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Openness is one of the Big Five personality traits. The Big Five Personality Traits, also called the OCEAN or Five-Factor Model (FFM), is one of the popular models suggested for grouping personality traits. The five personality traits in this model include:
- Conscientiousness
- Agreeableness
- Neuroticism
- Openness
- Extraversion/Extroversion
This personality trait is also referred to as openness to new experiences. People with a higher tendency for openness move out of their comfort zone easily.They usually have a broad range of interests and are open to learning about new things and experimenting. People with this trait are more curious and seek new experiences like going on challenging trips or embracing different cultures. They experiment with new activities that promote both personal and professional growth.
Characteristics of people who are highly likely to be open include:
- High creativity
- Adventurousness
- Openness to trying new things
- Ability to take on new challenges
- Abstract thinking
- Good imagination
- Diverse interests
- Innovative thinking
Characteristics of people who are less likely to be open include:
- Avoiding change
- Traditional thinking
- Less imagination
- Uncomfortable with trying new things
- Preference for familiar experiences
- Narrow range of interests
A study published in the PLOS One journal reports that participants’ openness to experience influences their career growth. Participants who scored higher in this trait were more likely to move up into managerial and professional positions.
Another study published in the Journal of Vocational Behaviour showed that people with high openness to experience tend to look for change and novelty and are more prone to job-hopping and greater job instability. These individuals are likely to take up jobs with higher job status or leadership positions.
Openness influences various characteristics including
- Creativity
- Interest to learn more and gain knowledge
- Social and political attitude
- Relationships.
The heritability of personality traits has been studied and established. Findings show that there is a significant heritability estimate for openness to experience. People of certain genetic types have a higher likelihood of being open to new experiences and may exhibit characteristics such as active imagination, tendency to prefer variety, curiosity on an intellectual level, and aesthetic sensitivity, while others may be less open to experiences.
There are several personality tests available to understand your personality better. The personality tests are questionnaires that contain several statements. People need to respond, usually on a scale of 1 to 5, based on how much they agree with the statement given. Understanding your genes can also help you understand your personality better.
The ZNF180 gene carries instructions for the production of a protein called Zinc Finger Protein 180. These proteins have various functions and usually interact with nucleic acids. Variations in this gene have been found to influence personality traits.
rs644148
rs644148 is a single nucleotide polymorphism SNP in the ZNF180 gene. Individuals with the G allele of this SNP are more open to new experiences.
The FUNDC1 gene carries instructions for the production of FUN14 Domain Containing 1 protein. The exact function of this protein is not known, but variations in this gene are shown to influence the openness trait of an individual.
rs6610953
rs6610953 is an SNP in the FUNDC1 gene. Individuals carrying the G allele are more open to new experiences.
Both nature, referring to genetics, and nurture, referring to environmental factors, play a role in influencing personality traits. Certain non-genetic factors that influence openness include:
Age
Studies show that as people age, they tend to become less open to new experiences.
Environmental factors
Shared environmental factors are used to differentiate the general environment between different families. Gross paternal income is one such factor. Non-shared environmental factors are used to indicate differences in the same household. Differential treatment for siblings is one such example. A study reported that both these factors could influence the variations in openness among individuals.
Personality traits, in general, are very complex. There are no good or bad traits. Each trait has its unique strengths. Each trait is a factor that shapes your life and your personality as you go ahead. Being on a daily schedule has its advantages, but a little variety out of your comfort zone is also good and can give you a much-needed break from your schedule.
If you feel you need to improve yourself with respect to a certain personality trait because it is affecting your daily activities and relationships, there are ways to do that.
Encouragement - Challenging oneself to try out new experiences can help improve openness to experience. Parents can encourage children to try out new things and think broadly.
Cognitive training - Research shows that cognitive training can increase openness to new experiences. Cognitive training involves a program of regular activities that can maintain or improve one’s cognitive ability.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4482250/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2874623/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Openness
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Openness_to_experience
https://www.healthline.com/health/big-five-personality-traits#agreeableness
Reading ability refers to the skills required to understand written text. This skill is usually developed during early schooling. Reading is not as easy as we might think it to be. Reading is a complex process that requires many skills. People develop their reading ability over a few years. As you develop these skills over time, it helps you achieve the ultimate goal of reading which is reading comprehension or understanding what is written.
Reading ability includes five main skills. These are phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Comprehending or understanding what you’re reading is vital. Without comprehension, reading is usually pointless. Reading comprehension helps students develop relevant knowledge, skills, and experiences to become competent readers and use these skills later on.
Research on good reading skills shows that good readers are usually selective as they read. They tend to create a mental overview or outline of their reading goals before they start reading and note the structure and organization of the text. While reading, they understand words easily, can understand the flow of the text, and connect two sentences. They are more likely to focus on parts of the text that they feel are aligned with their reading goals. Some people are good at skimming through text also and infer what they need.
Reading can be challenging for some people due to lots of reasons. Some children struggle with reading initially. This can be rectified and improved over time using certain ways.
Reading skills are always an asset because reading and understanding are a vital part of our everyday lives.
Reading ability is critical to the development of a child and is needed for better learning and education.
Reading is vital for overall attainment in school and a key to success in school and future life.
Engaging children in reading from an early age helps ensure that children are equipped with the skills necessary to understand the text and improve their reading ability.
People with certain genetic types are more likely to have a better reading ability and may exhibit characteristics such as rapid reading skills, fluency, and better recall of text.
Several factors that influence reading ability include:
1. Vocabulary - Vocabulary skills also matter when you come across new words. Having good vocabulary skills helps you understand the text better, faster and improve comprehension skills.
2. Fluency - The ability to read fluently helps you read the text faster and spend less time understanding the meaning of words and sentences.
3. Active reading - People who read often develop their reading skills and tend to get better at reading, comprehension, and writing. Active reading also involves understanding and critically engaging with the content you’re reading. This saves time and helps you understand better.
4. Education - The quality of teaching also influences the reading ability of an individual. The quality and kind of teaching at the school level can affect a person’s reading ability.
There are several ways by which you can improve your reading skills and get better at reading comprehension. These include
- Start reading actively. Reading often and reading with determination helps you save time, understand the text better and relate the text with your reading goals.
- Set specific reading goals. This will help you improve your reading efficiency and identify what information is important for you. You can set goals based on how much you want to read, or what kind of content you want to read.
- You can improve your reading speed to read more within a given time frame. Concentrate on your reading and time your reading speed. You can also skim whenever needed. The main goal is to increase the number of words you read within a given time frame and single fixture of your eyes on the text.
- During the initial stages of reading, reading aloud helps you learn the language, improve fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension skills.
- Read a variety of content* that aligns with your interests.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042813001146
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/225838366_Metacognitively_competent_reading_comprehension_is_constructively_responsive_reading_How_can_such_reading_be_developed_in_students
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/002205741619600302
https://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/landing.jhtml?src=pn
Empathy is the ability of a person to relate to and share the emotions of others. It is the mental ability to imagine what the other person experiences or feels. Empathy has become one of the most commonly researched topics in the fields of psychology.
Empathy is one of humanity’s most valuable assets. Empathy is a behavior that develops very early on.
People experience emotions corresponding to someone’s mental state or situation. People with affective empathy share the emotional experience of others like it is their own. You might feel anxious thinking of another person’s state or experience fear just imagining what someone had to undergo.
People can identify what other people are feeling and can get their perspective. They can put themselves in their shoes easily and understand them better. Cognitive empathy usually does not make the person feel the emotions like their own but helps them react to the emotions the right way
[This is a very interesting form of empathy where you get a physical reaction to what another person is feeling]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5810456/). Such reactions are a result of the activation of the mirror neurons. When mirror neurons are activated, the body reacts the same way it sees someone else acting. Humans and other species like birds and animals have mirror neurons. (
When you find yourself blushing when watching a romantic movie, your body is going through somatic empathy.
Empathy is strongly associated with altruism. Altruism is the act of doing something that benefits other human beings or species without any selfish motives behind the act. Altruistic behaviors help larger groups like families, communities, and villages live together in mutual harmony.
According to the popular article ‘Putting the Altruism Back into Altruism: The Evolution of Empathy,’ humans are often unable to control how empathetic they feel. This is why they try and prevent situations where they might have to show empathy. People close their eyes when a sad or gruesome scene is played in a movie. This is their way of having control over the situation.
The OXTR gene (Oxytocin Receptor gene) is associated with empathy and love. Oxytocin is a hormone that promotes love and social bonding in humans. The oxytocin receptor is controlled by the OXTR gene and can increase or decrease a person’s ability to feel empathetic.
rs53576
A particular change in this OXTR gene, rs53576, affects how people trust and empathize with others around them. The A allele of this single nucleotide polymorphism or SNP is associated with lesser trust and empathy, while the G allele is associated with more trust and better feelings of empathy .
Another SNP rs2254298 of the OXTR gene is also associated with changes in empathy levels. People with the AG genotype of this SNP showed the highest levels of empathy, while those with the GG genotype were least empathetic. People with the AA genotype showed moderate levels of empathy.
The BDNF_ gene (Brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene) helps produce the BDNF protein. This protein is associated with long-term memory and the ability to learn. For a very long time, the role of the BDNF gene was not associated with empathy. However, the latest studies found a direct link between changes in this gene and the ability to empathize.
rs6265
rs6265 is a single nucleotide polymorphism or SNP in the BDNF gene. The A allele of this SNP is associated with lowered levels of empathy when compared to the G allele.
Women have always been stereotyped as being more empathetic and nurturing than men. A lot of studies confirm this too. Women score higher than men when it comes to Emotional Quotient (EQ) and are able to feel and show out empathy better too.
According to some studies, people’s ability to be empathetic reduces as they age. This is a major problem affecting adult relationships. As people grow older, the brain area that controls behaviors like empathy experiences reduced activity. This could be the reason why some older adults have lowered cognitive empathy.
A study involving 494 Chinese children tried to identify if parenting styles affect a child’s ability to empathize. The study concluded that children whose parents showed emotional warmth found it easier to show empathy and altruism when compared to children who experienced parental rejection.
Other personality traits of a person like openness, optimism, and agreeableness can all increase or decrease the person’s ability to show empathy. A 2017 study reported that the presence or absence of the big five personality traits - openness, conscientiousness (doing one’s work consciously and thoroughly), extraversion (enjoying social interactions), agreeableness, and neuroticism (being anxious and in a negative state of mind) could affect empathy. Agreeableness, especially, is positively associated with showing empathy.
People who are highly empathetic are called empaths, and here are few common characteristics empaths have:
- Easily overwhelmed
- Emotionally sensitive
- Socially approachable
- Active listeners
- Highly intuitive
- Can easily build relationships
- Can initiate a mass social change
On the other hand, people who score low on empathy may express traits like:Not being able to guess people’s feelings
- Acting insensitively
- Finding it difficult to maintain relationships
- Monopolizing conversations
- Critical, judgemental, and sarcastic
Active listening is the act of listening completely and with all the senses. While actively listening, the person fully concentrates, absorbs, and remembers the communication. Active listening paves the way for empathetic listening and builds trust
Agreeableness is one of the big five personality traits that make a person optimistic, warm, cooperative, and kind. Agreeableness is one of the biggest behaviors that encourage a person to be empathetic too.
EI is the ability of a person to understand one’s own emotions and the emotions of others around. It allows people to explore the thoughts and feelings of others around them and, as a result, build better relationships.
According to a 2006 article on empathy and EI, people who scored high in their EI turned out to be more empathetic (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/47374425EmpathyandEmotionalintelligenceWhatisitreally_about) and, as a result, are socially approachable. Such individuals are good in professions like teaching, community outreach, and sales and administration.
Eye-gazing is the practice of looking deep into the eyes of a person for an extended period of time. Psychologists use this to read deep into the thoughts of their patients. You can increase your empathetic quotient by practicing eye-gazing.
A 2014 study made 59 healthy adults watch a sad and emotional video. The study concluded that people who gazed closely at the eyes of the actor showed more empathetic traits when compared to those who did not.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5513638/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30180510/
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00023/full
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empathy#cite_ref-38
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5248406/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844020308653
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29620401/
Perception is a sensory experience that includes all the five senses; touch, smell, sound, sight, and taste. Through perception, we sense or detect stimuli around us, and then the brain processes this into meaningful experiences and makes us act accordingly.
How you recognize the face of a friend, a familiar scent is through perception. Perception includes the ability to detect changes around you and recognizing these changes and any familiarities. It allows us to experience and interpret the world around us.
Perceptual speed is a cognitive ability. It can be defined as the speed at which a person compares, scans figures or symbols, and performs simple tasks involving visual perception. It is a skill that involves rapid identification of matching items, a person’s ability to compare visual patterns or identify a visual pattern amongst a mix of different patterns. It is an automatic mental process that differs from person to person. This influences other functions, such as working memory.
Perceptual speed is also defined as the ability to compare letters, objects, or patterns quickly. This ability also includes recalling a previously seen object to compare it with the presently showcased one.
Genetics has an influence on how fast or slow you perceive things and your perceptive ability. Genes that play a role in dopamine functioning influence perceptual speed also. Dopamine, popularly known as the happy hormone, plays several important roles in the brain. Changes in this hormone's receptor can influence perceptual speed and ability. They may exhibit characteristics such as being quick at recognizing patterns, spotting intricate differences, ability to focus well, and rapidly process information.
The DRD4 gene carries instructions for the production of a protein called Dopamine Receptor D4. The DRD4 protein is a subtype of the dopamine receptor. Dopamine receptors are necessary for neurological signaling to allow dopamine to perform its function. Changes in this gene are found to influence various behavioral traits.
rs3758653
rs3758653 is a single nucleotide polymorphism or SNP in the DRD4 gene. According to a study, people with the T allele demonstrated better processing speed than C allele carriers.
Perceptual Disorders
Certain disorders classified as perceptual disorders are cognitive conditions that interfere with your perception ability.
- Spatial neglect syndromes are most often caused due to a stroke or brain injury. They affect how you respond and attend to stimuli on one side of the body.
- Prosopagnosia is a disorder that creates problems with recognizing faces.
- Aphantasia results in an inability to visualize things in the mind.
- Schizophrenia is characterized by abnormal perceptions of reality.
Other personality traits, past experiences, motivation, social influences, and the environment around can affect how you perceive things and the speed at which you do.
There are certain ways by which you can improve your ability to perceive things and understand them at a faster rate.
- Try to be very attentive. Being attentive to the world around you can help you perceive it more clearly. Attention to detail is also a good skill to cultivate.
- Understanding what you perceive is important. Just the visual image without meaning won’t be very helpful, and you won’t remember it for long. Try to make sense of the world around you so you can react accordingly.
- After understanding the world around you, you need to take action. This is the final step of the perceptual process. This will help you focus on things that are important to you and understand them better.
- With practice, your speed at any skill improves.
- There are several brain exercises and activities available that can help you train your brain and make you better at these pattern recognition activities.
- Being organized and planning can make you more efficient at what you’re doing.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5630172/
https://www.verywellmind.com/perception-and-the-perceptual-process-2795839
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3322128
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4471-2099-5_8
Anger is a state of mind that makes people feel hostile and aggressive and react negatively about someone or something that has triggered them. Angry temperament is the characteristic behavior of a person that makes the person hostile and aggressive by nature. In other words, it is the tendency toward quick, minimally provoked, or unprovoked anger.
Aggressive anger - Here, the person who is angry shows signs of aggressive behavior, including bullying, violence, self-harm, vengeance, and threats.
Passive anger - The person who is angry pretends not to care about the situation and shows signs of being unconcerned. Such individuals indulge in self-harm, obsessive behavior, and avoid conflict.
Assertive anger - People who show assertiveness in their anger retort to punishments, scolding, and disapproval when they get angry.
Anger is a negative emotion or state of mind. Anger is a necessary emotion to stay away from threatening situations. Aggression is anger that pushes a person to harm someone or something. In some cases, anger is followed by aggression and leads to unpleasant outcomes.
There was a time when having an angry temperament was considered negative and looked down upon. Right now, though, scientists and experts think differently.
Anger is a basic, normal, and natural reaction that is common for all living beings. Scientists have proven that at just 12 months of age, babies can start showing signs of anger.
Anger is, in fact, a needed emotion for survival.
Scientists believe that anger helped our ancestors fight for resources and to win over competitors. In modern humans, anger is channeled in the brain’s reward circuit. People have an expectation of how things should go about.
When this does not happen, the reward circuit sends out an alarm to the part of the brain called the amygdala. The amygdala is responsible for controlling emotions. This part of the brain reacts to the alarm and shows out anger. Threat, frustration, disappointments, and hostility can all trigger anger.
The problem arises when a person’s angry temperament gets uncontrollable.
The FYN gene helps produce the Proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase Fyn enzyme. This enzyme is responsible for cell growth, development, and signaling. It is also associated with calcium influx - entry of calcium into the cells. This gene has been studied in association with angry temperament.
rs2148710
rs2148710 is a single nucleotide polymorphism or SNP in the FYN gene. It is located on chromosome 6 of the human genome. Mick et al. investigated an association between rs2148710 and the trait anger.
The study identified the T allele of this SNP is associated with increased angry temperament and aggressive behavior.
Anger can prevent a person from taking rational and right decisions. It also severely affects a person’s physical and mental health.
There are studies that prove negative emotions and anger increase a person’s risk for developing Coronary Heart Disease.
A 2006 study followed the lives of 11,615 non-diabetic individuals for six years. According to the study, people who showed high traits of anger temperament had a 34% higher risk for developing type II diabetes.
Another article finds a relationship between anger and bulimic tendencies (behavior that causes overeating and then vomiting or purging to not gain weight). People who show impulsive anger may develop eating disorders like bulimia easily.
This 2019 study asked people to identify the number of times they encountered some kind of road crash risk like accidents, near accidents, receiving traffic tickets, and losing concentration. The study concluded that 36% of these road crash risks happened because of emotional causes (anger, in this case), and 21% of the participants deliberately violated traffic rules because of anger.
High levels of anger and aggression are also associated with self-harm, the need for psychiatric hospitalization, and behavioral problems.
People with an angry temperament show certain physical and mental signs.
Physical signs
- Tightness in chest
- Increased heart rate
- Clenching the fists and jaws
- Hot flashes
- Shaking and trembling
- Sweating
- Stomach cramps
- Screaming and crying
Mental signs
- Unable to answer back
- Reacting with sarcasm
- Cravings for something comforting, like a drink or a smoke
- Closing up
- Wanting to physically attack the people around
- Irritation
Physical activity is inversely associated with an angry temperament. Studies suggest that regular exercising provides a way to release built-up emotions and rage and can have a positive impact on anger management.
Start identifying how your body and mind react when you get angry and when things go uncontrolled. This will help you identify anger triggers early on and practice one or more of the below angry management techniques:
- Relaxation - imagining relaxation visuals, situations, and phrases to control anger
- Cognitive therapy - identifying alternative ways to handle anger
- Skill development - developing skills that can prevent situations that trigger anger
For some people, their angry temperaments may be a result of the environment they are trapped in. In such cases, finding a change of environment, even for a few minutes in a day, can help.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3905014/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anger#Characteristics
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/anger-management/art-20045434
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5681963/
Educational attainment is the highest degree of education that a person has completed in a lifetime. Educational attainment depends on many environmental, social, and genetic factors.
The United States Census Bureau collects data and maintains records on the educational attainment of people. This data is derived through questions like “What is the highest degree or level of school completed?”. Separate questions are used to determine any other educational certificates or licenses earned by an individual. Schooling, 12th grade without a diploma, high school diploma, GED or alternative credential, some college credit, associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, doctorate, or other professional degrees beyond bachelors are levels of education completed by a person. The field of degree is also included in this survey.
Here is a list of education levels and the percentage of people who fall in the bracket as of 2018. The data is from the United States Census Bureau.
High School diploma - 89.80%
College level - 61.28%
Bachelor’s degree - 45.16%
Professional degree (master’s degree) - 13.04%
Doctorate - 2.03%
Education directly affects the income level of a person. The average income of a male high school dropout is $30,065. The average income of a man with a bachelor’s degree is $67,399, and that of a male with a doctorate is $101,126
When everyone in the world has the same access to education and achieves similar educational attainment, it balances out gaps and gives everyone an equal chance of growing in life. According to David F. Labaree, education gives people credentials that are independent of their social, political, and economic backgrounds.
Studies suggest that as socio-economic gaps grew among people with high and low educational attainment, health disparities also grew. Right now, scientists are identifying clear patterns between low educational attainment and poor health.
People with less education face early mortality rates and a variety of health complications.
Another article also concluded that Americans with less than 12 years of formal education ended up with lower life expectancy than those who completed school and a bachelor’s degree.
Economic development largely depends on human capital. The higher the educational attainment of citizens, the better will be the growth rate of the country. Countries with consistently high literacy rates develop faster economically.
While non-genetic influences play a major role in increasing/decreasing educational attainment, studies mention that genetics may cause up to a 20% variation in this trait among individuals.
The _TBR1 gene (T-box, brain, 1 gene) helps produce a type of transcription protein that is important during embryo development. This protein also controls the movement of neurons and plays a role in brain development.
*rs4500960 *
rs4500960 is a single nucleotide polymorphism or SNP in the TBR1 gene. This SNP is located on chromosome 2. The T allele of this SNP is associated with higher levels of educational attainment when compared to the C allele.
The ZSWIM6 gene (Zinc Finger SWIM-Type Containing 6 gene) helps produce the ZSWIM6 protein. Abnormal levels of the protein may cause neurodevelopmental disorders and autistic traits.
rs61160187
rs61160187 is an SNP in the ZSWIM6 gene. This SNP is located on chromosome 5. The A allele of this SNP is associated with higher levels of educational attainment when compared to the G allele.
Socio-economic status is a measure of a family’s social and economic position. Families are usually placed in three categories - high, middle, and low depending on their income and occupation.
According to a popular 2009 study on child psychology, children who are from low socio-economic statuses have behavioral problems related to learning. The schools situated in areas with low SES also offer sub-par educational standards. All these results in SES affecting a child’s educational attainment.
Children from homes where parents are actively involved in the child’s academic performance achieve higher educational attainment. Children with such involved parents end up getting more degrees and do better career-wise too.
A lot of factors involving the home environment play a role in determining the educational development of a child. Here are few important factors that make a difference in a child’s educational attainment:
- How responsive the parents were
- How many books did the family own
- How many learning simulation toys the kids had access to
- Were the children hugged, kissed, and loved?
- Were the children scolded, spanked?
- How often the children got out of the house
Children with and without learning disabilities have different levels of educational attainments. Studies point to the fact that a very small percentage of children with learning disabilities manage to finish high school when compared to children without learning disabilities.
People in developed countries manage to achieve higher levels of educational attainment when compared to those in developing and underdeveloped countries. The number of individuals who have never enrolled in a school in regions like Central Arica, South Asia, and West Africa is much higher than in regions like South America, Europe, and Central Asia.
A balanced diet is important for an individual’s overall health and well-being. Without proper nutrition, the child may not be healthy and this can lead to reduced cognitive ability, poor short-term memory, and lower I.Q. Early childhood nutrition including breastfeeding is found to have an impact on the cognitive abilities of a child.
A book titled ‘Crossing the Finish Line: Completing College at America’s Public Universities’ talks about how students in public universities find it difficult to complete their education. A particular section of the book mentions identifying different selectivity levels in students. This means, instead of colleges and schools trying to increase their graduation rate, effort must be taken to ensure students choose the kind, of course, they have a better chance of graduating from.
Offering education through online courses can increase educational attainment levels. When students are offered flexible studying modes, it brings down the cost of education and improves student enrollment and completion of courses.
A majority of students drop out of high-school or college courses because of increased expenses and tuition fees. Some of the below strategies can help prevent this.
- Improving state financial aid programs
- Maintaining predictable tuition fees
- Offering full funding for students from low Socio-economic Statuses
Apart from the inability to afford tuition fees, students drop out of school/college for the below reasons too.
- Bored and not interested in school/college
- No motivation to attend school/college
- Substance abuse habits
- Bad earlier school experience
When there are support programs to handle these issues, they can encourage students to re-enroll themselves back to school or college or complete a course they had given up halfway through.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/computer-science/educational-achievement
https://census.gov/topics/education/educational-attainment.html
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/260075970_The_Importance_of_Education
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educational_attainment_in_the_United_States
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5880718/
Exploratory behavior can be defined as an individual’s tendency to explore or find out more about his or her environment. It reflects the tendency to respond to novelty and cues. Exploratory behavior, also called novelty seeking, is one of the four dimensions of temperament according to Cloninger’s model of personality.
People who are exploratory in nature seek more diversity and novelty and have a desire to experience and learn more. They crave thrills. They tend to be attracted to large crowds and bright colors. They may exhibit characteristics such as inquisitiveness, motivation, self-belief, and adaptability. On the flip side, they may be uninterested and lack inspiration when they don’t come across new experiences.
Exploratory behavior and curiosity are important traits needed for a child’s development. In the first nine months, infants tend to be very curious about any new object, person, or event and explore relentlessly. Exploration dominates other personalities during this time. This tendency to explore continues well into childhood.
Exploratory behavior and curiosity go hand in hand. Whenever you’re curious about something, you tend to explore the source of your curiosity. Exploring either satisfies your curiosity or kindles imore . This makes you explore more, find new unknown things that arouse your curiosity. Though exploration and curiosity are related traits, exploration is not driven by curiosity at all times. Children can just go around the environment, explore, and come across new things that kindle their curiosity. Apart from curiosity, exploration can be driven by uncertainty or complexity.
Researchers have described two different types of exploration. The first type is when children explore a familiar or novel environment and may come across something new. The second type is when they come across something new, and this kindles their curiosity. This curiosity leads them to explore more.
Whenever you come across an unfamiliar experience, your brain tries to overcome the uncertainty. The novelty of the experience sets into motion the desire to explore. The brain’s reward system is also responsible for mediating exploratory behavior. Exploratory behavior is influenced by various factors. These include specific neurotransmitter pathways in the brain, genes inherited, and environmental factors.
Personality traits are influenced by a heritable genetic component. People of certain genetic types are more likely to be exploratory compared to others.
The COMT gene carries instructions for the production of the Catechol-O-Methyltransferase enzyme. In the brain, the COMT enzyme facilitates the breakdown of neurotransmitters which are chemical messengers. COMT enzyme breaks down neurotransmitters like dopamine and catecholamines in the prefrontal cortex region of the brain. This region is involved with personality, planning, abstract thinking, emotion, and other traits. Dopamine signaling influences the reward system in the brain. Changes in this gene affect dopamine levels and hence influence the reward system and have an effect on exploratory behavior.
rs4680
rs4680 is one of the most widely studied single nucleotide polymorphisms or SNPs found in the COMT gene. Also called the Val158Met polymorphism, it affects enzymatic activity and dopamine metabolism.
Individuals with the AA genotype (Met Allele) have lesser enzyme activity and, as a result, more dopamine levels. These individuals tend to be more exploratory in nature. Carriers of the GG genotype (Val allele) have a higher enzyme activity and, as a result, lower dopamine levels. These individuals are less exploratory in nature.
Surrounding environment: Studies show children tend to explore more in an unfamiliar environment. Adults likewise are more likely to explore in an uncertain environment.
Personality traits, in general, are very complex. There are no good or bad traits. Each trait has its unique strengths. Each trait is a factor that shapes your life and your personality as you go ahead. You can develop your exploratory nature by following these simple recommendations. Try out new ways to complete a task by changing your usual routine. Instead of taking the same route to work every day, you can experiment with different routes. Try finding a new route for any destination you go to. This will let you think differently and improve exploratory behavior. Seeking multiple solutions to the same problems aids in improving exploratory behavior.
Encourage children to learn more and explore the subject beyond the scope of the prescribed textbook. They will learn a lot, gain more knowledge and become more exploratory. Encourage them to opt for new or different subjects too so they can explore all their options and find what interests them.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B978012370877900058X
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26004676
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.2466/pr0.1962.11.2.311?journalCode=prxa
https://blog.23andme.com/news/dna-variation-may-help-us-break-free-from-our-routines/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4530051/
https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/gene/comt/
Extraversion is one of the big 5 personality traits that are considered the core or center of human behavior. Extraversion or extroversion is a behavior that makes a person outgoing, social, and fun to be around. People who are the life of parties and easily make friends wherever they go are considered extroverts.
An extrovert feels happy and gets more energetic around other people. The opposite of extroverts are introverts who prefer to be on their own and avoid company if they can.
Extroversion and introversion are two extreme ends of a graph. People are not complete extroverts or introverts. They are spread out all through the graph. Depending on which side of the graph they lean towards, they are categorized as extroverted or introverted.
Hans Eysenck was a very popular psychologist who researched deeply on personality traits, especially extraversion and introversion. According to him, changes in the brain pathway make a person an extrovert or an introvert.
He mentions that extroverts have lowered ability to respond to stimulation when compared to introverts. Extroverts needed more stimulation to get excited while introverts get stimulated easily, and hence they had to look for this ‘extra stimulation’ outside from people around. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8421248/)
Another study concluded that people who are extroverts are motivated by social stimuli (a social event, agent, or situation that requires a response from the individual) and genuinely enjoy them, while others are overstimulated by the same level of social stimuli and try and avoid them. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3129862/)
The ZNF180 gene (Zinc Finger Protein 180 gene) is responsible for zinc coordination in the body. Changes in this gene are known to increase/decrease the rate of extraversion.
*rs644148 *
rs644148 is a single nucleotide polymorphism or SNP in the ZNF180 gene. The G allele of the SNP rs644148 of this gene is associated with an extraverted behavior when compared to the T allele.
The CDH13 gene (Cadherin 13 gene) helps with communication between cells and is a major gene that affects a host of mental health conditions like ADHD and bipolar disorder. Changes in this gene are also associated with changes in personality traits, including extraversion.
*rs8056579 *
rs8056579 is an SNP in the CDH13 gene. The G allele of this SNP increases extraversion behavior when compared to the A allele .
Women score slightly higher than men when it comes to extraversion. This could be because women handle factors relating to being an extrovert like warmth, a positive outlook, and gregariousness (a love for companionship) better than men.
The level of extraversion seems to decrease with age. A particular study analyzed extraversion in people of different age groups with a sample size of around 14,000 British individuals aged between 16 and 81. The study concluded that extraversion was seen the highest in people aged 16-21 and slowly decreased as individuals got older.
A small study analyzed the effects of being a single child vs. having siblings on the big five personality traits. The sample size of the study was 60, and Indian adolescents aged 13-18 were considered samples.
According to the study, people who grow up with siblings showed higher levels of extraversion when compared to single children.
A large inter-geographical study done across 56 nations tried to understand the cultural and geographical differences in the Big Five Personality traits.
According to the results, the level of extraversion was very low in East Asia, South and Southeast Asia, and South America when compared to other regions. Oceania, North America, and Europe scored high in the levels of extraversion in their people.
A potential problem with high levels of extraversion is that people love talking and hence end up listening lesser. This can cause problems with social and personal relationships. You can make extraversion your strength if you learn to listen more and engage in active communication.
[Many studies indicate that extroverts make more spur-of-the-moment decisions without worrying about the outcomes when compared to introverts](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0191886920300301. This can lead to bad decisions affecting their quality of life. Start by analyzing the good and bad of a decision and consider the possible outcomes before you make decisions. Such well-thought-out decisions are called utilitarian decisions and are advantageous for extroverts.
Distractions are very common with extroverts and can prevent them from doing a job well. Be aware that as an extrovert, you are more prone to distractions and find ways to manage this. Here are few strategies that can help:
- Create a routine and follow it
- Reduce social interaction if you think that distracts you
- Keep a ‘to-do list’ for everyday tasks based on the priority
- Have a couple of ‘no social’ days to internally reflect and finish your backlogs
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extraversion_and_introversion
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20130717-what-makes-someone-an-extrovert
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0191886920304803
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0191886920300301
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326142950_When_and_why_is_extraversion_associated_with_social_popularity
Creativity is the tendency to come up with ideas to solve problems with relevance and novelty. Creativity can also be defined as the ability to transform ideas, dreams, and imagination into reality. It is characterized by the ability to identify hidden patterns, make connections between things that are usually not related, and come up with innovative and unique ideas.
We are all born with an immense amount of creativity, and the best example of this is children. Children often have the most innovative and creative ideas. However, as we grow up, we outgrow creativity.
According to George Land's study in 1968, creativity in 5-year-olds was found to be 98%, and it reduced to 30% by the time they reached age 10. It reduced further to 12% in 15-years-olds, and adults in the study showed just 2% creativity.
When we are creative, certain logic centers in our brain are switched off, and the parts of our brain that are not used regularly are switched on. The medial prefrontal cortex of the brain gets activated during a creative process while the activity of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex gets lowered.
Creativity shapes personality, behavior, mindset, outlook about life and people, confidence, and lots of other aspects of one's life.
Here are some reasons why creativity is important in our lives:
- Creativity helps free the mind and help you absorb more knowledge
- It engages the mind and enables alternative ways of thinking
- It enables one to connect with themselves and develop empathy
- It makes one confident
- Instills curiosity and inquisitiveness
- Encourages different learning styles and helps open your mind
Creativity does a world of good and becomes a way of life for those who have this personality trait. This trait also influences other personality traits of an individual, such as:
Creativity makes one a fast-thinker and breeds empathy– both of which are essential for a good leader. It shapes individuals into successful leaders who are able to come up with innovative ideas and redefine business solutions. Creative leaders are open-minded and inventive in their ways. Along with these characteristics, creative leaders also hear their peers and steer their teams ahead.
Creativity encourages people to work without boundaries, tackle problems efficiently and quickly, shifts the fear of failure, and makes them passionate about the work they do. All these work together to improve productivity. For this reason, people who are creative are also extremely productive individuals.
Divergent or lateral thinking that stems from creativity helps creative people come up with novel ideas and solutions. Creative thinkers are able to sift through information, understand the root of the problem they are solving, and weigh the options available to them to take the right decision.
Being creative is often seen as a natural 'talent.' While it is not exactly a misconception, it is solely not the only base of creativity.
Studies have shown that about 22% of genetic variants contribute to creativity.
Of the several genes involved, the widely studied ones are NGR1 and COMT.
Neuregulin 1 (NRG1) gene is located on chromosome 8. There are several different isoforms of this gene - this means that the NRG1 gene produces proteins that are functionally similar but structurally different. The main function of this gene is to induce the growth and differentiation of brain cells. Studies show a clear link between the NRG1 gene and creativity.
*rs6994992 *
rs6994992 is a single nucleotide polymorphism or SNP in the NRG1 gene. This SNP has been associated with creativity as well as the development of psychological disorders like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
Individuals with the TT genotype of rs6994992 are said to have higher creativity and critical thinking scores than those having the more common CC or CT type.
The catechol-O-methyltransferase gene, also called COMT, is located on the small chromosome 22. The role of the COMT enzyme in the brain is to break down neurotransmitters, especially dopamine and norepinephrine. They ensure the balance of these chemical messengers. By doing so, they influence the transfer of information from one neuron to the next.
rs4680
rs4680 is an SNP in the COMT gene. Those with the A type of rs4680 have more dopamine in their brain. Increased dopamine is said to increase creativity in an individual.
Lacking the creativity genes does not mean you cannot foster or develop creativity in your life or work. Here are some habits that can help your brain think creatively:
- Use imaginative play in your routine work and life.
- Be open to inspirations that stem from your passions.
- Take time to reflect in solitude as research suggests solitary reflection uses a different kind of brain network compared to external reflection.
- Follow your intuition as it helps generate creative ideas and find solutions to problems at hand in a creative way.
- Be open to learning– through studying, new experiences, and adventures, as they all help develop creativity in a myriad number of ways.
- Practice mindfulness every day. It helps you observe the present moment without any distractions or judgment from others. It also helps in improving concentration, sustain attention, inculcate empathy and compassion– all of which are central to creativity.
- Being sensitive and knowing to connect the dots is important to develop creativity.
- Extreme adversities can be used to harness creativity as they act as a catalyst to help you develop it.
- Think unconventionally, even if there's a risk of failure.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3995040/
https://www.snpedia.com/index.php/Rs4680
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3724581/
https://www.genecards.org/cgi-bin/carddisp.pl?gene=NRG1/
https://selfdecode.com/snp/rs6994992/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3724581/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19594860/
