Health & Medicine
Could a Gene be the Key to Marital Success?
Kathleen Lees
First Posted: Oct 10, 2013 01:57 PM EDT
Many studies base several environmental factors on the happiness of a marriage. However a recent study shows that some genetic components could also play a role in how happy your marriage might be. For instance, researchers found that what they refer to as the "happy hormone"--a form of serotonin--may play a part in determining the success of a marriage.
According to researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, and Northewstern University, this is the first study of its kind to link genetics, emotions and marital satisfaction.
"An enduring mystery is, what makes one spouse so attuned to the emotional climate in a marriage, and another so oblivious?" said Senior author of the study, UC Berkeley psychologist Robert W Levenson, according to Daily Mail. "With these new genetic findings, we now understand much more about what determines just how important emotions are for different people."
The researchers noted a specific link between relationship fulfillment and a gene variant known as 5-HTTLPR. This is naturally occurring in all humans who inherit a copy of this gene variant from each parent.
"We are always trying to understand the recipe for a good relationship, and emotion keeps coming up as an important ingredient," said Levenson.
However, the researchers note that the new findings don't mean that couples with different variations of 5-HTTLPR are incompatible.
"Individuals with two short alleles of the gene variant may be like hothouse flowers, blossoming in a marriage when the emotional climate is good and withering when it is bad," said Claudia M. Haase of Northwestern University and lead author of the study, according to Daily Mail. "Neither of these genetic variants is inherently good or bad. Each has its advantages and disadvantages."
But what about getting married and improving life-satisfaction and overall happiness?
A previous study discussed in Psychology Today also talks about marriage and long-term happiness. As several factors regardless of genetics can contribute to the issue, the compilation of 18 long-term studies showed that overall, marriage did not increase happiness, life-satisfaction or relationship-satisfaction. In some cases, it even decreased after the couple said "I do."
When statistics suggest that 40 to 50 percent of current marriages will end in divorce, genetic advantages or not, makes you think...
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First Posted: Oct 10, 2013 01:57 PM EDT
Many studies base several environmental factors on the happiness of a marriage. However a recent study shows that some genetic components could also play a role in how happy your marriage might be. For instance, researchers found that what they refer to as the "happy hormone"--a form of serotonin--may play a part in determining the success of a marriage.
According to researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, and Northewstern University, this is the first study of its kind to link genetics, emotions and marital satisfaction.
"An enduring mystery is, what makes one spouse so attuned to the emotional climate in a marriage, and another so oblivious?" said Senior author of the study, UC Berkeley psychologist Robert W Levenson, according to Daily Mail. "With these new genetic findings, we now understand much more about what determines just how important emotions are for different people."
The researchers noted a specific link between relationship fulfillment and a gene variant known as 5-HTTLPR. This is naturally occurring in all humans who inherit a copy of this gene variant from each parent.
"We are always trying to understand the recipe for a good relationship, and emotion keeps coming up as an important ingredient," said Levenson.
However, the researchers note that the new findings don't mean that couples with different variations of 5-HTTLPR are incompatible.
"Individuals with two short alleles of the gene variant may be like hothouse flowers, blossoming in a marriage when the emotional climate is good and withering when it is bad," said Claudia M. Haase of Northwestern University and lead author of the study, according to Daily Mail. "Neither of these genetic variants is inherently good or bad. Each has its advantages and disadvantages."
But what about getting married and improving life-satisfaction and overall happiness?
A previous study discussed in Psychology Today also talks about marriage and long-term happiness. As several factors regardless of genetics can contribute to the issue, the compilation of 18 long-term studies showed that overall, marriage did not increase happiness, life-satisfaction or relationship-satisfaction. In some cases, it even decreased after the couple said "I do."
When statistics suggest that 40 to 50 percent of current marriages will end in divorce, genetic advantages or not, makes you think...
See Now: NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone