ago

lmkg 16y ago

Identical twins separated at birth tend to have more similar personalities than identical twins who grew up together. The hypothesis is that, due to the presence of each other when growing up, they actively (though subconsciously) differentiate themselves. It's reasonable to assume the same effect would happen to some extent with other siblings. The fact that twins (or siblings) are more similar when raised in different environments would seem to contradict the idea that subtly different environments are responsible for the majority of sibling discrepancy. I'm working on finding the citation. The phenomenon is known as "twinning" but that apparently refers to a bunch of other junk that makes it hard to find what I'm referring to. I may have to dig out my bioethics book when I get home.

sp332 16y ago
I'd heard of this effect, and I'd always wondered how it affected more homogenous populations. I wonder how much of the "freakyness" in Japanese culture (I mean from an American perspective!) can be explained by individuals trying to distinguish themselves from the thousands of very similar people they live with.

brfox 16y ago

My two kids had a completely different personality when they were each 2 months old. Their personalities have hardly changed in 4 years. So, none of these 3 theories account for this - I think genetics is a much bigger deal.

torotopo2 16y ago

As one of three boys born within four years of each other, I support Theory Three: Exaggeration. Yeah, we had differences, which were wildly exaggerated and reinforced, and which pushed us into different universities and it all goes to sh!te from there. As the father of two now teen boys born within 12 months, they're freaking aliens compared to each other -- except other people can't tell them apart. It's not my fault.

radioactive21 16y ago

My sister and I are completely opposites. I am an introvert, she is a crazy extrovert. She is a crazy risk taker, while I am risk adverse.

tincholio 16y ago

Anyone interested in this stuff should read Steven Pinker's "The Blank Slate"...