Naked Science Forum

General Science => General Science => Topic started by: Lloyd Ihenacho on 14/07/2011 12:59:22

Title: Is competitiveness a genetic trait?
Post by: Lloyd Ihenacho on 14/07/2011 12:59:22

Are people more genetically inclined than others to exhibit competitive traits? Or is a competitive spirit something you pick up as a child. (Nature vs Nurture)

Title: Competition: N vs N
Post by: Don_1 on 14/07/2011 14:11:54

The simple fact that there can be differences between siblings in attitude, aptitude and ability makes it difficult to quantify which traits are a result of nature and which are a result of nurture. There have been and still are a number of studies being carried out.

To my mind, these studies are bound to be flawed since attitude, aptitude and ability can have an effect on both nature and nurture.

Only by separating identical twins and subjecting them to different nurture could you arrive at something close to a genuine result.

Title: Competition: N vs N
Post by: CliffordK on 15/07/2011 09:47:10

Quote from: Don_1 on 14/07/2011 14:11:54

Only by separating identical twins and subjecting them to different nurture could you arrive at something close to a genuine result.

Or Human Cloning!!!!!!!!!   [;D]

Something like competitiveness would be very difficult to judge.  There is likely an element of birth order, and number of siblings, but even that would be complicated. 

You would probably find some aspects of an innate general competitiveness framework, which is then moulded with nurture.

One can certainly imagine evolutionary pressures for competitiveness, including the acquisition of food, resources, and mates.