This idea has been bouncing around in my head for a long time.
I have friends who are adopted, and I’ve noticed that they come to resemble their parents as they grow. Not like “blood” relatives, maybe, but in at least a more than general way.
What brings this to mind now is that a friend and co-worker brought his parents, who were visiting from Wisconsin, to work. What immediately struck me is how, well, midwestern they looked.
Ok, there are a couple possibilities here. Either the environment does have an effect on how people look, or I’m totally nuts. Again. 
Opinions are encouraged.
Peace,
mangeorge
I have a very sullen appearance usually. I spent a lot of time sitting by myself in a bar, drinking. Which is cause and which is effect? Is there a spoon?
Oh boy. You have a whole heap of factors going on here. As to the family resemblance even with no biological connection: There was a study a few ago that showed that married couples tended to look more and more alike as they grew older. The big reasons given were diet and unconscience mimicry of facial expressions. I believe that would happen with adopted children too.
You can definitely tell regional differences in some people. When I used to fly to rural Indiana for work, the people looked different than they do in Boston. One reason was that they were generally heavier because a hearty fatty diet as far as I could tell. Another big reason is that the immigrants that settled that area were very different than the ones that settled Boston. Then you have different styles of dress and facial expressions differ. Have you ever seen someone raised in Italian family talking with animation? The facial expressions differ there as well. Hair styles are another big tipoff. There is a women’s hairstyle that I call “Massachusetts hair”. It doesn’t really exist anywhere else.
Well, there are a LOT of people that are better lookin’ in the dark.
{rimshot}
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