Is personality a learned behavior?

Question

Or are there character traits that are instinctive...

Answer 1

Statistics say your basic personality traits are formed by the time you are 10 yrs old.Alot of your personality is determined by DNA,and alot of it is due to your surroundings.I suppose you can say it is partially due to learned behaviors,but I disagree.I grew up in a violent home,and I don't possess the violent/inconsiderate behavior that would be expected of someone from my background.I don't feel there is any right or wrong answer to this question.

Answer 2

Oh I know there are character traits that are instinctive. Selfishness, for one. Take a three-year-old for example. They haven't learned fully about sharing; nearly everything they do is selfish. So becoming a selfless person is something that's learned, and for some people it takes time to learn it.

In another example, someone can appear to be selfless at times, but on the inside they're screaming for what they want. When stress overtakes a person's selflessness, they start screaming out loud and that selfish instinct takes over everything else.

This is the example I'm using because it's just been pointed out to me (again) today.....I'm a very selfish person, and at the moment, I'm so stressed out that I don't really care. I've always been on my own in one way or another, and I've always been selfish because of it.

So...some aspects of one's personality are learned and some are instinctive...it's finding that balance between the two that's very hard to do... :)

Answer 3

Instinctive character traits developed thru time implemented by a learned behavior. .

Answer 4

for me it was learned. I was a shy. very introverted child when I got to age fifteen I got angry and read positive thinking books. and learned the guitar and sung in clubs. later. and now I am a great salesman.I had no real male influence and made myself who I am. and I like myself.have done some outstanding things.Yes I taught myself to be who I am.and still am working on improving myself.Theres many traits that s instinctive.& .which or inherited from the parents and grandparents.Peace

Answer 5

We have instincts to direct how we will do thing. The doing is what creates the personality. Dwelling in love, keeps us loving.

Answer 6

I think it can be half and half. We are all born with the "who we are" inside of us. But, usually our bad habits or bad personality traits are learned from our parents...or family members of whom we spend the most time with.

Answer 7

Certain elements of a personality that relate to how one acts socially are learned...

And i suppose it can be learned if one is constantly bombarded with people and their influential thoughts, ideas, behaviours, etc...

However, there are certain things that are unique to each individual's personality that isn't tainted or taught.

Answer 8

well a mixture of things do influence one's personality, for e.g:
the family, the environment in which one is raised, childhood experiences, the people one mixes with, and the inner conflict of indentity in the adolescence stage. all this combine to characterize one's adulthood phase. can u see how complex creatures we r as human beings:)

Answer 9

I dont think so. I think that we are all born with an original personality which changes through the years

Answer 10

No, personality is not learned. My siblings and I was taught by our parents and we each learned from them. However, we all have different personalities.