Really interesting article on heredity
Just reading this - http://nautil.us/issue/30/Identity/science-is-proving-that-tragic-curses-are-real
"Studies of twins beginning in the late 1970s found that genetic inheritance is responsible for up to 60 percent of the so-called big five personality traits: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, neuroticism, and agreeableness. And in the past three decades we’ve learned that roughly 50 percent of the variance in aggression and aggressive behavior is hereditary. A 2009 meta-analysis by Sybil Alexandra Burt of 103 twin and adoption studies found a higher number, with about 65 percent heritability. Frighteningly, like blue eyes or fair complexion, violence is highly heritable."
That is so interesting to me. I can see how I strongly take after my dad in these ways, whereas my mother has a completely different mix (dad - open, not conscientious, extraverted, non-neurotic, friendly and agreeable when things are going his way, aggressive, bad temper....mom - reserved, very conscientious, introverted, very neurotic, pretty agreeable in general, also has a temper). Guess all of us were doomed to have a temper, though we exhibit it in different ways. Mine is most like my dad's. All my family would've played with the Bobo doll in a happy, non-violent way as kids.
I see how Chris takes after his dad's side of the family, temperament-wise, even though he was barely around his father growing up. We've talked about that before, and I've thought it a lot. The temper and reactivity seems to come exclusively from his dad's side, but also his quick mind, wit, and charisma, so it's kind of a mixed bag. His mother's side is much slower and less aggressive, more zoned out and plodding. I never linked the low conscientiousness with his dad's side, but can see it now that I think about it, also neuroticism. Most of the family I've met on his mom's side seem like they live in some sort of valium fog, though looks he got almost totally from that side. I'm much more of a mixture of both parents, looks-wise and personality, despite taking strongly after my dad in the ways listed above.
Heredity has always been SO interesting to me.
"Trauma and violence can also pass from parent to child without any genetic inheritance."
Wow. Our kids have the potential to be very messed up. But also awesome. We've discussed how we might have difficult children, so it's not a new thought.
"Studies of twins beginning in the late 1970s found that genetic inheritance is responsible for up to 60 percent of the so-called big five personality traits: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, neuroticism, and agreeableness. And in the past three decades we’ve learned that roughly 50 percent of the variance in aggression and aggressive behavior is hereditary. A 2009 meta-analysis by Sybil Alexandra Burt of 103 twin and adoption studies found a higher number, with about 65 percent heritability. Frighteningly, like blue eyes or fair complexion, violence is highly heritable."
That is so interesting to me. I can see how I strongly take after my dad in these ways, whereas my mother has a completely different mix (dad - open, not conscientious, extraverted, non-neurotic, friendly and agreeable when things are going his way, aggressive, bad temper....mom - reserved, very conscientious, introverted, very neurotic, pretty agreeable in general, also has a temper). Guess all of us were doomed to have a temper, though we exhibit it in different ways. Mine is most like my dad's. All my family would've played with the Bobo doll in a happy, non-violent way as kids.
I see how Chris takes after his dad's side of the family, temperament-wise, even though he was barely around his father growing up. We've talked about that before, and I've thought it a lot. The temper and reactivity seems to come exclusively from his dad's side, but also his quick mind, wit, and charisma, so it's kind of a mixed bag. His mother's side is much slower and less aggressive, more zoned out and plodding. I never linked the low conscientiousness with his dad's side, but can see it now that I think about it, also neuroticism. Most of the family I've met on his mom's side seem like they live in some sort of valium fog, though looks he got almost totally from that side. I'm much more of a mixture of both parents, looks-wise and personality, despite taking strongly after my dad in the ways listed above.
Heredity has always been SO interesting to me.
"Trauma and violence can also pass from parent to child without any genetic inheritance."
Wow. Our kids have the potential to be very messed up. But also awesome. We've discussed how we might have difficult children, so it's not a new thought.