Slightly Interesting Views On Ponder-Worthy Philosophical Prompts

Do genetics alone determine your behavior?

20. "Are genetics what determines human behavior?"

Ibis: Fun fact about this topic: so, I am taking this online psychology course and we have to do one essay each semester. The assigned topic/question of the essay this semester was for us to explain which had more influence on human behavior, nature(genetics and hereditary) or nurture (which includes things like the environment, who you are around, etc.). So, in a sense, I've already wrote a response to this for a grade XD. However, because I enjoy challenges(on  occasion), I have decided to ignore my previous response to this question and have decided to type this all up with only the meager knowledge stored away in my funny little brain. So, let us begin.

Since I have a bit of information on this topic, I hope I can give both my opinion and some actual facts concerning this topic. So, in my opinion, the environment is the main thing that influences our behavior. Now, this is where my past research comes in handy. Genetics, which are those wonderful things that determine whether we have lovely eyes or caterpillars for eyebrows (figurative caterpillars, not literal), are rather important in setting up the limitations for our personality and the way we act. Environmental factors are what determines whether we reach our full potential in some of these characteristics. 

To help you better understand what I am trying to say, I will compare this all to a building. Let's say that this building represents you, and what you can become/behaviors you exhibit/personality/temperament. Genetics make up the foundation of this building; they determine what the limits of your aspects are and how much can stuff can be put up for the building. Now, environmental factors determine the characteristics of the building, such as whether it's extremely tall(we'll say this represents optimism), or fairly short(this can represent pessimism). Although the foundation is very important, it's the environmental factors that really determine what the building will become. 

Let's apply this to intelligence and IQ scores. So, one can have two naturally smart parents with above average IQs. Naturally, you would assume that their child would be as smart, or around the same level of intelligence. Based off the genetic factors, the child would most likely have a lot of potential in this category, meaning that they have the potential to reach an IQ equal to or higher than their parents. However, this child's environment determines whether they will reach that high IQ, or if they will just be average. If the child's parents don't provide it with a stimulating environment, and if they don't provide them with opportunities to expand their intelligence, then the child obviously won't reach it's intellectual potential. Although it has a natural predisposition to be smart, environmental factors would prevent the child from reaching it's full potential. 

So, although genetics is extremely important, I believe that the environment(for the most part) is more influential in determining the characteristics and behaviors of a person.