Biology and Personality: Comparing Theories and Factors

This essay examines the biological factors influencing personality, focusing on genetics and temperament. It explores how these factors, including DNA and brain processes, shape individual traits. The essay contrasts biological perspectives with Erickson's theory of development, highlighting the differences in their focus on the origins and evolution of personality. The analysis references key concepts like heritability and the impact of environmental factors, concluding that heredity plays an indirect role in personality formation, influencing physical appearance and maturation rates. The essay also discusses various biological factors that affect personality and provides references to support the claims.

BIOLOGY AND PERSONALITY 1
Biology and Personality
(Student’s name)
(Institution’s Name)

BIOLOGY AND PERSONALITY 2
Biology and personality
Introduction
The biological factors of personality discuss the internal physiological and genetic factors of
an individual. The interplay focuses on how personality traits can magnify through biology and
the links between personality, brain processes, and DNA. The links can be investigated through
the different personality traits to determine their links to biology.
The contingency of personality
These are personality traits mostly biologically determined at birth (Bridger, 2015). Mostly, the
baby's categorization is into three forms of temperaments, e.g., easy, difficult, and slow to warm
up. Environmental factors and maturation do interact with a child to shape up their temperaments
after birth (Canli, 2016)). Self-regulation and reactivity form the best part of an adult's
personality (Strelaw, 2017).
Behavioral genetics of personality
Genetics helps in the study of personality as it focuses on the link between a person's
behavioral trait and the genes. The study suggests the possibility of heritability of particular
personal traits from twin children brought up together (Mulder, 2012). Personal traits tend not
only determined by single genes rather are determined by different genes and environmental
factors. The activation of DNA codes determined by the ways the DNA interacts with the
environment within each individual (Buss, 2013). Therefore the main purpose of DNA helps to
determine each person's uniqueness, distinct looks, abilities, the functioning of the brain. These
characteristics do work and associate together to form an individual's cohesive personality.

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The biological factors on personality do focus on the reasons personality traits show through
biology and tend to investigate the relationship between brain processes, personality, and
genetics (Afklinterberg, 2016). Therefore, the author tends to focus on genetics and temperament
biological factors as the main influence on personality traits.
Erickson's theory of development tends to contrast with the biological factors of personality.
According to Erickson's theory of development, the theory suggests that personal development is
as a result of social interactions throughout a person's lifespan. The theory suggests eight stages
of development, and the preceding stages tend to support the following stages. The theory senses
competence as a motivating factor to behaviors and actions. The theory focuses on each stage
becoming competent in the whole lifecycle of development (Figueredo et al., 2011). The contrast
between Erickson's theory of development and biological factors of personality occurs when the
biological factors focus on the personality traits during birth. In contrast, Erickson's theory
focuses on the whole lifespan development.
The article and the textbook share opinions and ideas on the biological factors of personality.
Although the article only focuses on temperament and genetics, it discusses other biological
factors that comprise age and sex. The materials further disclose physical environment, culture,
heredity, and environmental factors as factors influencing an individual's personality (Boucher,
2015).
Conclusion
According to the ideas found from the article review on biological factors of personality,
focuses on heredity. Heredity is an indirect way of influence a person's character and influence

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on personality. Physical appearance has affection with someone's achievements, while the rate of
the maturing difference caused by the psychosocial environment.

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References
af Klinteberg, B. (2016). Biology, norms, and personality: A developmental
perspective. Neuropsychobiology, 34(3), 146-154.
Buss, D. M. (2013). Evolutionary biology and personality psychology: Implications of genetic
variability. Personality and Individual Differences, 4(1), 51-63.
Bridger, W. H. (2015). The biology of personality. Biological Psychiatry, 25(7), iii-iv.
Canli, T. (Ed.). (2016). Biology of personality and individual differences. Guilford Press.
Figueredo, A. J., Jacobs, W. J., Burger, S. B., Gladden, P. R., & Olderbak, S. G. (2011). The
biology of personality. Information and living systems: Essays in philosophy of biology,
371-406.
Mulder, R. (2012). The biology of personality. Australian & New Zealand Journal of
Psychiatry, 26(3), 364-376.
Strelau, J. (2017). The concept of temperament in personality research. European Journal of
personality, 1(2), 107-117.