I bet you have heard of 16 Personalities before. It's an analytic website that can sort of providing you some information about your personality. I took the personality test on their website just a few minutes ago, and here is the result:
- Type: Turbulent Campaigner
- Code: ENFP-T
- Role: Diplomat
- Strategy: Social Engagement
Based on this website, these 16 personalities categorized into four subgroups were evaluated based on five perspectives: mind, energy, nature, tactics, and Identity. And, apparently, based on who you are, you will get a code like mine --- "ENFP-T." I am not doubting the accuracy of their evaluation. I think 16 personalities are a great source to give me some aspects of who I am from others' perspectives. But I don't believe that human characters can be organized and evaluated into just 16 types.
Culturally defined, some people are optimistic, some are gentle, some are goofy, or some are mean. I bet you can come up with more than ten adjectives to describe your own personality. But you can't find one word that summarizes who you are. Humans are complex creatures, so we are continually changing.
And now comes the paper writing question that was once faced by every entry-level psychology student: What influenced us? Nature or Nurture?
Scientific studies had shown that genetics can influence how we make decisions from studying twins. They follow twins that were separated since birth and record every stage of their lives. Surprisingly, even grew up in different environments, these twins made similar life decisions at every step. They never communicated with each other, but these twins would choose the same sports in high school or wear the same cloth style. This tells us that nature plays a huge role in our lives.
It may sound like that our DNA already programmed every move we make, but the thing is: we are changeable. In my mind, humans were born to change. If our genes were the ice molds, the environment determines the color, size, and ice patterns that will be made. Everything around us adds to our experiences, and our experiences impact our personalities. As I explore more and more new things in life, I make different decisions than before.
Hopefully, I gave you some insights about the definition of personality. We all started brand new as kids with a vague frame above, but our mind is the tool to add on and create. We probably can't change our personality completely. Still, with knowledge, experiences, and all other things in life, you will find the best way to be yourself.
