Examining Personality With Reference to Genes

¶ … Individual Differences Approach to Personality:

Personality is a term that has largely been considered an unproblematic concept and primarily refers to the varying kinds of characteristics of individuals. Despite this assumption, psychologists have constantly used the word in different ways. The varying views in the use of this concept or term are fueled by the fact that psychology usually makes generalizations regarding individuals. Generally, personality seeks to examine the many differences and similarities between individuals. Formal evaluation and study of personality have mainly focused on patterns of similarities vs. patterns of differences among individuals. When evaluating patterns of differences, the concept of abnormality has emerged and attracted huge concerns among psychologists. Since the issue is controversial, there are concerns whether individual differences in personality can be effectively explained with reference to genes.

Individual Differences Approach to Personality Theory:

As previously mentioned, personality is a concept that primarily focuses on examining the patterns of similarities and patterns of differences among individuals. The view of personality examines individuals comprehensively to look for common dimensions of personal traits in order to make generalizations and comparisons. There are two major approaches used in making these overview and comparisons regarding individual differences i.e. nomothetic and idiographic approaches.

The nomothetic approach is part of a wider tradition of measurement of individual differences. Since nomothetic is a term that means legitimate, the approach of examining individual differences develops theories that are applicable universally to every individual. In addition to being wider, personality research in this approach examines differences in personality based on a series of psychological abilities ranging from intelligence to manual skills (Thomas, n.d., p.293).

The idiographic approach has basically developed from the clinical tradition and focuses on an in-depth analysis of individuals based on the distinctive view of personality. Unlike the nomothetic approach, idiographic uses a case study method in order to provide a detailed account of the behaviors, feelings, subjective experiences, and lives of singles individuals. One of the major examples of idiographic approach in examining individual differences is the case study of the psychoanalytic approach as a means of thinking about personality.

The study of individual differences has basically been based on nomothetic personality research despite the focus of this approach on making generalizations and establishing personality structures for every individual. The use of this approach is based on the fact that it does not explore individuality but identifying global dimensions for the entire population of people. The scores of individuals on these dimensions are then used as the basis for differentiation and comparison of people.

Explanation of Personality with Reference to Genes:

The individual differences approach to assessing personality goes beyond personality descriptions in order to determine the causes of differences in personality. One of the ways that the causes of differences are examined in these studies is through the use of biological systems in light of the probable contributions of genetics to personality (Thomas, n.d., 295). In this case, psychologists have attempted to map individual differences in personality according to brain structure or function. These attempts have primarily been based on a simple model of at least two major neural subsystems that are usually described on the basis of biochemistry and/or anatomy. Since such an attempt is a conceptual nervous system, it definitely does not represent the total complexity of biology.

The model requires the subsystems in the brain to be linked with essential behavioral functions like learning. As a result of the link, the brain subsystems are in turn associated with measurable individual differences in personality. While this biological theory to explain individual differences in personality is relatively weak, it has created significant personality research to an extent that it is still a dominant theory.

The second approach in explaining individual differences in personality with reference to genes is the type theory that suggests that personality is based in biology. Based on this foundation, biology is the determinant of type, which in turn contributes to individual traits. Type theory is explained using various systems such as ascending reticulocortical activating system and limbic system.

Given the weaknesses of each biological theory in explaining personality with reference to genes, individual differences in personality cannot be entirely and adequately explained with reference to genes. While these theories have provided the basis for biological explanations of individual differences, they are relatively weak and inconclusive. They provide biological or genetic underpinnings for understanding individual differences but do not explain these differences in a satisfactory manner. Even though individual differences in personality are inherited, genetics alone or biological underpinnings cannot be the sole contribution to these differences in personality.

The other contributing factor on why individual differences cannot be adequately explained with reference to genes is the nature of people and other animals to be fundamentally adaptive. Based on this nature, human beings are primarily adaptive to the environments they are exposed to or live in. Actually, humans have an intrinsic and tremendous ability to adapt to their respective environments.

The question of whether individual traits are caused by genetics or environments is meaningless since nature and nurture are not only in interaction but are also important to life and development. It is practically impossible for genetics to have complete effect in determining individual differences in personality. This is primarily because genotype has its impact on the developing organism within the organism's environment to generate the phenotype. Generally, biological explanations of individual differences in personality show the strong link between personality and genetics. However, genetic and environmental factors usually interact to generate some effects on an individual's personality.