i don't think we're born with any personality.
tabla rosa.
the parents are the child's entire lifeline, and i think we learn pretty quickly how to fit in, and model ourselves after these `gods' that are raising us.
it's cool that babies brains are pretty smooth, and each ripple and trench is another lesson learned. my brain feels folded, spindled, and mutilated.

Certain physical traits may be skipped like ginger hair or brown eyes they might pop up in grandparent and grandchild missing parents who carry the gene.

Some personality characteristics can be learned through living together but l do believe that like the physical some personality characteristics can be passed on but they tend to be strength of character or shyness and if physical traits can skip a generation or two why not some emotional.

Most emotional responses or strengths are down to us though, your daughter and mums similarities could be just a coincidence.

I've just been studying genetics and heredity, it's really interesting stuff! Everyone seems to have different opinions and studies to back up their theories which makes it difficult to compare and draw any solid conclusions.

So looking at siblings, they may bear close physical resemblance to one another, but have markedly different personalities. Undoubtedly this is caused in part by their different genetic make up. However environment undoubtedly plays a significant part. They may have a shared environment within the family, but they also experience nonshared environmental effects outside the home (eg with teachers, different social groups) Parents interract with their children differently based on genetic differences, and events like illness or accident may affect one child and not another. It's very complex but is generally accepted that (a) we don't yet fully understand how much influence genetics has and (b) both heredity and environment are important influencing factors on our developing personalities.

Our personalities continue to develop throughout life so any differences between siblings will become more noticeable as life progresses. Apparently siblings tend to be more different than alike in terms of intelligence and personality. I watched a doco recently about some twin studies, it was fascinating :)

An interesting article here:

http://genealogy.about.com/cs/geneticgenealogy/a/nature_nurture.htm

Sorry that was really long winded, hope it helps!

`tabula rasa'.....d'oh

Personality follows the nature vs nurture tableau. Genes are mandatory, personality is optional. Every family I've known with multiple children shows a different personality with each one. Part of this is explained by the child's position, first, middle, last, and so on. Personality can be learned, and there are many factors the effect personality besides genetics. Not that I know anything about it from study, but I do tend to jump in even lacking full information.

I have been told that I'm most like my grandmother.

Granted, she was brilliant....

... and bipolar.

bipolarprincess, you're asking a very profound question that is still in heated debate in psychology. I think it's a mixture of genetics and environment.

What about free will? My mother was very cruel to me as a child said very nasty things to me and now she treats me differently. I didn't want to be like that. Even my peers bullied me throughout my school years. Unfortunately my step daughter's mom and step father are very cruel to her on a daily basis and are generally unhappy people. I give my daughter love. Show her she means a lot to me. My daughter blames her cruelty towards me and my daughter based on how her mother treats her she says she claims she's generally just a crabby person and it's her personality. I am not buying it. She treats her dad pretty nasty to when she wants to but when she wants something from him she's really nice and stuff. I believe you can choose to be nice or mean. I believe in free will with personalities. Am I wrong for believing that?