true, disorders like the ones u stated will affect a persons personality, but those are flukes, they cant rly be applied to the whole population, which is what the question he presented targets.

and also, the basic instincts like u stated dont rly affect a persons personality

some mutations are just too minor thus not enough to consider as a disease/disorder, yet they are there and do have a effect on people's personality

but again, synaptic plasticity is taking the largest part in the equation.

why would anyone think that our innate emotions does not affect our personality?

say, people with apathy is rarely a nice person, and people with little sense of joy are often pessimist

This post was edited by hk_nobody on Jan 18 2009 01:19pm

thats true about the mutations. i think everyone has some degree of flaw in their brain. its too powerful and complex to be perfect. most ppls just isnt enuf to affect their lives aside from their personality, which in alot probably still isnt affected that much. especially compared to the amount that their environment affects.

about the emotions. i was just thinking about basic instincts. since they are programed into everyones brain, they shouldnt affect someones personality. if ur talkin about diff ppls susceptibility to joy and sadness, then yeah that could affect their personality. that has to do with the amount of some chemical in the brain, which im sure varies from person to person.