Chapter 14 explores how our personalities are shaped. There were several twin and adoption studies highlighted, that were conducted at the University of Minnesota. Those studies explored the role environment has on personalities. There are also numerous molecular genetic studies conducted to learn more about how our genes are related to our personality.
I found Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory of personality particularly interesting. He traces much of our thoughts and behaviors back to sexual drive and aggression. He structures personality into three different components: Id, Ego, and Superego. Id is completely unconscious and where our basic instincts and impulses, including sex and aggression, are generated. It strives for immediate gratification. The Ego is the boss of the personality. It is governed by the reality principle: strives to delay gratification until it can find an appropriate outlet. It interacts with the real world to find ways to resolve competing demands of the other to psychic agencies. Our Superego gives us our sense of morality. It helps us establish right from wrong from our interactions with society.
The text also introduced graphology (psychological interpretation of handwriting) as a way to foreshadow certain characteristics of a person.
Most researchers have failed to uncover strong or consistent associations between birth order and personality; however, I have always been intrigued with the possibility that there is. There is a common belief that first borns are said to strive towards achievement. Middle borns seek diplomacy. And later borns are said to be the risk takers.
This video elaborates on the possibility of associations between birth order and personality:
I always find the results of twin studies very interesting because I am a twin myself. Between the study results, some of the info in the video, and just personal experience, I think your title is extremely accurate. I think personality comes from a combination of all things.
I find this interesting that the U has taken the initiative to take on experiments with twins and how their development is related. Also, I would like to learn more about how handwriting can be decoded to depict someones psychological platform. And the statement about how the first child tends to strive for achievement and the latter is the risk taker seems to fit in my family so thats a pretty accurate observation.
The last bit about birth order stuck me the most out of everything you wrote. I can only think of one family that I know that has an achievement driven oldest child. Most of the rest have achievement driven youngest children. It would be interesting if there was any correlation between birth order and handwriting, or Freud's three identity theories.
I find it really interesting that the U had such a large role in the research in this area. Interestingly enough, National Geographic's January edition featured a story about twins and cited a study conducted by Thomas Bouchard, Jr. at the U of M. If anyone's interested in reading the story, here's the link: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2012/01/twins/miller-text
I was interested in the last bit about birth order, because I too I known few families that has the oldest child as the overachiever. It seems most likely to me that birth order phenomenon are mostly coincidence, if correlated at all. This blog also jumps around quite a bit and seems to cover a lot of different topics, I wonder if there's some underlying similarity linking them all.
I find these types of "discussions" to be very entertaining because of the nature vs nurture debate that is undeniably linked to it. Research has been found in favor of both arguments in relation to why children grow up to act the way that they act so it is interesting to read the latest on each. Especially when they conduct said research using twins. I also find it interesting their break downs on oldest, middle, and youngest children. I thought it was funny that they said the youngest are the biggest risk takers only because I'm the youngest and I am not big on taking risks at all. Though I do see where they are coming from with that argument.
Even though the researcher say that there is no evidence to support the birth order effects, I agree with you about the common belief of each child. I especially see birth order trends in my family because I am the oldest and I am very motivated to achieve my goals, my middle brother is shy and my youngest brother is the crazy one, who takes a lot of risks. Myself and others who believe in the birth order effect could be misguided by the confirmation bias, so we seek out characteristics in each child to fit the stereotypes.