Sometimes it’s difficult to believe that even some of who were are is a consequence of a combination of chemicals that make up our bodies. We like to think of ourselves as unique beings whose essence cannot be boiled down to a bunch of chemicals.

In this discussion, you are reacting to some of the material from chapters 6 & 7 (Perspectives on Personality 8th Edition Authors: Charles S. Carver and Michael F. Scheier ISBN: 978-0-13-441537-6). Broadly, both of these chapters focus on the biological contributions to personality and extend some of the previous material by exploring the biological components of trait theories. Think about what you read and share your reactions. Specifically, explore how the material seems to mesh with your own experiences and how those experiences may diverge. Keep in mind, however, that anecdotal evidence is typically a less reliable source of data than other forms. We shouldn’t discount entirely, though, either.

Write a discussion post that shares your reactions to how well you think biological explanations of personality fit with your own perceptions of personality. Do you share some of the same personality characteristics as your biological relatives? Do you know people who exhibited strong personality traits from a very young age (i.e. too early for explanations (other than biology) to account for these characteristics)? In what ways, do you think your personality or the personalities of others you know have been shaped by forces other than biology? If part of our personality is shaped by biology, does that mean we are destined to behave, think, and feel in a particular way? How do we break out of these patterns if they are encoded in our DNA?  

Be sure to follow all general directions for class discussions listed in the forum section and complete your original post and reply to 1 other student by the deadlines outlined in the course schedule. Discussion Grading is located in your content section.