Ameya
Posting #3
Science
"Being nice may be in your genes, according to study"
by Michelle Castillo
CBS News, April 12, 2012
468 words
A study, conducted by Dr. Michel Poulin of the University of Buffalo and published on April 12, 2012, suggests that a person's kindness and generosity may in fact be linked to his/her genes. In this study, an online survey was sent out to various people asking their opinions of certain aspects of the world, such as civic duty, other people, and charitable activities. The 711 people who filled out the survey were then asked to provide samples of their saliva for lab testing. The tests revealed that people who have certain types of oxytocin and vasopressin receptor genes (which were detected in their saliva) are more likely to be more kind and generous, based on their survey responses. The study also revealed that oxytocin can increase empathy and improve personal relationships, earning it the name "love drug." Vasopressin is also linked to increased generosity, and may make men in particular more likely to bond with others. The reason for this may be that these genes help people to overcome their fears of being judged and be more inclined to help others. However, Dr. Poulin admitted that the genes are only one of many factors that determine how kind a person is. The study did not find a specific "niceness gene" -- one that always makes the person kind and generous. Rather, Dr. Poulin said that, as of now, multiple factors, such as how a person views his/her world and how he/she was brought up play a larger role in determining how nice he/she turns out to be.
For a long time, scientists have been trying to figure out what shapes a person's personality. The question of "nature or nurture" refers to whether it is a person's chemical genetic makeup -- "nature" -- that affects his/her personality, or whether it is how he/she is brought up -- "nurture." The accepted belief has long been that it is almost completely the environment in which a person is raised that shapes his/her personality. This study, however, suggests that a person's genetic makeup may have a much larger role in how kind a person is than was previously thought. If further research is done on this, we may be able to prove a genetic connection to personality, which could potentially change how we view the human race as a whole.
Posting #3
Science
"Being nice may be in your genes, according to study"
by Michelle Castillo
CBS News, April 12, 2012
468 words
A study, conducted by Dr. Michel Poulin of the University of Buffalo and published on April 12, 2012, suggests that a person's kindness and generosity may in fact be linked to his/her genes. In this study, an online survey was sent out to various people asking their opinions of certain aspects of the world, such as civic duty, other people, and charitable activities. The 711 people who filled out the survey were then asked to provide samples of their saliva for lab testing. The tests revealed that people who have certain types of oxytocin and vasopressin receptor genes (which were detected in their saliva) are more likely to be more kind and generous, based on their survey responses. The study also revealed that oxytocin can increase empathy and improve personal relationships, earning it the name "love drug." Vasopressin is also linked to increased generosity, and may make men in particular more likely to bond with others. The reason for this may be that these genes help people to overcome their fears of being judged and be more inclined to help others. However, Dr. Poulin admitted that the genes are only one of many factors that determine how kind a person is. The study did not find a specific "niceness gene" -- one that always makes the person kind and generous. Rather, Dr. Poulin said that, as of now, multiple factors, such as how a person views his/her world and how he/she was brought up play a larger role in determining how nice he/she turns out to be.
For a long time, scientists have been trying to figure out what shapes a person's personality. The question of "nature or nurture" refers to whether it is a person's chemical genetic makeup -- "nature" -- that affects his/her personality, or whether it is how he/she is brought up -- "nurture." The accepted belief has long been that it is almost completely the environment in which a person is raised that shapes his/her personality. This study, however, suggests that a person's genetic makeup may have a much larger role in how kind a person is than was previously thought. If further research is done on this, we may be able to prove a genetic connection to personality, which could potentially change how we view the human race as a whole.
I am impressed by the fact that being kind and generous is linked to our genes. The level of oxytocin and vasopressin can determine how kind he or she is. A person's tenetic makeup plays a huge role in a person's kindness. Dr. Poulin proved that genes are one of the factors how kind a person is. We might be able to find other genes that can relate to a person's personality.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised that the levels of oxytocin and vasopressin affect how kind and generous you are. I am person who comes from a background of being told to be nice to someone. So I grew up being kind and generous to be people. Hopefully Dr. Poulin can figure out other genes in our DNA about our personality.
ReplyDeletethe fact that genes are one of the factors on how kind and generous a person is, is pretty interesting an opens a hole world of questions, like: its being mean and selfish in our genes also? or its just rather a social thing, are psicopaths genetically predestined to be psicopaths?, or its just a bad enviroment, imagine treating meanness and selfishness with pills. Wouldnt the world be a n icer place to live?
ReplyDelete