Question | Consideration | Example |
---|---|---|
How does it work? | Proximate causation | Male aggression levels are at least partially modulated by androgenic hormones (Book et al. 2001) |
Why does it work? | Ultimate causation | Extroverts have more mating success, but also run extra risks, selecting for a balance between extro- and introversion (Nettle 2005) |
How does it develop? | Ontogeny | One’s place in the family hierarchy (i.e., birth order) can influence the personality traits he or she adopts (Sulloway 1997) |
How did it evolve? | Phylogeny | Aspects of the dopamine system modulate sensation seeking across the animal kingdom (see Fidler et al. 2007 for evidence and a short review) |
What role does culture play? | Culture | A more structured society may have selected for genes that code for lower extroversion and impulsivity in China (Chang et al. 1996) |