Lund (Sweden), If an annoying stranger knocked on your door and asked to use your phone, would you do it? How about lending them a fiver for the bus, if they've assured you they'll come back and pay you?
In today's fractured world, trust seems elusive and divisions run deep. Many people find it difficult to trust strangers, perhaps especially those who are different from us.
But why? A recent breakthrough by our international team of researchers, published in Scientific Reports, sheds light on the genetic basis of trust. We found that our ability to trust strangers may be more than just a social or psychological trait – it may be rooted in our DNA. This is important, because it suggests that trusting people actually trust their May live longer, healthier lives than doubting counterparts.Research has shown that people who trust strangers have a significantly lower risk of heart disease, even after taking into account factors such as smoking, age, and biological sex. Yet it is difficult to understand why this is so.
For decades, the study of trust has been an area of social and political science, viewed primarily as a social construct. Two main theories have emerged to explain why some people are more trusting than others. One suggests that belief is a stable trait that is shaped by early life experiences.Others believe that it is influenced by an individual's ongoing assessment of his or her social environment. I can easily imagine that answer to the standard social trust question: "Would you say that most people can be trusted, or that you can't be too careful when dealing with people?" This will depend on whether you were robbed the day before, or whether your dropped wallet was recovered.
This is where my research comes in. I currently lead the Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology Unit at Lund University, Sweden. For the past 15 years, I have been on a quest to uncover the biological underpinnings of trust and its relationship with better health.My most recent study, involving 33,882 Danish blood donors, is an important milestone in this effort.
Armed with genetic data and information on our participants' propensity to trust strangers, we conducted the largest genome-wide association study (a study linking traits with genes) of social trust to date. We identified participants' specific and validated Personal trust level was obtained from answers to social trust questions. Our analyzes identified a single gene, PLPP4, which was strongly associated with the trait of trusting others.
We further found that the PLPP4 gene explained a substantial 6 percent of the variation in social trust within the study population.This means that if you take two people who have similar upbringing, education, and life experience, these genes alone can contribute as much as 6 percent to the difference in how much they trust others.
This may seem like a small number but it is a significant discovery in the field of genetics, especially when the complexity of human behavior is considered. To put it in context, a gene called "FTO" is often expressed among Europeans. Differences in body mass index are cited to explain, yet it accounts for only 0.34 percent of these differences.
fight or flight
But what does this mean in practical terms? I believe that the discovery of the “trust gene” can serve as a bridge between biology and the social sciences, challenging the traditional divide between the two fields. Furthermore, the fact that this gene is the main is differentially expressed in the brain, raising interesting questions about its role in shaping neural pathways and signaling mechanisms.Although it is tempting to speculate that manipulating this gene might increase trust, I would be cautious about such simplistic explanations. Rather than directly influencing levels of trust, this gene likely plays a role in shaping circuits in the brain that are linked to our innate "fight or flight" survival mechanism.
This system, which is inherent in each of us, regulates our response to stress through the release of certain hormones. Although useful in the short term, prolonged exposure to stress hormones can be harmful to health – in fact it has been linked to cardiovascular problems, anxiety and depression. We suspect that the PLPP4 gene may somehow soften the fight or flight mechanism. Could.And if our fight or flight mechanisms are less intense when encountered with new people, it makes sense that having an innate tendency to trust others could have substantial health benefits.
Indeed, if trusting others acts as a buffer against stress, thereby reducing cortisol levels, it may reduce the risk of heart disease and depression.
The implications could be profound. However, more research is needed to unravel the complex interplay between genetics, faith, and health. That said, the discovery of the genetic basis for trust opens new avenues for interdisciplinary research, providing new insights into the complex relationships between biology, behavior, and society. As we continue to unravel the mysteries of trust However, one thing is clear: Understanding its genetic roots could be the key to fostering healthier, more cohesive communities in an increasingly fragmented world.(talk) grs
GRS
In today's fractured world, trust seems elusive and divisions run deep. Many people find it difficult to trust strangers, perhaps especially those who are different from us.
But why? A recent breakthrough by our international team of researchers, published in Scientific Reports, sheds light on the genetic basis of trust. We found that our ability to trust strangers may be more than just a social or psychological trait – it may be rooted in our DNA. This is important, because it suggests that trusting people actually trust their May live longer, healthier lives than doubting counterparts.Research has shown that people who trust strangers have a significantly lower risk of heart disease, even after taking into account factors such as smoking, age, and biological sex. Yet it is difficult to understand why this is so.
For decades, the study of trust has been an area of social and political science, viewed primarily as a social construct. Two main theories have emerged to explain why some people are more trusting than others. One suggests that belief is a stable trait that is shaped by early life experiences.Others believe that it is influenced by an individual's ongoing assessment of his or her social environment. I can easily imagine that answer to the standard social trust question: "Would you say that most people can be trusted, or that you can't be too careful when dealing with people?" This will depend on whether you were robbed the day before, or whether your dropped wallet was recovered.
This is where my research comes in. I currently lead the Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology Unit at Lund University, Sweden. For the past 15 years, I have been on a quest to uncover the biological underpinnings of trust and its relationship with better health.My most recent study, involving 33,882 Danish blood donors, is an important milestone in this effort.
Armed with genetic data and information on our participants' propensity to trust strangers, we conducted the largest genome-wide association study (a study linking traits with genes) of social trust to date. We identified participants' specific and validated Personal trust level was obtained from answers to social trust questions. Our analyzes identified a single gene, PLPP4, which was strongly associated with the trait of trusting others.
We further found that the PLPP4 gene explained a substantial 6 percent of the variation in social trust within the study population.This means that if you take two people who have similar upbringing, education, and life experience, these genes alone can contribute as much as 6 percent to the difference in how much they trust others.
This may seem like a small number but it is a significant discovery in the field of genetics, especially when the complexity of human behavior is considered. To put it in context, a gene called "FTO" is often expressed among Europeans. Differences in body mass index are cited to explain, yet it accounts for only 0.34 percent of these differences.
fight or flight
But what does this mean in practical terms? I believe that the discovery of the “trust gene” can serve as a bridge between biology and the social sciences, challenging the traditional divide between the two fields. Furthermore, the fact that this gene is the main is differentially expressed in the brain, raising interesting questions about its role in shaping neural pathways and signaling mechanisms.Although it is tempting to speculate that manipulating this gene might increase trust, I would be cautious about such simplistic explanations. Rather than directly influencing levels of trust, this gene likely plays a role in shaping circuits in the brain that are linked to our innate "fight or flight" survival mechanism.
This system, which is inherent in each of us, regulates our response to stress through the release of certain hormones. Although useful in the short term, prolonged exposure to stress hormones can be harmful to health – in fact it has been linked to cardiovascular problems, anxiety and depression. We suspect that the PLPP4 gene may somehow soften the fight or flight mechanism. Could.And if our fight or flight mechanisms are less intense when encountered with new people, it makes sense that having an innate tendency to trust others could have substantial health benefits.
Indeed, if trusting others acts as a buffer against stress, thereby reducing cortisol levels, it may reduce the risk of heart disease and depression.
The implications could be profound. However, more research is needed to unravel the complex interplay between genetics, faith, and health. That said, the discovery of the genetic basis for trust opens new avenues for interdisciplinary research, providing new insights into the complex relationships between biology, behavior, and society. As we continue to unravel the mysteries of trust However, one thing is clear: Understanding its genetic roots could be the key to fostering healthier, more cohesive communities in an increasingly fragmented world.(talk) grs
GRS
