Many people think of themselves as a being in control of their own destiny even if they know that their choices and actions have affected the people around them. This belief, however, runs counter to fundamental tenets of human behavior that suggest that people’s behaviors are determined not only by the forces and circumstances outside of their control, but also by their own traits and circumstances

The first major point is that people’s behavior is largely determined by forces not of their own making. People do not fully control their own destinies. Countless factors can influence a person’s behaviors, including social influences, physical circumstances, and even people’s genetic makeup. For example, some studies indicate that people’s political beliefs are influenced mostly by political advertisements, not by evidence or reason. Another study shows that people tend to support causes whose values they share rather than causes that champion ideas with which they disagree. These points illustrate the fact that many people do not control their destinies

The second major point is that people’s behaviors are also determined by their own traits and circumstances. Studies have shown that people’s personalities and attitudes are shaped by their experiences, both negative and positive. Using the same example, it has been shown that people’s political beliefs are directly related to their experiences in receiving political advertisements or in volunteering at political events. In other words, people’s political beliefs are a result of their life experiences, both as individuals and as members of groups. These experiences shape their attitudes and predispose them to support certain causes. As a corollary, people can use their own circumstances to their advantage when they seek to influence others. For example, people who support a cause can convince others to support it by demonstrating why it is their own cause.