For each of the following, are they inherited or environmentally-influenced? Eye colour, cell type, fur patterns, blood type, weight, height, personality.
2 Answers
inherited traits are eye color, cell type, fur patterns, and blood type.
environmentally influenced traits are weight, height and personality.
Explanation:
The DNA has information that codes for the production of proteins that determine eye color, the type of cells ( all cells in the human body have the same type of DNA, the position of the cell in the embyro determines which part of the DNA is read and expressed, so cell type could also be considered to be environmentally influence by the proteins in the egg cell or ovum.) and blood type.
The DNA also codes for guidelines on height and weight but these are also influenced by environmental factors.
The Japanese that came to America were very short. However the second generation that experienced better nutrition were not much shorter than the average height of other genetic groups in America.
There are genetic factors that influence weight gain. Again eating patterns influence the amount of weight gain. These eating patterns can be cultural , environmental or learned.
Fur patterns or finger prints are determined in utero. Identical twins with exactly the same DNA with have different finger prints. This is not learned behavior, but is influenced by the environment before birth.
Personality is still being studied . There is most likely an genetic component, however education, environmental factors and personal choices all have effects. Boys are taught to " control" and not show their emotions. ( in many but not all cultures) However there are different chemical makeups between males and females determined by the DNA that influence personality.
This is to add to the prior answer.
Explanation:
I'll toss in here that research has found that the microbiome in the gut has a large effect on weight and personality.
For instance, there are treatments being administered with extremely positive results where gut flora from a skinny person is introduced into a fat person and that the fat person looses weight. The converse also holds - gut flora from a fat person is introduced into a skinny person and the skinny person starts to gain weight. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-gut-bacteria-help-make-us-fat-and-thin/
Studies involving mice and other animals have shown changes in personality with the introduction of outside gut flora (an aggressive animal calms with the introduction of gut flora from a calm animal and vice versa). https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-athletes-way/201706/gut-microbiota-may-influence-mood-and-behavior-study-finds
Gut flora is both influenced by the environment and by genetics.
