‘It’s in the genes’ that we normally say is what it is apparently, whether a unique personality trait or a chronic disease. A team from the University of Edinburgh has disclosed that a desire to succeed in life is seemingly hardwired into the body in the form of genes.
As part of the analysis, almost 800 pairs of twins aged 50 and above were surveyed. They were questioned on their perceptions of themselves and those around them. Their answers were evaluated on the Ryff Psychological Well-Being Scale. According to the results, it was observed that identical twins carrying almost the same DNA were likelier to have common personality traits. This essentially revealed a genetic side to people’s character traits.
“Previously, the role of family and the environment around the home often dominated people’s ideas about what affected psychological well-being. However, this work highlights a much more powerful influence from genetics,” remarked Professor Timothy Bates School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences.
The team believed that the findings hold significance as it was observed that a stronger genetic link led to greater likelihood of the trait being passed through the family. Basically, the genes appeared to regulate the concerned person’s innate sense of self control.
The results showed that the genes affected how people perceived the world around them, how well they mingled with others and their pursuits to succeed in life. Many recent studies have shown that genetic factors could influence personality traits other than the physical features of people.