The study of almost 1,000 pairs of identical and non-identical twins, conducted by psychologist Gary Lewis and colleagues at Edinburgh University, has found that genetic factors appeared to affect how likely someone was to do charitable deeds or work hard in their job.
However, the experts also said the environment in which we live still plays a part in how nice we are, meaning we cannot just blame our genes if we're feeling a bit nasty.
Twins make good research subjects because, in the case of identical twins, they have the same genetic make-up.
Comparing them to non-identical twins, whose genes vary, allows researchers to look at what impact genetics has in certain situations compared to other factors such as the environment in which they live.
Twins make good research subjects because, in the case of identical twins, they have the same genetic make-up. Comparing them to non-identical twins, whose genes vary, allows researchers to look at what impact genetics has in certain situations compared to other factors such as the environment in which they live.
For women, this general prosocial personality had about half of its influence generated by genetic factors and the other half by environmental factors. But for men the genetic influences were much more modest, with about 20 per cent of the influence genetic and the rest appeared to be environmental.
Researchers said genetic factors were not the only influences on people's personalities and levels of niceness.
But what these results suggest is that genes are important as well, but it certainly isn't saying that the environment isn't a considerable factor also.
So it is saying genes are there in some sense - it is not the critical factor, but it is by no means a trivial factor, but much more so in women than in men. The study has been published in the journal Biology Letter . I actually would believe that genes control your personality, and moods. Of course in girls, for some reason sensitivity to certain topics is stronger than men. Perhaps the gene in men is mutated so that there sensitivity levels are much less.
As a women, I'm skeptical as to how much my genes effect my mood. I would say that my diet and what the weather's like outside effect how I feel the most. Some people need science to explain what they don't understand, which may include women. However, I wouldn't count on a woman's genes to be significant in controlling her attitude, and I would not recommend trying to use this imformation in an argument.
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