THE GENESIS OF PERSONAL TRAITS 149 



THE GENESIS OF PERSONAL TRAITS 



By Pbofessob S. N. PATTEN 



UNIVEESITY OF PENNSYLVANIA 



AS a principle of evolutionary theory, it may be stated that the 

 environment stands to the organisms within it in one group of 

 relations during the long evolution of races and species. The part 

 played by the environment in the development of an individual is equally 

 important, but so unlike in character that it must be treated inde- 

 pendently. Phylogeny and ontogeny are governed by their own laws; 

 yet they are elements in one harmonious whole. If carefully studied, 

 either will show the part objective conditions play in progress. I have 

 already touched upon phylogenetic problems in earlier articles,^ where 

 I tried to show that while the inheritance of characters follows biologic 

 laws, the release of characters takes place under the stimulus of environ- 

 ing conditions. The external environment is not active at conception 

 or when characters are formed before birth. Each individual must be 

 brought into contact with external conditions through his own experi- 

 ence to evoke the characters heredity has given him. He recapitulates 

 the history of his ancestors with regularity; yet the biologic effects of 

 this race experience may lie dormant within him, if external stimuli do 

 not evoke them at the proper time. The individual in whom they are 

 undeveloped is retarded, and shows in his conduct defects which in the 

 contest of life put him behind other persons of like heredity but with 

 a more stimulating environment. 



The principles of ontogeny can not, however, be elucidated in this 

 way. They are to be traced in the epochs of child development rather 

 than in those of race evolution. If the environment has no influence, 

 such studies are a waste of time; but if environing conditions have 

 influence their power over the successive stages of child growth may be 

 detected. The early stages will be less under environment control. 

 But each later state would be more subject to the retardations and 

 accelerations imposed by objective conditions. Each environmental 

 shortcoming would be reflected in some personal defect; and every 

 acceleration due to favorable conditions should be measurable in in- 

 creased vigor. Men reflect their defects in appearance, their perfec- 

 tions are revealed in their activity not in their bodily structure. 



In attempting to show the relation of environmental control to the 

 various stages of child development I shall rely upon this principle. 

 Biologic characters are positive and show themselves in normal persons. 

 Defects, being negative, indicate the absence of characters or an imper- 



^"The Laws of Environmental Influence," October, 1911, and "Types of 

 Men," March, 1912. 



