. The most recent study also took a sample of saliva from 711 of those surveyed to find the variants of the oxytocin and vasopressin receptor genes they encompassed. The results correlated to the fact that people who found the world threatening were not likely to help others expect for those who has versions of receptor genes who could be associated with niceness.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Niceness, Generosity May Have a Genetic Component
US Researchers have suggested that there is a possibility that genes can influence some of the hormones which contribute to a person's niceness and generosity. Former studies have already show a link between the hormones oxytocin and vasopressin to a person's display of niceness or "prosocial behavior". Oxytocin is the hormone which promotes maternal behavior and when the subjects in that study were exposed to the hormone they also showed greater sociability. Psychologists from the University of California, Irvine, and the University of Buffalo say that niceness could also be tied into genes to the extent that the genes' influence could help determine the person's perception of the world as a good place with good people or a bad place with bad people. However, they have not found the specific gene that controls niceness, but one of the genes that makes a contribution since several genes control the function of oxytocin and vasopressin receptors. The most recent study also took a sample of saliva from 711 of those surveyed to find the variants of the oxytocin and vasopressin receptor genes they encompassed. The results correlated to the fact that people who found the world threatening were not likely to help others expect for those who has versions of receptor genes who could be associated with niceness.
. The most recent study also took a sample of saliva from 711 of those surveyed to find the variants of the oxytocin and vasopressin receptor genes they encompassed. The results correlated to the fact that people who found the world threatening were not likely to help others expect for those who has versions of receptor genes who could be associated with niceness.
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This is really interesting. The thought that niceness could someday be controlled, just having that possibility, is a bit frightening. It reminds me of the book, A Brave New World, where most of the attitudes were conditioned and kept in control by pills. If you have the whole "our government wants to control us" momentum, then you would probably be freaking out right now. I've always wanted to imagine a happier world, but a synthetically happier world? I'm not sure that's such a great idea. Thus, I kind of hope they never find the on-and-off switch gene (or genes) for niceness.
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