This document discusses the difference between traits, personality, and behavior from a psychological perspective. It argues that traits are genetic characteristics determined by DNA, while personality and behavior are learned and influenced by the environment. The key points made include: 1) Traits are inherited genetic codes determined by DNA that influence abilities like intelligence, senses, and physical characteristics. They are either dominant or recessive. 2) Behavior is learned and changes based on situations, while personality develops as a pattern of responding to situations. Neither are determined by genetic traits. 3) Research by Gregor Mendel on inherited traits in plants showed traits are genetic and cannot be learned or taught. His work supports the idea that traits, not behavior

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Traits is neither a personality nor a behavior
Psychology 335 Section 6380
Student: Modupe Olayinka Sarratt
Professor: Jack Kitaeff, Ph.D., J.D
Due Date October 07, 2012

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Contents
Abstract ………………………………………………………… 3
Introduction ………………………………………………………… 4
Objectives ………………………………………………………… 5
Method for determined trait ………………………………… 6
What is a trait? ……………………………………………… 7
Types of trait ………………………………………………… 8
Why behavior is not a trait …………………………………………… 10
What is the genetic for human traits? ………………………… 12
Conclusion ………………………………………………………… 14
References ………………………………………………………… 15

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Abstract
The psychology analogies that personality and behavior are genetic of a trait are
confusing. In addition, did not make sense. Because behavior is taught and learned for
acceptable action and personality is developed as a comfort pattern to respond in a situation. The
notion that personality and behavior are genetic code did not fit the characteristic of a trait as a
DNA. Moreover, the indication that personality and behavior are trait is prejudice for “one size
fits all” approach. (Funder p78) It would be prejudice to judge all black behavior and personality
are the same because of the characteristic of black pigment, the melanin for skin color. An
experiment with 100 plants to study genetics and heredity for trait by Gregor Mendel indicated
that trait is not a pattern and cannot be taught. The physical characteristics or human trait are
head, height, color, shape, and intelligent that correlate with the science of biology for brain,
skeleton, skin, tissue, and cognitive. The genetic code for trait is the characteristics of a DNA for
egg and sperm to form an individual; “you” a trait is either “dominant or recessive” according to
Gregor Mendel experiment. Trait is DNA. DNA is a coded gene. We do not inherit encoded gene
for how to behave; we were taught how to behave. (Mendel 2012) Human has about “25,000
coded genes in a DNA, and noncoding no genes in a DNA” according to Encyclopaedia
Britannica Human genome. The relationship between coding genes and noncoding no genes in a
DNA is not well understood. A trait is the inherited encoded gene of a DNA for “frontal lobe" or
“the six senses” for “abilities”. Behavior is an influence of a nongentic on a genetic code, and
personality is the change to maintain the influence. (Human genome 2010)

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Introduction
In biology, genes are the genetic characteristic that similar to DNA pass down by our
parent. Trait is the quality of intelligent and instincts, the six senses. Human either have it or not
is the characteristic of trait, “have” or “not” trait is not a connection of things, is not a pattern, or
a progression. Hearing or deaf is DNA, a genetic protein code to process and interpreting
information. “Ability” is a DNA protein for processing. A deaf person can still behave even
though he or she cannot process information. Why? Because behavior is not a trait, behavior is
not “ability”. Behavior is not a process. Also, a blind person can behave even though he or she
cannot see a thing to process a situation. Why? Because “ability” the DNA for sight, vision
processing in biology is not a behavior.
Likewise “intelligent,” is a trait, a DNA for “able to process information” that either a
person has or not that is dominant or recessive. A recessive intelligent is “autism”. An autism
person can behave, even though he or she is not “able” to process information. One discovery
about the “autism” is that autism is good with data, counting numbers because of vision.
Behavior can be taught and change. Trait is the ability of “intelligent” for comprehension or
“able” to understand. According to David C. Funder, “an IQ measure is only valid if it
really measures intelligence”. (Funder, p72) One could say that is not the case because an IQ test
could be neither reliable nor valid if one was to be measuring intelligence based on "knowing"
versus being “taught”, have the “ability” or not. The DNA of inheritance code for intelligent is
“has or not”, we can teach and change behavior but you have to have the ability to learn and
comprehend, which is human trait for “able brain”. The difference is having or not. In order to
learn behavior that is being taught you have to inherit the trait, genetic code, DNA for “able
brain”. A behavior is the non-genetic, the environment if there is a trait, genetic for “able” body.

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The assumption for personality trait theory is that there is a correlation between trait and
personality for the situation that cause behavior. This assumption is not correct for these three
reasons; (1) trait is not from external influence (2) Trait is innate for self-preservation. (3) Trait
has biological component for adaptation such as the peripheral nervous system (senses/PNS) and
center nervous system (intelligent/CNS). A trait is neither a personality nor a behavior because a
trait is the genetic DNA for frontal lobe to process information with the characteristics of a DNA
for has or not, dominant or recessive, the ability or no ability to process.
Objectives:
The objectives is to describe trait, compare it and decide it values,
1. Trait is the ability, our intelligent that we were born with that make us
different. A trait is a protein DNA for frontal lobe that allows us to process information
that enables us to stay alive. For example, if a person is born with birth defect for frontal
lobe, it may be difficult to stay alive. The characteristic for trait is either or neither, life or
death, dominant or recessive. Trait for thought processing is you either have “intelligent”
or you are “unintelligent”, “ability or no ability” normal or abnormal.
2. There is biological correlation between the physiology of the trait for
“intelligent” and the physiology of the “brain” for thought processing is in the frontal
lobe. The blueprint or the DNA for trait is the “ability” and “instinct or the six senses”
that correlate with the blueprint, the DNA for brain thought process, PNS, the peripheral
nervous system and CNS, central nervous systems. The value of trait for “intelligent” is
the similarity with how brain process information and value for the physical is the
“visible characteristic of an organism” known as the “Phenotypic”. Trait is the DNA that

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you either “have or not”. Trait for “intellectual” is ability inherited to process information
and preserves self from danger. (Encarta Dictionary 2012)
Method for determined Trait
Trait is the mixture of inherited genes from the parent that passes down through
generation. Gene is genetic code of human DNA, is the blueprint of what human are made of.
Individuality is the result of our genetic code interaction with different genes, such as animal,
bacteria, virus, and non-genetic, the environment. Trait is head, height, color, and shape.
A trait, “DNA” is passing down genetic code to offspring according to Gregor Mendel.
For the fact that ability is a trait for “intelligent or intellectual” has a biological component
“Intelligent” is genetic, is inborn” not something that can be learn. Gregor Mendel defined our
trait as “the instructions encoded in our genes” that correlate with “non-genetic, or
environmental“. This diagram by Gregor Mendel for plant trait experiment showed that trait is
genetic.
(Mendel 2012)
The psychology trait approach to personality did not address genetic. For example, the
ability to sense danger (worry/anxiety) and the ability to survive are the quality of intelligent.
The personality approach for thought pattern designed for response required a situation, the
ability to sense danger is not a pattern. Nevertheless, ability and instinct are intellectual trait.

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Behavior is not inherited trait; how we behave, depend on the situation and experience.
For example, if we never experience danger we would not know what behavior to choose
because the behavior depends on what type of danger and in what situation. The reason why
behavior or personality is not a trait from DNA, not protein inherited from our parent, and that is
why our behavior is different from our parent likewise our personality.
What is a trait?
Trait is a genetic code, a pair of protein known as DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid that an
offspring inherited from parent for “ability” to do things, such as, the ability to process and
interpret information. According to Encyclopaedia Britannica Article, “the human genome is
made up of approximately three billion base pairs of DNA that ‘includes the coding regions
which encode all the genes ‘about 25,000’ as well as noncoding regions of DNA, which do not
encode any gene.” Whether the noncoding regions that do not encode the gene are responsible
for behavior and personality is not yet imply. (Human genome2010)
(Human genome 2010)
Since there is no implication for the specific function for noncoding region of DNA and
the fact that noncoding region do not encode gene cannot be used to assume that behavior and
personality are trait because trait is genetic code of encoded genes for frontal lobe. In addition,
trait as genetic code does not change; a trait is either “dominant or recessive” which is different

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for behavior that changes with a situation or because of influence. A behavior can be taught to
influence the “ability” or the trait for processing information such as the “ability” for hearing and
speaking are trait, a DNA protein for “dominant” and “inability” to hear (deaf) and speak
(dumb) are trait, a DNA for “recessive”. Trait encoded gene for “able” or “unable” there is no in-
between. Nevertheless, a deaf or a dumb can still behave; he or she can imitate behavior, even
though he or she does not have the ability, the gene for thought process. Also, an imitation of
behavior can be a pattern for personality if the behavior is consistent for particular situation.
Each of us has a different trait. Trait is a combination of encoded protein DNA inherited from
our parent, a protein from genetic makeup of sperm and egg. (Mendel 2012).
Types of trait
Gregor Mendel study of “trait” maintain that trait is “heredity” with “physical traits
passed on from generation to generation”. Inheritable traits have a physical and a biological
component. Physical such as, height, color, shape is a trait “dictated by DNA”. In the study,
Mendel identifies three types of trait, the (1) “physical traits”, (2) “predisposition to medical
condition” and (3) “behavioral traits”.
(Mendel 2012)
Physical traits by Gregor Mendel “are characteristics of one’s physical makeup” by the
genes that determine our natural hair color. The natural color is dominant encoded protein DNA

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inherited from the parent. The physical physiologies correspond with biology. The human
physical feature head, height, color and shape correspond with brain, skeleton, skin and tissue
mass or muscle. (Mendel 2012) Predisposition to medical condition according to Mendel is “an
increased risk of getting a certain type of disease that can be passing down to an offspring”.
(Mendel 2012) For not able to fight certain disease, again the trait is “able” the DNA for
dominant or recessive, “able or not” is the characteristic of DNA, a genetic for trait. Diseases
inherited are due to “inability” a recessive gene to fight infection, such as white blood defect.
Again, the trait is “able” that fit the characteristic for encoded genes, a DNA for “have or not,
dominant or recessive, fight or flight”. A disease such as skin pigmentation or heart defect,
blood defect are due to recessive genes. Encyclopaedia Britannica emphasizes, “The genome is
essential for the survival of the human organism; without it no cell or tissue could live beyond a
short period of time.” “Ability” is the trait, a genetic encoded DNA in the cell or tissue. (Human
genome 2010).
Even though the biological processes seems to indicate some kind of relationship for trait,
"that affect behavior, but both behavior and the social environment also affect biological
processes. An understanding of each will be helpful for understanding the others. Their
relationship is associated with safety and self-preservation in the biological process for fight or
flight response. According Psycheducation.org online article, "One of these physical events
associated with fear is often called the "fight or flight" reaction: increased heart rate and force of
each beat ("pounding heart"); increased muscle tension that can even cause tremors; sweaty but
cold palms; and even nausea and diarrhea. Another aspect of fear is a physical "conditioning",
so that even a minor stimulus can bring on the whole fear reaction. The article illustrated fear
with behavior, "When you are afraid, you are likely to have:

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 worried thoughts; and
 physical sensations like a faster heart rate, sweating, increased breathing; and
 behaviors, like trying to escape the situation that made you afraid in the first place”.
In animals, a “fear network” in the brain that is centered in the amygdala involves
interaction with the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex mediates these responses. The
brain is the trait not the behavior. (Psycheducation.org)
(Adelstein, et.al 2011)
Why Behavior is not a trait
Behavioral is not a traits because it is an act, human a taught how to act, we are not born
with action but we are born with the ability to learn or imitate. Human has the gene for “ability”
to imitate or learn. For the behavioral, Mendel used dog action as an example. The problem with
behavior is that a behavior is not“ability” but the “ways” for doing things, two ways for doing
things are imitation and learning. For example, a farmer does not pass down how to milk a cow
but the children are “able” to learn how. The “able” is the DNA, encoded gene not the “ways” of
doing things” behavior is the way of doing things in a situation that can be taught. Human are not
born with behavior for situation because there is no way of knowing a situation until you are in
the situation, and action for a situation cannot be predetermined without first experience.

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(Mendel 2012)
For behavioral trait, Gregor Mendel used the above diagram to indicated that, “people
breed retrievers to chase things and bring them back” (Mendel 2012) showed that behavior is not
genetic trait encoded DNA. Just because a dog is teachable to perform is not an indication that
the dog is borne with it. A trait is genetic. Also, because a dog can imitate action is not a genetic
for the dog is born that “way”, that way is not a genetic or trait for DNA. Behavior is an
influence of “ability” for a situation.
Furthermore, behavior can be program for how to respond to certain dangers without
using “intelligent” for thought processing, and without using instinct. Likewise, a personality
can be program for pattern on how to respond in a situation without thought processing and
interpretation. Such as, you can walk away in a fight. That does not require thought processing if
you know what fight look like from being taught or even an “autism” person can walk away
from a fight. In addition, our instinct is the genetic DNA for emergence respond; when in
danger, you either fight or flight. “Instincts” is a trait for recognizing danger, that correlate with
biology for fight or flight respond, and it is a trait because the blueprint characteristic for genetic
code, is either or neither, dominant or recessive. An abstract article on trait anxiety, fear and
emotionality by N. McNaughton suggested that there is distinction between the three elements of
arousal for behavior from a study of non-human:

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The perspective from non-human studies by N. McNaughton suggested there is a
distinction between anxiety and behavior, “Current clinical classifications, and many
psychologists, do not distinguish categorically between anxiety and fear. Likewise, the
normal language use and related terms suggests considerable overlap. However,
ethology, behavioural pharmacology and neural analysis all suggest that anxiety and fear
are fundamentally distinct at the functional and neural levels – while co-occurring and
interacting with each other in many situations” per se. (N. McNaughton 2010)
N. McNaughton studies suggested the possibility for “noncoding regions in DNA”. According
to Encyclopaedia Britannica, there are coded regions in DNA for “25,000 genes” and noncoding
region with “no genes” in DNA. The possibility that noncoding non-genes region is for emotion
or feeling are unknown. (Human genome 2010)
What is the genetic for human traits?
Gregor Mendel confirms that human traits are, “genetic origin of traits in diploid
organisms, the heritable unit, is a very long and compacted string of DNA and proteins, is the
centromere; the distance from a gene to the centromere is referred to as the gene's locus or map
location. The nucleus of a diploid cell contains two of each chromosome, with mostly identical
pairs of chromosomes having the same genes at the same loci. Different phenotypic traits are
caused by different forms of genes, or alleles, which arise by mutation in a single individual and
are passed on to successive generations” as illustrated with the diagram. (Mendel 2012)
(Mendel 2012)

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Human trait is inherited gene for “able” or intellectual. Trait is the encoded genetic of
human protein, a genetic DNA. Encyclopaedia Britannica describes human genetic trait as,
“Because the underlying DNA sequences are passed from parent to child in a stable manner,
these genetic variations provide a tool for distinguishing the members of one population from
those of the other. Public genetic ancestry projects, in which small samples of DNA can be
submitted and analyzed, have allowed individuals to trace the continental or even subcontinental
origins of their most ancient ancestors.s that correlates with non-genetic such as the environment
that did not allow the environment to change who we are. Human genetics traits for head, height,
color, and shape matched the biology for brain, skeleton, skin, and muscle. The implication that
our trait change by the environment to imply that trait is our personality or behavior is
inconclusive. Human traits are encoded enzymes of DNA for human appearance and ability.
Human trait is either dominant or recessive. Human trait is individual uniqueness
inherited from both parent. Trait is also our ability for self-preservation that enables us to adapt
and still maintain our genetic code. There is no set limitation to individual life span to stop brain
function; likewise, there is no limitation for breathing. Therefore, there is no set limitation to
human ability to process and interpret information. Behavior can be taught and manipulated,
likewise, the pattern of behavior for reaction, which is personality can also be taught and even
manipulated. Behavior and personality was the product of a situation. Trait is gene for “talent”
from our parent. Our parent does not pass down behavior, emotion or feeling, and trend. The
trends in the 1960 are the different from 21st
century or today. Whether a noncoding region in
DNA is a source for emotion is not yet clear, either way, noncoding region in DNA is not
encoded gene, therefore, is not a trait that passes down from our parent. Today human are still
struggle to understand emotion because emotion is coincide with feeling. In psychology, emotion

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is simply defined as a “feeling” To feel or express emotion there involves internal and external
influence. Example, is feel hunger and able to eat is a complex mechanism that include “ability”
which is a trait. In addition, emotion has a connection to a situation. It is possible that feeling or
emotion is the interaction of encoded genes in coding regions in DNA with the non-gene in
noncoding regions in DNA. An abstract article, Emotions in human for artificial intelligence
computer generated by Juan Martinez-Miranda and Arantza Aldea indicated, “Emotion is part of
behavior”. The article further stated, “Research on the artificial generation of emotions has been
described, however, a lot of work needs to be done to develop an artificial system that simulates
the exact relation between emotions and human behavior”. (Martinez-Miranda & Aldea 2005)
Conclusion
What makes us unique is the encoded trait in DNA that our parent passes down to us. The
DNA is the genetic code for the “frontal lobe, the “brain” for “abilities” to stay alive. Known
yourself is known your “ability” that is your “genetic code” your DNA. You cannot know
yourself because of behavior or because someone give you an idea or by imitating someone. The
“ability” to process and interpret information was the encoded genetic code for known self.
Human has 25,000 coded genes in DNA’s that connected with noncoding non-genes DNA. The
coded genes is the “trait” for “ability” how noncoding interact with coded genes is not clear but
the assumption that “feeling” or “emotion” may be the result of interaction of coded DNA with
noncoding non genes is not yet understood. The model for trait is, “trait” is the nature, the
genetic makeup inherited for able body that cannot exist without the environment. Neither
behavior nor personality is a gene or a trait. Behavior is what we learn from exposure to the
environment, our behavior is the environment. Personality is what we have developed to adapt to
the environment because of the gene or the trait for "able" body.

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Reference
Adelstein, J. S., Shehzad, Z., Mennes, M., DeYoung, C. G., Xi-Nian, Z., Kelly, C., & ... Milham,
M. P. (2011). Personality Is Reflected in the Brain's Intrinsic Functional
Architecture.Plos ONE, 6(11), 1-12. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0027633 (Brain Diagram)
Encarta Dictionary: English (North America) Microsoft Office access 2012
Funder, David C. (2010) the Personality Puzzle 5th
Ed.
Human genome (2010) Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica Deluxe Edition.
Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica.
Mart nez-Miranda, Juan & Aldea, Arantza (2005) Emotions in human and artificial
intelligence Original Research Article Computers in Human Behavior, Volume 21, Issue
2, March 2005, Pages 323-341,
http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/science/article/pii/S074756320400024
Mendel Gregor, The Genetic Science Learning Center at The University of Utah 2012
http://www.goldiesroom.org/Note%20Packets/18%20Genetics/00%20Genetics--
WHOLE.htm
N., McNaughton.(n.d2010.). Trait anxiety, trait fear and emotionality: The perspective from non-
human studies. Personality And Individual Differences, 50(Special Issue on Anxiety
(dedicated to the memory of Professor Blazej Szymura), 898-906. doi:10.1016/j.. 07.011
Psycheducation.org, Neuroanatomical hypothesis of panic disorder, revised Psychiatry 2000
Apr; 157(4):493- 505 http://www.psycheducation.org/emotion/amygdala.htm