Premium
Genetic and Environmental Transmission of Political Orientations
Author(s) -
Funk Carolyn L.,
Smith Kevin B.,
Alford John R.,
Hibbing Matthew V.,
Eaton Nicholas R.,
Krueger Robert F.,
Eaves Lindon J.,
Hibbing John R.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
political psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.419
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1467-9221
pISSN - 0162-895X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-9221.2012.00915.x
Subject(s) - politics , set (abstract data type) , personality , big five personality traits , social psychology , biology and political orientation , variety (cybernetics) , genetic predisposition , psychology , political science , biology , genetics , law , gene , computer science , artificial intelligence , programming language
This article reports results from the first twin study of adults in the United States that focuses exclusively and comprehensively on political traits. These data allow us to test whether a common set of genetic and environmental influences act upon a broad variety of values, personality traits, and political attitudes. In short, it allows us to empirically investigate whether there are a core set of predispositions that form the basis of our political orientations and, if so, whether these predispositions are shaped by the same environmental and innate forces. The key finding from our analysis is that there are core political predispositions that are rooted in common genetic and environmental influences and that these predispositions are empirically distinct from broader personality traits.