Is Introversion An Inherited Trait?
Recently I’ve become fascinated observing the way my son interacts with other children. At the age of three, he is developing distinctive personality traits that remind me of myself, and it leaves me wondering whether personality types can be inherited. Thanks to Mr. Mendel and his peas, we have a pretty complete understanding of the heritability of physical characteristics, but many questions persist when it comes to behavioral traits. Based solely on my own family, I see little evidence to support heritability. My father is the ultimate extrovert, perfectly at ease surrounded by total strangers in unfamiliar settings. My mother had some introverted tendencies, but since she spent most of her life in my father’s orbit, it’s difficult to judge whether she would have ever put herself in the same situations without him. I suspect not, but she was clearly at ease in familiar social settings. My older sister is a purely social creature, and she expends tremendous energy maintaining and cul
