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Greed and 7 more qualities that are inherited
And nothing can be done about it.
And since this is so, then you no longer need to reproach yourself for what is not very good in you: after all, in this, it turns out, it is not you who are to blame, but genetics! And if you can do something else with the character (for example, work out), then you cannot argue against heredity. Although in fairness, we note that almost everything can be adjusted. The main thing is to stop worrying. So what do we pass on to our children along with genes?
Memories can indeed be passed down from generation to generation, but not in the form we are used to. This is proven by a study in which mice were trained to avoid any scent that smelled like cherry blossoms. Poor mice! As a result, their children and grandchildren were very sensitive to the scent of cherries and tried to avoid it, even if they had no real reason to do so. And what are the real reasons to be afraid of this scent? The experiment shows that such traumatic experiences can influence the DNA and behavior of new generations. Scientists believe the results of this study are important for studying phobias, anxiety and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). So, children’s fear of the dentist may not be as irrational as it seems.
Some personality traits are acquired as we get older, and some are already in our DNA. For example, the WSCD2 and PCDH15 genes are associated with extraversion. So perhaps the reason you and your kids are so outgoing has to do with your ancestors, not because your parents enrolled you, and you, in turn, toddlers, in every imaginable extracurricular activity. In addition, there is a genetic correlation between extraversion and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), cites a study by scientists .
Some people think that the ability to find a positive side in everything is an acquired trait that depends on the environment in which a person grows up. But during the study, it was found that people with the short allele (different forms of the same gene located in the same regions of homologous chromosomes) of the 5-HTTLPR gene show positive reactions such as smiling and laughing more often. People with the short allele laughed and smiled more often than people with the long allele of the same gene. The study’s findings were validated even for different age, gender, ethnicity and depression symptoms.
Some people are more prone to stress, and this trait can be passed from parent to child. Experts argue that if a mom has experienced stress during pregnancy, her baby may be more susceptible to it. What’s more, if parents were exposed to stress long before they had a child, the risk still exists because chronic stress can damage chromosomes. However, there is no need to panic: DNA changes associated with stress can be reversed to some extent through conscious meditation and behavioral therapy.
5. Susceptibility to bad habits
Genes are 40 to 60 percent responsible for the development of addiction. For example, the relationship between addiction and the D2 gene has recently been studied in great detail. It was then that it became clear that, probably, people whose receptors for this gene do not work as they should, are more susceptible to taking drugs that cause addiction. The really bad news is that it is much more difficult for such people to eradicate bad habits.
6. The ability to sleep well
Some people can sleep less than 5 hours a night and still feel normal and enjoy life. And again, it’s all about the gene, which is called the Thatcher gene: the legendary prime minister was indeed an iron lady, she could only sleep 4 hours a day and still feel great. People with this variant of the gene not only sleep less, but also perform better mental tasks, even if they have not slept for 38 hours straight! This superpower was revealed not only in Thatcher: the great Thomas Edison also slept less than 5 hours, and how many brilliant discoveries he made.
Genes can play a larger role than practice when it comes to a person’s musical talent, especially in tone and rhythm recognition. The twins’ study compared the abilities of people who loved music and singing. It turned out that some people who practiced much less performed better than those who practiced more. One of the twins played 20 thousand hours more music than his brother, but could not become more talented than him. Scientists attribute this to the fact that some aspects of musical talent are in our genes.
8. And for dessert: a penchant for saving
According to experts, when it comes to money, our actions can be explained by natural factors 30 percent of the time. It turned out that some people are genetically more capable of hoarding, regardless of their income level, gender and education. In addition, “genetically” thrifty (even, maybe a little greedy) people have less bad habits, and they are less prone to obesity or smoking. This is because they are more consistent in their behavior and self-control thanks to their DNA.
As you can see, we get a lot more from our ancestors than we think. Do you have character traits in your family that are inherited?