Are we doomed to repeat the mistakes of our parents? Well, according to science, maybe it is.
If your parents were cheaters or if infidelity runs in your family, you may have inherited genes that make you more likely to be unfaithful in relationships.
Numerous studies dating back two decades have shown strong associations between inherited genetics and the likelihood that a person will cheat on their partner, which may be rooted in evolution.
Dr. Madeleine Fugère, a social psychologist at Eastern Connecticut State University, reviewed three major studies on the topic involving thousands of people from around the world.
Based on her analysis, she concluded that the research “suggests that infidelity has a strong genetic link.”
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She wrote for Psychology Today: “Infidelity has a genetic basis because in our evolutionary history it was advantageous to seek alternative partners in order to potentially increase the number of offspring.”
A study reviewed by Dr. Fugère from 2004 was among the first to explore the question.
The research, conducted by epidemiologists from St Thomas’ Hospital Londonsuggested that the heritability of cheating had a genetic component as strong as the inheritance of high blood pressure.
The team surveyed 1,600 women, all either fraternal twins – who share half of their DNA – or identical twins – who share all of their DNA – to find out which of them had cheated on their partner.
The results showed that 21 percent of identical twins and 23 percent of fraternal twins had been unfaithful – defined as having had sex with someone other than a husband or partner while married or lived with this partner.
To determine whether cheating had a genetic link, the researchers compared the concordance between each group. Concordance is the scientific term to describe the similarities between two groups.
It is often used to refer to the presence of the same trait in both members of a pair of twins.
In this case, if both twins interviewed had cheated on their partners, they showed concordance.
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If identical twins had a higher concordance rate than fraternal twins, researchers could conclude that their behavior was linked to their genes, since identical twins share 100 percent of their genetic code and fraternal twins only share. ‘about 50 percent.
And the study found that there was a higher concordance rate among identical twins – meaning an identical twin was more likely to be unfaithful if their twin had already been unfaithful.
The researchers therefore concluded that the tendency to cheat could be around 41% hereditary.
In other words, having certain genes can affect up to half of a person’s chances of cheating. According to the study, the remaining 59 percent that influences whether or not a person cheats comes from their environment.
A heritability of 41 percent is similar to the likelihood you’ll develop migraines, depression and high blood pressure, said study author Lynn Cherkas.
The following study analyzed by Dr Fugère was carried out by psychologists from University of Queensland out of 7,378 pairs of twins from Finland in 2015.
They used the same techniques as the 2004 study to determine whether there was a genetic link to infidelity.
The researchers found that the link with cheating was even stronger than previous studies had suggested.
The team determined that 63 percent of cheating among men could be attributed to genetics. For women, this figure was 40 percent.
“Our research clearly shows that people’s genetic makeup influences how likely they are to have sex with someone outside of their primary partner,” said Dr. Brendan Zietsch, who led the study. Economic times.
None of the researchers have positively identified a “cheating gene.” But many have suggested that it might be linked to certain genes associated with risk-taking.
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The third study reviewed was done on a set of 181 unrelated college students by researchers at Binghamton University and the University of Georgia in 2010.
The team collected surveys from students about their infidelity and took oral swabs to conduct genetic analysis.
They found that students who had a certain variation in a gene, called the dopamine D4 receptor gene, were 50 percent more likely to have cheated on their partners.
This gene plays a role in the brain’s pleasure system and has been linked in previous studies to pleasure-seeking behaviors such as drinking alcohol and eating.
Given the strong correlation between people carrying the gene and having a tendency to cheat, the researchers concluded that infidelity might be linked to having this particular type of dopamine receptor.
However, having this gene doesn’t mean you’re doomed to cheat on your partner, study author Justin Garcia said, because humans still have power over their own sexual choices, he said. News.
Garcia added: “These genes don’t give anyone an excuse, but they do provide a window into how our biology shapes our propensities for a wide variety of behaviors.”