DNA plays a role in long-term relationship happiness, study states
| Mar 12, 2019, 11:22 IST
Have you noticed how some couples manage to work things well with each other while others can never manage to be on the same page? While most people might dismiss this to people's temperaments, turns out their DNA might also have something to do with it. A study found that people who have a genetic variation that governs the levels of oxytocin or the bonding hormone in their body report more satisfaction in their relationships and marriages as compared to people who lack this genetic variation.
“This study shows that how we feel in our close relationships is influenced by more than just our shared experiences with our partners over time,” said the study’s lead author Joan Monin. This also shows why for some people marriages work and for others they don't. This genetic variation is the GG genotype which is found within the gene called OXTR. Now, OXTR is something that determines how the body reacts to oxytocin which is responsible for the feeling of social bonding.
For the study, the researchers surveyed 178 married couples spanning the ages of 37 to 90 and found that people who had the GG genotype in them represented less anxious behaviour when it came to their relationship. These people show less approval-seeking behaviour or sensitivity to rejection as opposed to those who lack the GG genotype. It was also found that the genotype made only about a 4% difference in people's behaviour, however, it still does make a difference. So, the next time you see someone who behaves oddly in a relationship, remember it might be because of their genes. Stay tuned for more updates.
“This study shows that how we feel in our close relationships is influenced by more than just our shared experiences with our partners over time,” said the study’s lead author Joan Monin. This also shows why for some people marriages work and for others they don't. This genetic variation is the GG genotype which is found within the gene called OXTR. Now, OXTR is something that determines how the body reacts to oxytocin which is responsible for the feeling of social bonding.
For the study, the researchers surveyed 178 married couples spanning the ages of 37 to 90 and found that people who had the GG genotype in them represented less anxious behaviour when it came to their relationship. These people show less approval-seeking behaviour or sensitivity to rejection as opposed to those who lack the GG genotype. It was also found that the genotype made only about a 4% difference in people's behaviour, however, it still does make a difference. So, the next time you see someone who behaves oddly in a relationship, remember it might be because of their genes. Stay tuned for more updates.