are humans programmed to think the same?

[cacian]

or differently from one another?

And if so does Education/ Media teach us to think differently from the way we are suppose to behave intellectually?
From example does reading the same materials and learning the same objectives reinforces our intellectual capabilities to think and behave in the same way?

[Volya]

I think that we are 'programmed' to think the same way as each other, since our brains all function in the same way. The media and our surroundings also influence us, to fit into the crowd.
But likewise, your surroundings also change the way you think, making you think differently to everyone else.

[Anton Hermes]

Explaining neuroscience and cognition to cacian? This should be a snap.

[Alexander III]

Explaining neuroscience and cognition to cacian? This should be a snap.

:lol:

[Charles Darnay]

I don't think you have to go so far, also I will still be lampooned for my simplistic analysis.....but I am a masochist I suppose.

What we have here is the old "nature vs. nurture" debate, which, if I'm not mistaken has largely been tossed in the garbage and relegated to high school classrooms.

Identical twins (exact same genes) were separated at birth and studied to see how similar their behaviours were. If they they showed similarities in behaviour, then it shows that there is something in our genes that suggests that we are, as you say, "programmed" to think/feel a certain way. If the twins turn out to be completely different, then we see that it is the environment you are raised in that determines how you think/feel, and there is no genetic programming going on.

The wishy-washy result was that both exist., although most will admit that the environment (nurture) holds more sway than genetics (nature).

As for my own opinion, I don't believe there is any genetic programming going on that determines our behaviours for the most part. Certain mental "abnormalities" (such as anxiety, ADHD, depression, OCD &c.) are caused in part by your genetic make-up - but the human brain is complex enough, and there are enough variables acting on us for me to believe that we "program" ourselves based on how we are raised, where we are raised, and our early education.

[Anton Hermes]

most will admit that the environment (nurture) holds more sway than genetics (nature).

The University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, which carried out an extensive study of twins separated at birth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_Twin_Family_Study), begs to differ:

In 1979, Thomas Bouchard [director of the Minnesota Center for Twin and Adoption Research, University of Minnesota] began to study twins who were separated at birth and reared in different families. He found that an identical twin reared away from his or her co-twin seems to have about an equal chance of being similar to the co-twin in terms of personality, interests, and attitudes as one who has been reared with his or her co-twin. This leads to the conclusion that the similarities between twins are due to genes, not environment, since the differences between twins reared apart must be due totally to the environment.

Perhaps if you were to cite the specific study you mentioned and describe its findings in more detail, we could discuss why its conclusions seem so different from the study I link to above.

[tonywalt]

I'd day it's about 90% nature I can tell you from experience. I was seperated from siblings at age 4 in raised in opposite environments.

Not just physical gestures but general outlook, humour, temperament...the list goes on.

[Charles Darnay]

Hmmmm.....alright. I have problems with the Minnesota Twin Study (due to the nature of the environments), but I really thought that nurture had won over. Ah well, I am not a psychologist and I do not claim to be one.

[cacian]

Explaining neuroscience and cognition to cacian? This should be a snap.

well never understimate the force of a snap. It makes a sound and solong as it does that is all that matters.:wink5: :smilewinkgrin:


I think that we are 'programmed' to think the same way as each other, since our brains all function in the same way. The media and our surroundings also influence us, to fit into the crowd.
But likewise, your surroundings also change the way you think, making you think differently to everyone else.

I inclined that dna says no. If it is unique to each and one of us then thinking differently is part of that dna makeup.
I am more into thinking that we are made to consider things differently according our genes that are specific to our biological makeup.
I agree there is a lot of influences from the environment we are brougt up in and also lots of our learned behaviours stems from our parents and the people we grow up with.
I was just thinking of an experiment to conduct between a child and an adult.
The results are outstanding .Children up to an age behave say and think differently from their parents.
They are have a freer attituted a laxed one as oppose to an adult who has much more baggage.
If you observe a child they have less inhibitions. A child walks into a room full of people and children and he or she is straight away chatting to other children their age making friends there an then.
An adult however is less inclined to communicate and says much about themselves to other adult they do not know.
The reality is that every child is the same in that sense that freedom of beinf themselves and yet quiet territorqail not liking to share for example of wanting to stamp their groudns as they play.
This say that their way of thinking is different in the sense that they think of themselves first in relation to other children.
Many times you see children competiing for something for example. That is not because they wish to have it for themselves but because they want it for different reasons .
If you ask 5 children what they would do say if they won a 5pound note they will all tell you they would use it in very distinctive different ways in other their five answers are very distinct.
Now you ask 5 adults what they woudl fi they won a 100 pounds they will either say they don't know or that they will spend it on something.
The point of this is to show that children speak frely and think very quick but differently from each other.
Adults however have been conditioned to think the same because of their upbrigning society job media and education has impressed on them and molded to think about the future in the same way.
Anyway this just what I think.

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

I'm sure cacian has asked this question because she is truly curious about the alternate viewpoints of others. I'm sure she won't stubbornly cling to her own opinions when faced with good ideas that go against her preconceived notions. I'm sure.

[Anton Hermes]

I'm sure cacian has asked this question because she is truly curious about the alternate viewpoints of others. I'm sure she won't stubbornly cling to her own opinions when faced with good ideas that go against her preconceived notions. I'm sure.

Absolutely. This is cacian, after all, so she realizes there's a lot of effort involved in real learning. Her posting here is just a breather from her conscientious research into neuroscience journals and records of psychological studies.

[Lokasenna]

Cacian, if all our previous threads are evidence of anything, they are evidence that two people can think very differently went presented with the same material!

[Scheherazade]

~

R e m i n d e r

Please do not discuss each other but the topic at hand.

~

[Volya]

cacian: Although everybody's DNA 'combination' is unique, we share some of the same DNA still, which could lead us to think similarly. The fact that we are the same species means that our basic responses, and feelings will generally be similar.

But although our genetics, etc, make up for how we think, I personally believe it is how we are brought up/educated that truly makes us who we are and how we behave.

[Shevek]

And if so does Education/ Media teach us to think differently from the way we are suppose to behave intellectually?


What does this question mean? I genuinely do not understand.

[cacian]

What does this question mean? I genuinely do not understand.

Hi Shevek and thank you for posting.
This what I mean.
The way we are have been raised through eduaction ie school at an early age and being taught the same topics the same rules and regulations is one way of reshaping the brain into thinking a certain way.
I call it compartmentalisation of the brain.

[Volya]

Basically what cacian is trying to say is...
Are our minds/personalities based on genetics, or our upbringing? Nature/Nurture

[cacian]

Cacian, if all our previous threads are evidence of anything, they are evidence that two people can think very differently went presented with the same material!

Yes they are that evidence that we do. But since it was only me thinking differently from the majortiy then it could have been the case.
I could see that neither I nor yourselves tried to find a compromise on how to reach understanding without feeling that what one said against a majority had no value whatsoever.
I am not trying to say that what I said was the truth but I could see none of of you were prepared to reconsider a different situation because it would have lead to a different type of conversation.
I was not going to agree with the majority because I felt that science needs challenging and not everything written in the books is the ultimate and there is nothin else to discover. How boring life would be if there is nothing else to discover or think after one established theory.
A bit like the bible one must breach the words of God.
New ideas and pursuites come out from already establsihed ideas. How else would one start new if not from what is already been suggested. Life does not stop with science. One should see beyond.
This is how I see it.

[QUOTE=Volya;1169594]cacian: Although everybody's DNA 'combination' is unique, we share some of the same DNA still, which could lead us to think similarly. The fact that we are the same species means that our basic responses, and feelings will generally be similar.

Yes but do you ever wonder why my dna is slightely different from yours?
Things happen for a reason and nature does thing just the right way for specific reasons.
As I mentioned before children think and say different things from adults that is because they are true inividualist true to themsleves without feeling the strain of their immediat environment.


But although our genetics, etc, make up for how we think, I personally believe it is how we are brought up/educated that truly makes us who we are and how we behave.
I agree but I feel that one in oder to find their true self nust first and foremost stand his her own ground and say what they truly feel about different situations.
I go to school to learn but I also go to school to question what is aready establsihed as a truth. I research things my own way because my instinct and incline tells me otherwise.
It is not about a unified truth it is about diversifiefd views personal opinions on one supposed truth.

[Volya]

I am not going to answer the question about dna due to its off-topicness.

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

What does this question mean? I genuinely do not understand.

That's surprising.

[Emil Miller]

That's surprising.

Careful or you will get your knuckles rapped.

[cacian]

Careful or you will get your knuckles rapped.

LOL:lol:

[OrphanPip]

At this point trying to definitively determine if our differences are mostly due to genetics or environment is a bit pointless. There are too many variables, it is possible to discuss very specific traits in some detail, but generalizing is overreaching.

Also, we have to consider that environment is more than just how we are raised culturally. It involves nutrition and the chemicals in our environment; trauma both physical and psychological; hormones, maternal DNA, and maternal nutrition during pregnancy; epigenetic switching on and off of genes due to environment; and probably some factors we haven't uncovered yet.

[cacian]

I am not going to answer the question about dna due to its off-topicness.

OK Volya if you were to chose a topic to research about humans as a race what would you chose and why?
Of course your research must be of benefit to humans.

[Volya]

....what?

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

Careful or you will get your knuckles rapped.

They've gone numb at this point.

[cacian]

....what?

What topic would you chose to research a human trait which would help shed light into the human psychology?
I personally would chose a comparative study between a child and an adult.
Human instinct is another example.

[Volya]

Human psychology is a very broad topic...
If I could pick any aspect of it to study/research, it would probably be investigating whether or not a group of humans will work for good of the individual, or for the good of the group.

[cacian]

Human psychology is a very broad topic...
If I could pick any aspect of it to study/research, it would probably be investigating whether or not a group of humans will work for good of the individual, or for the good of the group.

That sounds brilliant and right up my street!!
How would you go about it? The best thing about research is not so much the results but how you set about organising it and the whole drama emanating as a result of it. :)
It reminds of the Lord of the Flies let see if your research will contradict the story. Why not!

[Volya]

(I am still wondering how this is related to the OP, but ah well....)
I would just get 50 or so people, of various backgrounds, then chuck 'em on an uninhabited island. Come back after a week, see whats happened. Then go away again, and continue checking on them monthly. The experiment only ends when they are all either dead or they've established society.

[cacian]

(I am still wondering how this is related to the OP, but ah well....)
I would just get 50 or so people, of various backgrounds, then chuck 'em on an uninhabited island. Come back after a week, see whats happened. Then go away again, and continue checking on them monthly. The experiment only ends when they are all either dead or they've established society.

Human instinct is one.
The OP is very much related with this because where there is experiences there is thinking processes behind it.