Like a pair of well-worn blue jeans, it’s fairly obvious that the people who you feel the most comfortable around are the ones with whom you want to form more intimate connections and friendships. There is an ease with these people that is unmistakable and real. On the other hand, you know almost instantly when you are in the presence of someone who just doesn’t feel right. The conversation is somewhat forced and not as genuine and the desire to see them on a more personal basis does not interest you. There may be a genetic reason for this which was seen in a fascinating study of over 1,900 people. The friends they often associated with had more in common than attitudes and activities; their DNA was much more similar to theirs than others in the same population group. It seems that the people you choose to spend the most time with resemble you genetically which means these similar gene characteristics help to form loving and personal bonds. You enjoy the same things and your political and religious ideologies are very similar.
The researchers found that the association of a type of dopamine receptor gene polymorphism (rearrangement of certain genes) was associated with the tendency to affiliate with one political party or another. The A2 allele individuals identify with a political party more often than those with the A1 allele. Those with the G/T haplotype of the DRD2 gene (sounds like a Star Wars character) tended to show an increase in neurotic and immature defense styles compared to C/T haplotypes. Those with two A2 alleles (no A1 allele) were more likely to form stronger political and social attachments. MRI’s revealed a possible link with political attitudes and brain structure. Liberals had more gray matter in the anterior cingulate cortex associated with understanding and tolerating complexity and uncertainty. Conservative brains had increased volume in the right amygdala, related more with emotional learning, decision making and aggression. All of this may show that cognitive styles, interaction with the community and the intensity of relationships reflect genetic influences instead of your environment alone. This all takes us back to the idea that we really are a delightful blend of nature and nurture and one doesn’t necessarily have a stronger hold on us than the other. It also shows that we can choose our friends and political bent with more confidence. It’s who we are. So if our DNA greatly influences who our friends are, our political bent, religious convictions, and so much more of how we view the world around us, I would think that this would make us a bit more tolerant of those with very different views than ours. It’s not a right or wrong standing; it’s more, “to thine own self be true; and it must follow as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.”
- Jane Alise
References:
~Fowler, J, Settle, J. E., & Christakis, N. A. (2011). Correlated genotypes in friendship networks. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108 (5). 1993-1997.
~Blum, K., Oscar-Berman, M., Bowirrat, A., Giordano, J., Madigan, M., Braverman, E. R.,….Simaptico, T. (2013). Neuropsychiatric genetics of happiness, friendships and politics: Hypothesizing homophily. Journal of Genetic Syndrome and Gene Therapy, 3 (112);1000112. doi:10:4172/2157-7412.1000112
~Kanai, R., Feilden, T., Firth, C., & Rees, G. (2011). Political orientations are correlated with brain structure in young adults. Current Biology, 21 (8), 677-680.
~William Shakespeare (Hamlet) quote.