How where you grow up shapes who you become

Would a person turn out differently if they were raised somewhere else? A growing body of research is examining the long-debated nature versus nurture question, exploring how environment, culture and genetics combine to shape identity and personality.

A recent feature by BBC explores how upbringing, culture and social surroundings influence behaviour, beliefs and even the structure of the brain over time.

The discussion is often framed around the balance between genetics and environment. While each individual's DNA is unique and remains fundamentally unchanged regardless of location, scientists say biology alone cannot explain who people become.

Ziada Ayorech, a psychiatric geneticist at the University of Oslo, points to the influence of lived experiences. Born in Uganda, raised partly in Canada and the UK, and now living in Norway, she says her perspectives have shifted with each move. 

"When I think about all the places I've lived and all the ways they have influenced my perspective, I intuitively imagine there's no way that that couldn't have made a difference," she says.

Researchers frequently study identical and non-identical twins to understand how genes and surroundings interact. A large analysis in 2015, covering nearly 50 years of research and millions of participants, found that genetics accounts for around half of the differences in human traits, from education levels to mental health.

"It's that combination of nature and nurture that makes us who we are and contributes to our beliefs and our cultures," says Ayorech. "And so we couldn't have that same combination in another place."

Some traits are more strongly linked to genetics than others. Studies suggest IQ is more than 50% heritable on average, particularly later in life, while personality traits are roughly 40% heritable, leaving significant room for environmental influence.

Ayorech notes that her own behaviour has changed since moving to Norway, where spontaneous social interactions are less common. 

"If you compare the version of me living here in Norway to the version of me that was living in the UK, it would be fair to say I'm less extroverted now," she says. Still, she adds that people tend to gravitate towards situations that suit their natural tendencies.

Scientists say such experiences gradually shape the brain itself. Neural pathways form as people adapt to their surroundings, reinforcing behaviours and habits over time.

Ching-Yu Huang, a cross-cultural psychologist at National Taiwan University, believes culture plays a decisive role. "You would have been a different person if you'd grown up in Taiwan," she says. "The brain you have right now would be very different if you were born and had grown up in Taiwan, even if you have the same DNA."

Cross-cultural psychology, a growing field of study, has helped researchers understand how societies influence self-perception and behaviour. Vivian Vignoles, a psychologist at the University of Sussex, says genes alone are not enough. 

"I think people tend to get overexcited about the genetic side of it," he says. "Whatever genes you've got, you need a certain environment to bring them out."

Research comparing different societies has found notable contrasts. Western cultures often emphasise individualism, encouraging people to describe themselves in terms of personal traits such as humour or intelligence. In contrast, people in countries such as Japan are more likely to define themselves through relationships and social roles.

Brain-imaging studies have also revealed differences in how people process identity. In one comparison, Western participants showed activity in brain regions linked to self-awareness when thinking about themselves, while Chinese participants showed similar activity when thinking about their mothers.

Other studies have shown that culture can influence attitudes towards authority. Taiwanese children, for example, were found to be more likely to obey parents even when reluctant, reflecting cultural values that emphasise respect and compliance. Children of Chinese immigrants raised in England showed somewhat more individualistic responses.

A 2022 study spanning 22 countries found that societies that stress discipline and structure, including India, Germany and China, scored higher on measures of organisation and dutifulness. Meanwhile, more egalitarian and flexible cultures such as the UK, Canada and Australia recorded higher levels of openness and agreeableness.

Researchers also suggest Western societies often see personality as fixed and stable, while many East Asian cultures view identity as more adaptable and fluid.

Yet experts caution that such patterns are not universal. Studies in this field are complex, often relying on self-reported behaviour, and differences within countries can be just as significant as those between them.

Philosophers, meanwhile, have long debated whether identity is rooted in biology, the mind, or society. A 2020 survey found that 19% of English-speaking philosophers believe a person's identity is tied to their biological existence, regardless of memory or experience. About 14% supported the idea that identity is connected to something like a soul, remaining constant across different circumstances.

Others support social constructivism, the view that surroundings and experiences play a central role in shaping the self.

Politics may even influence how people interpret identity. In one study, participants with different political views disagreed on whether a person's actions reflected their "true self".

Philosopher Philip Goff believes identity may be rooted in a deeper biological unity. 

"These are just human concepts of what a 'person' or 'I' are," he says, adding that there may never be a definitive answer to whether someone raised in very different circumstances would still be the same person.

For those who have lived across cultures, however, the impact of environment is hard to ignore. Even if the core of a person remains, the version shaped by a different place, language and way of life might look and think quite differently.