Characteristics We Are Born with Have Influence on Our Personality and Development - IELTS Task 2 Band 9 Essay Sample

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Model Essay 1

Debate persists over whether personality and development are shaped more by innate characteristics or by life experiences. Although experiences undoubtedly refine behaviour, I firmly contend that inborn traits exert the stronger influence. This essay will argue that biological factors set enduring psychological limits and that empirical evidence from behavioural genetics demonstrates the long-term dominance of nature over nurture.

The primary reason innate characteristics outweigh experience is that biological traits establish deep psychological boundaries within which development occurs. From temperament to cognitive capacity, individuals are born with neurological and hormonal patterns that strongly condition how they respond to external stimuli. For example, two children exposed to identical schooling and parenting can develop starkly different personalities because their emotional reactivity, risk tolerance, or attention span is biologically preconfigured. A child with a naturally high stress sensitivity may struggle with pressure despite supportive surroundings, whereas another with a resilient temperament thrives under the same conditions. Experiences, therefore, operate within limits imposed at birth; they may polish or distort traits, but they cannot fundamentally rewrite the biological blueprint that governs emotional range, motivation, and behavioural thresholds.

Furthermore, extensive scientific research suggests that genetic influence intensifies rather than diminishes over time, reinforcing the primacy of nature. Longitudinal twin and adoption studies repeatedly show that as individuals mature, their personalities increasingly align with their genetic predispositions, even when raised in contrasting environments. For instance, identical twins separated at birth often display striking similarities in values, habits, and even career choices decades later, despite radically different life experiences. This phenomenon implies that people subconsciously gravitate toward environments that suit their innate dispositions, a process known as “genetic self-selection.” Consequently, experiences are not purely external forces shaping individuals; they are often chosen and interpreted through the lens of inherited traits, further amplifying biological influence.

In conclusion, while life experiences undeniably shape surface-level behaviour, it is inborn characteristics that exert the deeper and more enduring impact on personality and development. By defining psychological limits and guiding experiential choices, genetics consistently outweigh environmental influence. Thus, human development is best understood as experience unfolding within the firm boundaries set by nature.

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Model Essay 2

Research increasingly debates whether innate traits or life experiences play the dominant role in shaping human personality and development. While genetic characteristics undeniably provide an initial framework, I strongly believe that experiences exert the greater influence. This essay will argue that environmental factors actively mould behaviour and that human adaptability allows individuals to transcend biological predispositions through learning and social interaction.

To begin with, life experiences are more influential because they directly shape how innate tendencies are expressed, reinforced, or suppressed over time. Genetic traits may predispose a person towards introversion or impulsiveness, yet it is sustained exposure to particular environments that determines whether these traits flourish or fade. For instance, a naturally reserved child raised in a supportive, communicative household may develop strong social confidence, whereas the same child in a restrictive or critical environment may become socially withdrawn. Education further illustrates this point: intelligence may have a hereditary component, but disciplined study habits, effective teaching, and academic encouragement consistently outperform raw aptitude in predicting long-term achievement. These examples demonstrate that experiences do not merely complement genetic traits; they actively sculpt them into concrete personality outcomes.

Moreover, the human capacity for adaptation strongly supports the primacy of experience over birth characteristics. Unlike fixed biological attributes, personality is remarkably plastic, especially across formative and transitional stages of life. Individuals frequently undergo profound changes following critical experiences such as migration, career shifts, trauma, or exposure to different cultures. A person born with a predisposition toward anxiety, for example, may develop resilience and emotional stability through therapy, mentorship, or challenging life responsibilities. Modern psychology reinforces this view, showing that neural pathways can be reshaped through repeated behaviours and learning, a process known as neuroplasticity. This adaptability suggests that while genetics may load the gun, it is experience that pulls the trigger, guiding development in dynamic and often unpredictable directions.

In conclusion, although inborn characteristics establish a basic psychological foundation, it is life experience that ultimately determines personality and development. Through environmental influence and human adaptability, individuals continuously reshape their behavioural patterns. Therefore, experiences, rather than genetics alone, should be regarded as the major force shaping who we become.

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