Paul Scheer

You might know a lot, you might have what they call crystallized intelligence, but you're just not as quick. The quickness fades. That's one part of it. On the positive side, there's been these studies, not just in America, but of dozens of different countries, finding regular personality changes in aging. And what you find is as people age, their personalities on average get a little bit better.

You might know a lot, you might have what they call crystallized intelligence, but you're just not as quick. The quickness fades. That's one part of it. On the positive side, there's been these studies, not just in America, but of dozens of different countries, finding regular personality changes in aging. And what you find is as people age, their personalities on average get a little bit better.

They become less belligerent, more understanding, more agreeable. They're more conscientious. You could trust them more. They're less neurotic about things. We seem to kind of, to some extent, mellow out maybe once we pass 30 or 40. Oh, thank God.

They become less belligerent, more understanding, more agreeable. They're more conscientious. You could trust them more. They're less neurotic about things. We seem to kind of, to some extent, mellow out maybe once we pass 30 or 40. Oh, thank God.

They become less belligerent, more understanding, more agreeable. They're more conscientious. You could trust them more. They're less neurotic about things. We seem to kind of, to some extent, mellow out maybe once we pass 30 or 40. Oh, thank God.

It's sort of in between. There's some truth to the fact that Both events and interventions that happen early are more powerful, have more in effect than those that happen later in life. Something as simple as brain damage, the brain recovers from it quicker if you're two years old than if you're 22 years old.

It's sort of in between. There's some truth to the fact that Both events and interventions that happen early are more powerful, have more in effect than those that happen later in life. Something as simple as brain damage, the brain recovers from it quicker if you're two years old than if you're 22 years old.

It's sort of in between. There's some truth to the fact that Both events and interventions that happen early are more powerful, have more in effect than those that happen later in life. Something as simple as brain damage, the brain recovers from it quicker if you're two years old than if you're 22 years old.

Some capacities, like learning a language and some social skills, are best learned early in life. The brain seems to shut down a bit, maybe after adolescence or after 18. But the story's been so oversold. So in a strong way, you're putting it, no, it's not true. It's not true. Oh, once somebody's four, you can't do anything with them. Once somebody's eight, they're a goner.

Some capacities, like learning a language and some social skills, are best learned early in life. The brain seems to shut down a bit, maybe after adolescence or after 18. But the story's been so oversold. So in a strong way, you're putting it, no, it's not true. It's not true. Oh, once somebody's four, you can't do anything with them. Once somebody's eight, they're a goner.

Some capacities, like learning a language and some social skills, are best learned early in life. The brain seems to shut down a bit, maybe after adolescence or after 18. But the story's been so oversold. So in a strong way, you're putting it, no, it's not true. It's not true. Oh, once somebody's four, you can't do anything with them. Once somebody's eight, they're a goner.

If they're introverted, they're going to stay introverted and so on. It may be more difficult, but I think change is possible at any point in the lifespan.

If they're introverted, they're going to stay introverted and so on. It may be more difficult, but I think change is possible at any point in the lifespan.

If they're introverted, they're going to stay introverted and so on. It may be more difficult, but I think change is possible at any point in the lifespan.

Studies of why people turn out differently, which is one of the big and most exciting areas of psychology where it connects with behavioral genetics and other fields, find that there's really the two big factors that shape our personalities. One is genetics, and in which case you and your genetic sibling, a child and his genetic sibling would have the same 50% of the same genes.

Studies of why people turn out differently, which is one of the big and most exciting areas of psychology where it connects with behavioral genetics and other fields, find that there's really the two big factors that shape our personalities. One is genetics, and in which case you and your genetic sibling, a child and his genetic sibling would have the same 50% of the same genes.

Studies of why people turn out differently, which is one of the big and most exciting areas of psychology where it connects with behavioral genetics and other fields, find that there's really the two big factors that shape our personalities. One is genetics, and in which case you and your genetic sibling, a child and his genetic sibling would have the same 50% of the same genes.

A child and his adopted sibling would have none of the same genes in particular. So that's one of the genes. Say that counts for 50%. So you might think the other 50%, that must come from parenting. But it appears not. It appears that a lot of the other 50% comes from experiences, life experiences. You get bullied in school. You fall in love. You win a prize.

A child and his adopted sibling would have none of the same genes in particular. So that's one of the genes. Say that counts for 50%. So you might think the other 50%, that must come from parenting. But it appears not. It appears that a lot of the other 50% comes from experiences, life experiences. You get bullied in school. You fall in love. You win a prize.

A child and his adopted sibling would have none of the same genes in particular. So that's one of the genes. Say that counts for 50%. So you might think the other 50%, that must come from parenting. But it appears not. It appears that a lot of the other 50% comes from experiences, life experiences. You get bullied in school. You fall in love. You win a prize.