things that define your personality

Not all people within a given generation will share the same values across the board, but there are certainly overall trends that give each generation its own unique flavour. According to Forbes, some of the characteristics of the millennial generation, for example, include valuing experiences as much as or more than money and having a willingness to question authority quite different from their parents generation.

The food you eat affects you in all sorts of ways. Eating healthy promotes healthy organ function, including that of your brain. Eating poorly can lead to deficiencies, which will affect your body and mind, or obesity, which will likewise affect your body and mind, or any number of other ailments that arise through diet.

This one is actually more complex than it seems. The idea that children exhibit behaviour that corresponds to the order of their birth relative to their siblings is a very old one, but some have also suggested that the way a child perceives themselves in the hierarchy of siblings is just as important. Essentially, if you have an older sibling who acts like a younger sibling, and you act like an older sibling, you might have the reverse personalities of what is typical. Older siblings tend to like rules and order, and younger siblings to be carefree.

Genetics play a huge role in determining who you are. For a long time, psychologists believed every person was born a blank slate, and that personality was entirely learned. Twin studies, though, have offered pretty solid evidence to the contrary. Twins, separated as infants and raised in different families, exhibit remarkably similar behaviour.

Of course, your genes and the way they are expressed only go so far. Pile on top of that the sum of all the experiences youve gone through and you begin to get a more complete picture of a human person. Think of it less as nature vs. nurture, and more like nature informing nurture.

Women have several different problems than men do, men have several different problems than women do, and those with non-traditional gender identities have a whole host of other problems unique to themselves. Some of these are biological, others are social, but theyre all factors in determining who you are.

Environment is a broad term, encapsulating everything from geography to society to home life. Two Christians born in very different societies might share some values in common, just as two Americans with different religions might, or two island-dwelling people with different nationalities and religions. Ultimately, the more environmental commonalities, the more likely two people will share certain values.

The way a family interacts is important for a whole host of reasons. The way you learn to behave at home is often how you behave elsewhere. The way you are treated, and see others treated, influences your priorities when interacting with others, as well as how you expect interactions with others to proceed.

Similar to family dynamic, the specific manner in which you are parented is important, and there are all kinds of theories out there about what works and what doesnt. Most parents try to strike a balance between allowing freedom and trying to keep kids on the straight and narrow, and the precise mix (or lack thereof) is an important piece of who that child turns out to be.

There is a correlation between education and political leanings. Generally, better educated people tend to be progressive, while less educated people tend to conservatism. This is one of those times where its hard to say which causes the other maybe progressive people just value education more but it seems likely that broadening ones horizons would have some effect on the way a person thinks.