Satisfaction of humans genetically conditioned

Satisfaction of humans genetically conditioned: aEnvironmental influences also play a role

15/10/2014

According to a study by psychologist and twin researcher Elisabeth Hahn of the University of Saarland, one person's satisfaction is due to genetic factors.

The study examined, among other things, how hereditary factors have different effects on the satisfaction of people and to what extent environmental factors are responsible for them. In this context, Hahn used data from the German Institute for Economic Research, which had questioned German households about their satisfaction over a period of 20 years. On the other hand, she has evaluated data from one and two twins as well as siblings, mothers and children, grandparents and grandchildren.

In total, there were 1308 couples aged 17 to 70 years. "This made it possible to better estimate, compare and differentiate the genetic and environmental influences on life satisfaction, which makes the study particularly meaningful", she explains, according to a press release from the Saarland University Press Service. Hahn examined the data for similarities. "The relationship between the similarities of, for example, twins and normal siblings allows conclusions to be drawn as to how the influence of genes and the environment is distributed in percentage terms," ​​Hahn continues. Afterwards she comes in her study to the result that the measure of the satisfaction to approximately 30 - 37 per cent depends on genetic influences.

"The results show that there is a stable component of satisfaction, and this is probably genetically explained, so there is some sort of basic tendency for each person to be more satisfied or dissatisfied, but that does not mean that one of his assets According to aponet.de, the psychologist explains that things tend to be negative and can not change that. " However, people with innate pessimism would have to make more effort to be satisfied. "For example, more money does not satisfy all people equally - everyone has their own basic tendency and individual environmental influences that shape him," says Hahn.

Connection of satisfaction and personality
Also, as the life satisfaction with the personality is related, examined the psychologist. "The fact that a human being's traits are about half hereditary has been confirmed time and again by studies, and so has my study, but it was interesting to note that there was a stable relationship between life satisfaction and personality, which raised the question of how far this relationship was related common genetic influences, "she says. The result was surprisingly clear: "All genetic influences on life satisfaction have an impact on personality and can thus be explained by personality, so the relationship between these two traits seems to be based on common genetic factors," she explains. The analysis also showed that there are environmental factors that affect both satisfaction and personality, according to Hahn, according to the press service of the Saar University. (Jp)