<blockquote>
  <p>Mr. Smith is a shy and reserved person who often feels tense and
  nervous. In therapy, he recalled that he had an unhappy childhood,
  feeling that he did not receive enough attention from his mother and
  resenting the conservative family discipline and lifestyle enforced by
  his father. He blames both parents for his current anxiety,
  unhappiness, and loneliness. In light of your understanding of the
  interactive influences of nature and nurture, explain why Mr. Smith's
  complaints about his parents may be somewhat unfair and unhelpful.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>I propose that Mr. Smith's shyness (a personality) is not heritable and is rather a result of nature. However, his temperament of anxiety and constant tension is inherited from his parents. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-07T21:19:59.443Z
I'd say that you should ask which is *more* heritable. It is very likely that nothing is really inheritable.
rus9384
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-07T21:44:02.877Z
This looks like a homework question so it would be good to share your reasoning in terms of your answer. Note that we are not here to do your homework for you, nor can we give you the correct answers (only your professor can). The only thing we can possibly do is add scientific background and propose *possible* answers.
AliceD
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-07T21:46:21.250Z
Also, please provide context - what kind of course did you follow, what was the focus (was it Bio or Psychiatry - this can make a difference in terms of interpreting your assignment).
AliceD
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-09T12:56:00.323Z
The heritability of the big five super factors of personality is around 0.5. The remaining 50% are due to environmental factors. I would say that this is a fairly high value.
Thomas Z.
<personality><homework>
Which is heritable: personality or temperament?
Daniel Ip
# Which is heritable: personality or temperament?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-10-07)

> Mr. Smith is a shy and reserved person who often feels tense and
> nervous. In therapy, he recalled that he had an unhappy childhood,
> feeling that he did not receive enough attention from his mother and
> resenting the conservative family discipline and lifestyle enforced by
> his father. He blames both parents for his current anxiety,
> unhappiness, and loneliness. In light of your understanding of the
> interactive influences of nature and nurture, explain why Mr. Smith's
> complaints about his parents may be somewhat unfair and unhelpful.

I propose that Mr. Smith's shyness (a personality) is not heritable and is rather a result of nature. However, his temperament of anxiety and constant tension is inherited from his parents.

**Tags:** personality, homework

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I'd say that you should ask which is *more* heritable. It is very likely that nothing is really inheritable.  
> **username_2**: This looks like a homework question so it would be good to share your reasoning in terms of your answer. Note that we are not here to do your homework for you, nor can we give you the correct answers (only your professor can). The only thing we can possibly do is add scientific background and propose *possible* answers.  
> **username_2**: Also, please provide context - what kind of course did you follow, what was the focus (was it Bio or Psychiatry - this can make a difference in terms of interpreting your assignment).  
> **username_3**: The heritability of the big five super factors of personality is around 0.5. The remaining 50% are due to environmental factors. I would say that this is a fairly high value.  

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## 0 answers

