Psychology 212 Professor Nicolette Bell Josiah Richardson

Born this way vs. taught this way Despite the fact that I was raised in a rather large family, I have always been the quiet, independent type, that would rather be alone than to be with others. Ever since I can remember, I always preferred the quietness of my room or the peacefulness and tranquility of being alone to toss around random thoughts in my head and contemplate different scenarios, rather than being in a crowd of people. I have absolutely no sociological deficiencies or inadequacies whatsoever, nor do I suffer from xenophobia. On the contrary, I am actually very outgoing and seem to thrive in an environment that involves other humans. So why do I prefer the introverted lifestyle? Was it my phenotype or genotype that dictated my preference? Or did the location of my birth, the parents I had, and the situations I've experienced that nurtured me to the lifestyle I lead and my person-hood today? Examining the facts carefully, I realize that there is a strong case for believing that it all falls back on genetics. After all, the structure of our brains are all unique to each one of us, similar to a fingerprint. I process things similarly, but differently than others. When my brain, which is genetically unique to me, interacts with my nerve cells, muscles, hippo-campus, etc. to process my actions, feelings, etc. it is done in such a way that shows my personality and character. So if the process is unique to me, and the processes are handed down genetically, does it not follow that who I am is instilled in my DNA/RNA and is therefore evidence of nature dictating who I am? It would make sense then to conclude that we are who we are solely based upon genetics. Conversely, there is ample evidence that points towards our environment forming and shaping our understanding of self, our preferences, and most importantly, our psyche. In my aforementioned story, one could easily assume that it was because of the large family I grew up in that led me to prefer the life of a lone wolf. After all, if you're going to be lost in a sea of faces, why not be happy and satisfied removing yourself from the crowd? Could we say that growing up in a large family gave me a disdain for it? Absolutely. But one could also surmise that there are brothers or sisters of mine that actually have a preference toward being in a group of people. Is this a self contradictory epistemological understanding since we generally lived our life's side by side? Shouldn't we all have the same central interpretive motif when it comes to social life? Obviously, we are all unique, and despite the way we are raised, we tend to follow our own separate paths, yet there is something within us that contributes to our life development, something built in if you will, that in some ways is a guide of sorts

that is almost impregnable towards life around us. So what is the answer to this age old question? Ultimately, there is none. Despite the multiple fallacies of the Post Modern mindset, one could logically agree that either option is true. Our lifestyle, environment, life experiences and circumstances; as well as our parents, hereditary genes, and psyche all play into the great debate. We may never know, either scientifically or subjectively, what the answer is, but as we continue our life development, the answer will become clearer and clearer.