I was so excited to run across this study. The sample sizes were large, carefully controlled, and pulled from Finnish, German, and Korean populations. Results were highly stable across all populations studied, so it looks likely that this is an accurate insight into human nature.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-018-0263-6
So, we finally have an answer to the question of whether human character is based in nature or nurture! At least part of the answer, anyway.
Turns out, the answer is (drum roll, please)...
50-58% of character traits are attributable to genetic, heritable factors. (Nature)
So roughly half, or a little more than half, of our personalities are "determined," which means that the other half (or slightly less than half) are affected by Nurture.
This is amazing!
The next question in my mind would be, of the 42-50% of remaining attribution, how much is due to external situations, versus internal choices? (So we move from "nature vs. nurture" to "free will vs. fate.") I'm sure the answers are extremely messy, and, of course, there are probably no hard and fast rules. But this is cool to see.
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