is personality type hereditary in any way?

[NewEra]

I also thought introversion/extroversion was pretty much proven to be differences in brain function, suggesting it's largely biological (?).

Where are we getting this? I've seen this multiple times on the forum, but is there any article or link to this?

 

[sculpting]

chosen I have seen this too-Look up the factor five (Big five?) personality test on google and I bet you can link back into it. Maybe combine with genetic basis as a search term.

Children at a very young age are seen to be either interested in engaging with others or reluctant.

 

[Bougal]

Mom: ESfJ
Dad: INTJ
Brother: INTJ
Me: ENTJ

Dads Family:
Grandpe: INTJ
Grandme: ESFj (had two children including my father)
Aunt: INtJ married IN-P
cousins = INtJ and ISTJ
Great Uncle: INTJ married InFJ
2nd Cousins: INTP, INTJ and ENTJ

In this family, all of the conversations at get togethers are conceptual, and we are exposed to the way of thinking and conversing from a young age, so those experiences might be a factor in all of the Ns. Everyone is Science and Math – I am the first person deviating from the trend.

My mom's family:
Grandpa: INFJ
Grandma: ESFJ (Had four daugthers including my mother)
Aunt: ESFJ married to ISTJ
cousins = ISTJ, INTJ, ENFP
the ISTJ is married to an InFP
2nd cousins = ISTJ and ENFP
Aunt: ESFJ married to ESTJ (children adopted)
Cousins = INTJ, ESTP and ESFP
Aunt: ISFJ whom is married to ENTJ
Cousins = INFJ and ISTJ

This part of the family is very religious. They are missionaries, pastors or dental hygienist.

One common trend I notice is that all of the individuals that are IS-Js in my family are the first born in their immediate family. I am not sure is this is caused by a common role that the first child is expected to play, I find it to be an interesting trend. My grandpe, father, brother and 2nd cousin that are INTJs are also the first born, and my INFJ grandpa was the first of 9.

Another family:
Mom: ESFJ
Dad: INTP
Son: ENTP
Daughter: INFP
Daughter: ENTJ
Son: ENTj

 

[OrangeAppled]

Where are we getting this? I've seen this multiple times on the forum, but is there any article or link to this?

The book "The Introvert Advantage" discusses the science behind the preferences for introversion and extroversion. I returned it to the library, so I can't quote it for you now.

 

[Taizic]

I say possibly. A lot of kids can have certain personality traits from their parents. Like me and my dad for instance. Him and I both love music, have the same tastes in some things, have the same way of going about things, etc. So sure, I think so.

 

[ajblaise]

Where are we getting this? I've seen this multiple times on the forum, but is there any article or link to this?

Extraversion and introversion- Biological factors - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There is definitely a biological basis for E/I and it might be heritable to some degree, as this study has shown:

SpringerLink - Journal Article

 

[NewEra]

chosen I have seen this too-Look up the factor five (Big five?) personality test on google and I bet you can link back into it. Maybe combine with genetic basis as a search term.

Children at a very young age are seen to be either interested in engaging with others or reluctant.

I've found something relating to it - Personality: determinants, dynamics ... - Google Books

It's sort of inconclusive though, at least according to this article.

According to it, there's also a relationship between introversion/extroversion and anxiety/impulsiveness respectively:

 

[NewEra]

The book "The Introvert Advantage" discusses the science behind the preferences for introversion and extroversion. I returned it to the library, so I can't quote it for you now.

Oh, alright.

Extraversion and introversion- Biological factors - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There is definitely a biological basis for E/I and it might be heritable to some degree, as this study has shown:

SpringerLink - Journal Article

Alright, thanks for the links.

 

[NewEra]

I also think the environment will affect different people in different ways. If two different people at youth are impacted by the same exact environment (for argument's sake), it will affect them differently, and this is where nature comes in, in my opinion.

As for the nature vs. nurture argument, humans' personalities are shaped by both. It's close, almost a 50-50 break imo. Part of our personalities are shaped by what we're born with, while the other half are shaped by our environment.

 

[Wonkavision]

Here's my take on it in reductionsit terms.

People = Nature (Genetics of their Parents) + Nurture (Parental Rearing)

Children have 50% of their genes from each parent, thus disposing them to ANY hereditary components of type.

Children are being raised by their parents who are acting out on the EXPRESSED (nature+nurture) phenotype of their own genetics.

Thus, parent's actions reinforce the transmitted aspect's of their personalities in their children...

Does that make sense?

Sounds good to me.

Ultimately, I don't know if it's correct or not, but it doesn't matter, because my life doesn't depend on knowing for sure.

It's a good theory.


Thank God for reductionists. We could use some more around here.

 

[Moiety]

Personally I don't believe it is hereditary. Nor do I believe in nature determining the bigger part of our personality.

My father : ISTJ
My mother : ENFJ
Brother : INFJ
Sister : ESFJ
Sister : ISFX

If I'd look back in time on my genealogical tree, I wouldn't be able to find an ENFP for at least 200 years or so (and I'm pretty sure I'm the only ENFP on either side of the family). Ns are very hard to find unless I'm looking in my generation. Ps are hard to find too.

Here's my take on it in reductionsit terms.

People = Nature (Genetics of their Parents) + Nurture (Parental Rearing)

Children have 50% of their genes from each parent, thus disposing them to ANY hereditary components of type.

Children are being raised by their parents who are acting out on the EXPRESSED (nature+nurture) phenotype of their own genetics.

Thus, parent's actions reinforce the transmitted aspect's of their personalities in their children...

Does that make sense?

Could you clarify what you meant in the bolded part?

 

[Eric B]

I've found something relating to it - Personality: determinants, dynamics ... - Google Books

It's sort of inconclusive though, at least according to this article.

According to it, there's also a relationship between introversion/extroversion and anxiety/impulsiveness respectively:

That's pretty good; as the APS manuals mentioned response to reward and punishment in connection with the five temperaments, but it was not consistent with the two factors of expressed and wanted (which correspond to extraversion and agreeableness, rather than neuroticism), and I couldn't figure exactly the pattern. Though I'm still seeing it doesn't match. (For instance, in Eysenck's system, Melancholic was introverted and neurotic, which in this table has a high fear of punishment and low motivation by reward, yet APS says The Melancholy is motivated by neither)

 

[alcea rosea]

In my own experience the MBTI type isn't very hereditary. I mean I get 50%-50% genes from my mom-dad but I don't actually look like neither of them. I mean I don't really look like my mom or dad. The same with my personality. Personality wise I'm not very much like my mom nor very much like my dad. Some traits are similar than in my parents but not the whole.

The same with my own children. They are all unique the way they look and the way their personalities are compared to mine of my husbands personality.

But who knows. And the fact that they don't even necessarily know yet how where the personality lives in the brain. I mean can it be only the connections in your brain or is there something else there?

 

[highlander]

In my own experience the MBTI type isn't very hereditary. I mean I get 50%-50% genes from my mom-dad but I don't actually look like neither of them. I mean I don't really look like my mom or dad. The same with my personality. Personality wise I'm not very much like my mom nor very much like my dad. Some traits are similar than in my parents but not the whole.

The same with my own children. They are all unique the way they look and the way their personalities are compared to mine of my husbands personality.

But who knows. And the fact that they don't even necessarily know yet how where the personality lives in the brain. I mean can it be only the connections in your brain or is there something else there?

I don't have data to back this up but I think personality type is 100% heredity and inborn but that it comes from the multitude of combination of genes from both sides. In any given family, because of the large number of combinations possible, everybody is very different.

Real example illustrating my point - two parents have six children. Parents and children are all Sensors and Judgers (SJs). These six children all get married and have children. Their spouses all are S, with one exception - the one who marries the N. The grandchildren? All are S except for the offspring of the S&N, who have 2 Ns (ENFP, INFP) and 1 S (ISTJ). Two of the six children actually marry SPs. Their children are all S, but there are several Ps mixed in there. Too much for coincidence.

 

[Seymour]

I don't have data to back this up but I think personality type is 100% heredity and inborn but that it comes from the multitude of combination of genes from both sides. In any given family, because of the large number of combinations possible, everybody is very different.

Real example illustrating my point - two parents have six children. Parents and children are all Sensors and Judgers (SJs). These six children all get married and have children. Their spouses all are S, with one exception - the one who marries the N. The grandchildren? All are S except for the offspring of the S&N, who have 2 Ns and 1S. Two of the six children actually marry SPs. Their children are all S, but there are several Ps mixed in there. Too much for coincidence.

I suspect some interplay between environment and heredity. Some traits (like shyness) have been shown to have a genetic component, and it would make sense for that to increase the chances of being introverted, for example. However, if type was 100% genetic, I would have the same type as my identical twin brother. That's not the case, and I'd be surprised if all identical twins shared the same type.

 

[OrangeAppled]

I suspect some interplay between environment and heredity. Some traits (like shyness) have been shown to have a genetic component, and it would make sense for that to increase the chances of being introverted, for example. However, if type was 100% genetic, I would have the same type as my identical twin brother. That's not the case, and I'd be surprised if all identical twins shared the same type.

What type is your brother?
There are some twins on this MB who are not the same type, but I think the same temperament.

----

I think there is a great genetic predisposition for being a certain type and that personality is innate to degree (how much & how so, well, I can't say), and I think it solidifies rather early in life. By the teen years, I'd really question someone changing cognitive functions..... However, the cognitive functions have an awful lot of room for growth and change within themselves.

 

[teslashock]

I've always wanted to find a bunch of people to do pedigree studies with regarding personality type. Of course it wouldn't really be legit, but it'd a fun little experiment to do. It would require subjects who are certain (within the possible realms of certainty regarding this topic, that is) of their MBTI type, are certain of their parents' types, and certain of their grandparents and/or aunt/uncle types. By looking at this, you could attempt to hypothesize over which functions are X-linked or autosomal, which are dominant/recessive/codominant, if there's any pleiotropy, etc.

The pedigree would have to be pretty expansive for it to ever mean anything (even something silly). Just knowing your type, your siblings' types, and your parents' types doesn't really get you anywhere. Again, it would be totally silly, but it might be fun. I think most of us would agree that personality has a lot more to do with upbringing and environment than it does with DNA. Though I'm tempted to say that if any functions were genetically linked, it would be the N/S ones.

 

[Seymour]

What type is your brother?
There are some twins on this MB who are not the same type, but I think the same temperament.

I sent him email recently asking, and he hasn't responded.

I did just grab my 1984 copy of Please Understand Me (all battered and taped up). The notes from the time (1985-ish, in my mom's handwriting... I added professions/careers below, in case that's interesting):

Dad: ESTJ (pediatrician, later hospital admin/executive)
Mom: ENFP (she says INFP, now, although much more extraverted than me; did counseling)
Oldest brother: ESFP (now an OB/GYN)
Older brother: INTJ (I'd say INTP, psychiatrist)
Twin brother: ENTP (not sure, which is why I sent him email; programmer)
Me: INFP/J? (still true, definitely INFP, not INFJ; programmer)

 

[VagrantFarce]

Father: ISTJ
Mother: ExFJ
Brother: ESFP

I've been told that my body language resembles my father's body language quite a lot, but I'm not really convinced that corrolating heredity with personality type will yield much. I'm such a black sheep.