Choosing a course of action from alternatives appears real to me, and I would guess, most others. However, when I think back over the past 80-plus years of my life, I begin to realize that those apparent decisions were mostly, if not totally, a result of influences beyond my control. To begin with, literally, genetics affects 60% of our behavioral tendencies, according to research, by influencing the areas of the brain responsible for planning, resisting impulses, focusing, and the sensitivity of the dopamine receptors (the stronger the receptors, the more likely that cookie will be eaten). Strangely, research shows that genetic influence strengthens with age. When we are children, our behaviors are influenced (more like "controlled") by adults, schedules, rules, and other children. As we age, those influences weaken, and we tend to fall back on our genetic predispositions, environment, experiences, and willpower training.
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