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posted by mrpg on Tuesday March 13 2018, @12:45AM   Printer-friendly
from the I-like-you dept.

Genes have a role in empathy, study says

It helps us to make close connections with people, and influences how we behave in a range of situations, from the workplace to a party. Now scientists say empathy is not just something we develop through our upbringing and life experiences - it is also partly inherited.

A study of 46,000 people found evidence for the first time that genes have a role in how empathetic we are. And it also found that women are generally more empathetic than men.

[...] Participants in the study had their "empathy quotient" (EQ) measured with a questionnaire, and gave saliva samples for DNA testing. Scientists then looked for differences in their genes that could explain why some of us are more empathetic than others. They found that at least 10% of the differences in how empathetic people are is down to genetics.

Varun Warrier, from the University of Cambridge who led the study, said: "This is an important step towards understanding the role that genetics plays in empathy. But since only a tenth of the variation in the degree of empathy between individuals is down to genetics, it is equally important to understand the non-genetic factors."

The genomic data came from 46,861 23andMe users.

Genome-wide analyses of self-reported empathy: correlations with autism, schizophrenia, and anorexia nervosa (open, DOI: 10.1038/s41398-017-0082-6) (DX)


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  • (Score: 2) by dry on Tuesday March 13 2018, @06:37PM (1 child)

    by dry (223) on Tuesday March 13 2018, @06:37PM (#651922) Journal

    So blondes are less aggressive then brunettes? It does go with the perception that blondes aren't as smart though.
    While the Scandinavians do seem pretty peaceful now, they did have a quite a history of going a viking with violence rather then friendliness on their minds. And where do the gingers fit into this? Paler hair then brunettes, yet a reputation for a short temper.

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 13 2018, @07:39PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 13 2018, @07:39PM (#651947)

    The perception is "not smart".

    More correctly, it should be more like "not risk-averse enough" or "too trusting" or "too childlike" or "foolishly leftist" or "no street smarts". They are certainly smart, on average, if you consider academic pursuits.

    I think you have to account for culture too. We can't really compare blonde vikings with non-blonde vikings.