Personality decided at birth, say scientists

[Geriatrix]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/health/news/article.cfm?c_id=204&objectid=10566320

Personality types are linked with structural differences in the brain - which could explain why one child grows up to be impulsive and outgoing while another becomes diligent and introspective.

Anatomical differences between the brains of 85 people have been measured and linked with the four main categories of personality types as defined by psychiatrists using a clinically recognised system of character evaluation.

The researchers said the brain differences are structural and can be measured as variations in the size of specific regions of the brain that appear to be linked with each of the four personality types.

Brain scans that measure differences in volume down to an accuracy of less than one cubic millimetre found, for instance, that people defined as novelty-seeking personalities had a structurally bigger area of the brain above the eye sockets, known as the inferior part of the frontal lobe.

People with smaller volumes of tissue in this region displayed higher levels of timidity, approval-seeking behaviours and a greater tendency to seek gratification from external sources such as food or drugs, said Professor Annalena Venneri of the University of Hull.

People with "harm-avoidance" personalities had significantly smaller volumes of tissue in brain regions called the orbito-frontal area and the posterior occipital region, compared with other personality types.

"Reward-dependence" personalities stood out for having smaller volumes of tissue in the fronto-striatal and limbic areas of the brain.

If the findings are confirmed by other scientists, they suggest that children are not only born with a given personality type, but they develop anatomically different brains as a result of being that sort of person. It raises the prospect of being able to test a young child's future personality by viewing the anatomy of their brain with a hospital scanner.

"This study shows that personality traits are something you are born with, but their full expression can be modulated during development with the right approach," said Professor Venneri, who carried out the study with colleagues from the University of Parma in Italy and Washington University in St Louis.

The four personality types were classified as "novelty seeking" - characterised by impulsive actions; "harm avoidance" - marked by pessimism and shyness; "reward dependence" - with an addictive personality; and "persistence" - who are people who tend to be industrious, hard-working and perfectionist.

"If you are looking at volume, you are quantifying the tissue that is there. What we found was not just speculative. There is quite a bit of difference between people with different personality traits," said Professor Venneri.

"The fact that traits are reflected in specific anatomical differences is useful to know, for instance when it comes to understanding a child's behaviour and choosing the right approach so that somebody who is, for example, particularly timid might be helped through education and development.

"There is no point shouting at a child who is very shy and telling them off, because it does not come naturally to them to put themselves forward. But actually knowing there is a biological basis for this helps educators or parents to use the right approach to help a child to compensate."

People who have a "reward dependence" personality could, for example, be helped at an early age because they are at risk of turning to drink, drugs or food if they do not get the family support and encouragement they need, Professor Venneri said.

"If you know it's not something you do but something you are, you can alter the environment to minimise the risk. Knowing that someone has such a predisposition could help them adopt preventive strategies and avoid situations where they might seek rewards which could be potentially harmful."

The study is to be published in the journal Brain Research Bulletin.

 

[pos(t)er]

I can definitely see this to be true. Surprised there aren't any anti-materialism comments yet.

 

[Nokkie]

I can definitely see this to be true. Surprised there aren't any anti-materialism comments yet.

What if the procedures goes wrong and the child ends up with a mental disability?

 

[pos(t)er]

What if the procedures goes wrong and the child ends up with a mental disability?

It's still psyhiological, which is what the article is getting at.

 

[Phronesis]

Wow, 85 people? Is the sample big enough to come to lasting conclusions?

 

[mercurial]

I'm not sure so about this. A child's friends plays a huge part in his development later in life. I have to agree with Phro here - we need thousands more people to test on. 85 is simply not enough.

 

[cerebus]

What if the procedures goes wrong and the child ends up with a mental disability?

what procedure?


I mean.....now that I've had a child I can quite see how this could have some validity. He had a pretty strong personality from the moment he came out. In fact I've been around enough children to know that they do have a personality from very small that doesn't change all that much as they get older. But as phron said it would need to be authenticated on a much larger scale.

 

[Geriatrix]

A child's friends plays a huge part in his development later in life.

Maybe. But what determines who people will pick to be friends with? There might be a reason why little groups like the jocks and geeks form at schools. Differant personalities and inherited talents might channel people to certain activities and personalities. Bonds form in these shared activities.

But yes a larger scale study would be nice. Interesting study none the less.
But in its defence, there are those stories of identical twins being separated at birth and ending up with the same careers, types of friends and spouses, similar pets, weight and world views. So there might be some validity behind this.

 

[eye_suc]

so, a kids' parents divorce and he ends up a withdrawn shell of a child, and then in high school he develops acne and gets rejected by the whole school. so his only response is to shoot everybody in sight

i bet they can see this before birth as well, right?

 

[mercurial]

Maybe. But what determines who people will pick to be friends with? There might be a reason why little groups like the jocks and geeks form at schools. Differant personalities and inherited talents might channel people to certain activities and personalities. Bonds form in these shared activities.

But yes a larger scale study would be nice. Interesting study none the less.
But in its defence, there are those stories of identical twins being separated at birth and ending up with the same careers, types of friends and spouses, similar pets, weight and world views. So there might be some validity behind this.

I was a quiet kid until I started hanging out with the "bad boys". Some people choose to liaise and socialise with different people. It depends on a number of things I guess. I'm not dismissing the article, just don't think it's entirely accurate because a person's personality is based on so many other external factors.

 

[Geriatrix]

so, a kids' parents divorce and he ends up a withdrawn shell of a child, and then in high school he develops acne and gets rejected by the whole school. so his only response is to shoot everybody in sight

i bet they can see this before birth as well, right?

Jeez, this study isn't implying that your genes is somehow a horoscope of every detail of your future.

But think about it this way, differant kids handle a bad divorce in differant ways. Some become violent, loud and bullies. Some become the withdrawn, passive agressive type. This study indicates that which behaviour the kid has in reaction to his enviroment migth have physiological reasons.

I'm not dismissing the article, just don't think it's entirely accurate because a person's personality is based on so many other external factors.

Its the nature versus nurture debate.
But what these people think they found is that people may have a natural tendency to react in certain ways to their enviroments.
Sort of like natural talents I guess, except less to do with abilities and more to do with behavioral tendencies.

 

[eye_suc]

Jeez, this study isn't implying that your genes is somehow a horoscope of every detail of your future.

dammit! that was going to be my next question: why not just tell me if i'm going to have a good job and a hot wife and lots of sport cars? eye whaaaant!

 

[Geriatrix]

dammit! that was going to be my next question: why not just tell me if i'm going to have a good job and a hot wife and lots of sport cars? eye whaaaant!

I will certainly try and do that!
I'll send you the quote for the service.

Just return it with proof of payment and a bloodsample and I'll send you a personlised program specifically tailored to your individual genetic makeup on how you can get those things!
It'll only cost you R5 mil and would take aprox 8 months for me to work out your program. Bargain I tell you.