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Molins F, Sahin F, Serrano MÁ. The Genetics of Risk Aversion: A Systematic Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:14307. [PMID: 36361187 PMCID: PMC9657847 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192114307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Risk and loss aversion are phenomena with an important influence on decision-making, especially in economic contexts. At present, it remains unclear whether both are related, as well as whether they could have an emotional origin. The objective of this review, following the PRISMA statements, is to find consistencies in the genetic bases of risk and loss aversion with the aim of understanding their nature and shedding light on the above issues. A total of 23 empirical research met the inclusion criteria and were included from PubMed and ScienceDirect. All of them reported genetic measures from human samples and studied risk and loss aversion within an economic framework. The results for risk aversion, although with many limitations, attributed mainly to their heterogeneity and the lack of control in the studies, point to the implication of multiple polymorphisms related to the regulation of the serotonergic and dopaminergic pathways. In general, studies found the highest levels of risk aversion were associated with alleles that are linked to lower (higher) sensitivity or levels of dopamine (serotonin). For loss aversion, the scarcity of results prevents us from drawing clear conclusions, although the limited evidence seems to point in the same direction as for risk aversion. Therefore, it seems that risk aversion could have a stable genetical base which, in turn, is closely linked to emotions, but more research is needed to answer whether this phenomenon is related to loss aversion, as well as if the latter could also have an emotional origin. We also provide recommendations for future studies on genetics and economic behavior.
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Tan L, Li S, Zhang X. Risk Attitude in the DuLong Minority Ethnicity of China. Front Psychol 2021; 12:596745. [PMID: 33679518 PMCID: PMC7929998 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.596745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Prospect theory predicts a four-fold risk attitude, which means that people are risk seeking for low-probability gain and high-probability loss and risk averse for low-probability loss and high-probability gain because they overweight probability when it is low. The four-fold pattern of risk attitude has been supported by several former studies with mainstream industrialized populations but has never previously been tested in a non-industrialized society. In this work, we examined the robustness of the four-fold risk attitude in the DuLong minority ethnicity in China, which is a small society with only 4,000 members that is isolated from modern civilization. We used simple lotteries for gain and loss with different probabilities to elicit the risk attitude of 37 DuLong villagers. Our results support prospect theory predictions in that DuLong people are risk seeking for low-probability gain and risk averse for low-probability loss. However, although they showed a tendency to decrease their degree of risk seeking (risk aversion) for gain (loss), their risk attitude did not reverse when the probability of the prospect increased to 50%. In summary, our results suggest a right-shifted weighting function in this non-industrialized small society. The deviation might be caused by the particular living situation of the DuLong people, their sensitivity to monetary payoffs, and the elicitation procedure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Tan
- School of Public Administration, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Siyuan Li
- School of Public Administration, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Xiaomin Zhang
- School of Basic Medicine, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
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Clukay CJ, Dajani R, Hadfield K, Quinlan J, Panter-Brick C, Mulligan CJ. Association of MAOA genetic variants and resilience with psychosocial stress: A longitudinal study of Syrian refugees. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0219385. [PMID: 31314763 PMCID: PMC6636744 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2019] [Accepted: 06/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Early childhood trauma can have profound and lifelong effects on adult mental health and psychosocial wellbeing. Nevertheless, responses to trauma are highly variable. Genetic variants may help explain variation in responses to trauma by identifying alleles that associate with changes in mental health measures. Protective factors, such as resilience, likely also play an important role in responses to trauma. The effects of genetic variants, in combination with protective factors, on psychosocial health are not well understood, particularly in non-Western contexts. In this study, we test the relative influence of genetic variants of monoamine oxidase A (MAOA, a gene proposed to influence the impact of childhood trauma on adult violence and antisocial behavior), levels of resilience, and exposure to traumatic events on psychosocial stress and mental health trajectories over time. We use data from a cohort of 12-18-year-old Syrian refugees who were forcibly displaced to neighboring Jordan (n = 399). DNA samples and survey data on trauma exposure, resilience (CYRM-12), and psychosocial stress were collected at three time points: baseline, ~13 weeks, and ~48 weeks. Using multilevel models, we identified an association of MAOA variant, in males only, with symptom scores of psychosocial stress on the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) over time (p = 8.1 x 10−4). We also found that resilience is strongly associated with PSS (p = 7.9 x 10−9), underscoring the importance of protective factors in influencing levels of psychosocial stress. Furthermore, there was an additive effect wherein the sharpest reductions in perceived psychosocial stress are seen in low-activity MAOA males with low trauma exposure or high resilience levels. Our results highlight the value of studies that integrate genetic and psychosocial factors to better understand complex phenotypes, such as responses to trauma in contexts of high trauma exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J. Clukay
- Department of Anthropology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
- Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
| | - Rana Dajani
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan
| | - Kristin Hadfield
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary, University of London, London, England
| | - Jacklyn Quinlan
- Department of Anthropology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
- Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
| | | | - Connie J. Mulligan
- Department of Anthropology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
- Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Primes G, Fieder M. Real-life helping behaviours in North America: A genome-wide association approach. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0190950. [PMID: 29324852 PMCID: PMC5764334 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0190950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2017] [Accepted: 12/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In humans, prosocial behaviour is essential for social functioning. Twin studies suggest this distinct human trait to be partly hardwired. In the last decade research on the genetics of prosocial behaviour focused on neurotransmitters and neuropeptides, such as oxytocin, dopamine, and their respective pathways. Recent trends towards large scale medical studies targeting the genetic basis of complex diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia pave the way for new directions also in behavioural genetics. Based on data from 10,713 participants of the American Health and Retirement Study we estimated heritability of helping behaviour–its total variance explained by 1.2 million single nucleotide polymorphisms–to be 11%. Both, fixed models and mixed linear models identified rs11697300, an intergene variant on chromosome 20, as a candidate variant moderating this particular helping behaviour. We assume that this so far undescribed area is worth further investigation in association with human prosocial behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georg Primes
- Department of Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- * E-mail:
| | - Martin Fieder
- Department of Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Rauscher E. Plastic and immobile: Unequal intergenerational mobility by genetic sensitivity score within sibling pairs. SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH 2017; 65:112-129. [PMID: 28599766 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssresearch.2017.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2016] [Revised: 02/21/2017] [Accepted: 02/25/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Contrary to traditional biological arguments, the differential susceptibility model suggests genotype may moderate rather than mediate parent-child economic similarity. Using family fixed effects models of Add Health sibling data, I investigate the relationship between an index of sensitive genotypes and intergenerational mobility. Full, same sex sibling comparisons hold constant parental characteristics and address the non-random distribution of genotype that reduces internal validity in nationally representative samples. Across multiple measures of young adult financial standing, those with more copies of sensitive genotypes achieve lower economic outcomes than their sibling if they are from a low income context but fare better from a high income context. This genetic sensitivity to parental income entails lower intergenerational mobility. Results support the differential susceptibility model and contradict simplistic genetic explanations for intergenerational inequality, suggesting sensitive genotypes are not inherently positive or negative but rather increase dependence on parental income and reduce mobility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Rauscher
- University of Kansas, 716 Fraser Hall, 1415 Jayhawk Blvd., Lawrence, KS 66045, USA.
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Fooken J, Schaffner M. The Role of Psychological and Physiological Factors in Decision Making under Risk and in a Dilemma. Front Behav Neurosci 2016; 10:2. [PMID: 26834591 PMCID: PMC4722108 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2016.00002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2015] [Accepted: 01/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Different methods to elicit risk attitudes of individuals often provide differing results despite a common theory. Reasons for such inconsistencies may be the different influence of underlying factors in risk-taking decisions. In order to evaluate this conjecture, a better understanding of underlying factors across methods and decision contexts is desirable. In this paper we study the difference in result of two different risk elicitation methods by linking estimates of risk attitudes to gender, age, and personality traits, which have been shown to be related. We also investigate the role of these factors during decision-making in a dilemma situation. For these two decision contexts we also investigate the decision-maker's physiological state during the decision, measured by heart rate variability (HRV), which we use as an indicator of emotional involvement. We found that the two elicitation methods provide different individual risk attitude measures which is partly reflected in a different gender effect between the methods. Personality traits explain only relatively little in terms of driving risk attitudes and the difference between methods. We also found that risk taking and the physiological state are related for one of the methods, suggesting that more emotionally involved individuals are more risk averse in the experiment. Finally, we found evidence that personality traits are connected to whether individuals made a decision in the dilemma situation, but risk attitudes and the physiological state were not indicative for the ability to decide in this decision context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Fooken
- Institute for Health and Consumer Protection, Joint Research Centre Ispra, Italy
| | - Markus Schaffner
- Business School, Queensland University of Technology Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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Foster-Chang SA, Manning ML, Chandler L. Tuberculosis Screening of New Hospital Employees. Workplace Health Saf 2014; 62:460-7. [DOI: 10.3928/21650799-20140902-02] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2014] [Accepted: 07/25/2014] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Selection of the most suitable test(s) for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) infection should be based on purpose, setting, effectiveness, and cost. Two tests are available to screen for latent TB: the tuberculin skin test (TST) and the more recent interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs). Based on the administrative, logistic, and technical ease of use, an IGRA trial was initiated by the occupational health department at an urban Veteran's Administration health care facility for TB screening of new employees. As a result, new employees completing the pre-placement process within the organization's designated 14 days increased from 77% to 97%, new employee clearance to work time decreased from 13.18 to 5.91 days, and new employee TB screening costs were reduced by 40%. The IGRA is an acceptable alternative to the TST and has significant potential to improve the process of pre-placement TB screening.
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Balasubramani PP, Chakravarthy VS, Ravindran B, Moustafa AA. An extended reinforcement learning model of basal ganglia to understand the contributions of serotonin and dopamine in risk-based decision making, reward prediction, and punishment learning. Front Comput Neurosci 2014; 8:47. [PMID: 24795614 PMCID: PMC3997037 DOI: 10.3389/fncom.2014.00047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2013] [Accepted: 03/30/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Although empirical and neural studies show that serotonin (5HT) plays many functional roles in the brain, prior computational models mostly focus on its role in behavioral inhibition. In this study, we present a model of risk based decision making in a modified Reinforcement Learning (RL)-framework. The model depicts the roles of dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5HT) in Basal Ganglia (BG). In this model, the DA signal is represented by the temporal difference error (δ), while the 5HT signal is represented by a parameter (α) that controls risk prediction error. This formulation that accommodates both 5HT and DA reconciles some of the diverse roles of 5HT particularly in connection with the BG system. We apply the model to different experimental paradigms used to study the role of 5HT: (1) Risk-sensitive decision making, where 5HT controls risk assessment, (2) Temporal reward prediction, where 5HT controls time-scale of reward prediction, and (3) Reward/Punishment sensitivity, in which the punishment prediction error depends on 5HT levels. Thus the proposed integrated RL model reconciles several existing theories of 5HT and DA in the BG.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Balaraman Ravindran
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology - Madras Chennai, India
| | - Ahmed A Moustafa
- Foundational Processes of Behaviour Research Concentration, Marcs Institute for Brain and Behaviour & School of Social Sciences and Psychology, University of Western Sydney Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Harrati A. Characterizing the genetic influences on risk aversion. BIODEMOGRAPHY AND SOCIAL BIOLOGY 2014; 60:185-198. [PMID: 25343366 DOI: 10.1080/19485565.2014.951986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Risk aversion has long been cited as an important factor in retirement decisions, investment behavior, and health. Some of the heterogeneity in individual risk tolerance is well understood, reflecting age gradients, wealth gradients, and similar effects, but much remains unexplained. This study explores genetic contributions to heterogeneity in risk aversion among older Americans. Using over 2 million genetic markers per individual from the U.S. Health and Retirement Study, I report results from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) on risk preferences using a sample of 10,455 adults. None of the single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are found to be statistically significant determinants of risk preferences at levels stricter than 5 × 10(-8). These results suggest that risk aversion is a complex trait that is highly polygenic. The analysis leads to upper bounds on the number of genetic effects that could exceed certain thresholds of significance and still remain undetected at the current sample size. The findings suggest that the known heritability in risk aversion is likely to be driven by large numbers of genetic variants, each with a small effect size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amal Harrati
- a Department of Demography , University of California, Berkeley , Berkeley , California , USA
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10
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Tsang SY, Zhong S, Mei L, Chen J, Ng SK, Pun FW, Zhao C, Jing B, Chark R, Guo J, Tan Y, Li L, Wang C, Chew SH, Xue H. Social cognitive role of schizophrenia candidate gene GABRB2. PLoS One 2013; 8:e62322. [PMID: 23638040 PMCID: PMC3634734 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0062322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2012] [Accepted: 03/20/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The occurrence of positive selection in schizophrenia-associated GABRB2 suggests a broader impact of the gene product on population fitness. The present study considered the possibility of cognition-related GABRB2 involvement by examining the association of GABRB2 with psychosis and altruism, respectively representing psychiatric and psychological facets of social cognition. Four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped for quantitative trait analyses and population-based association studies. Psychosis was measured by either the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) or antipsychotics dosage, and altruism was based on a self-report altruism scale. The minor alleles of SNPs rs6556547, rs1816071 and rs187269 in GABRB2 were correlated with high PANSS score for positive symptoms in a Han Chinese schizophrenic cohort, whereas those of rs1816071 and rs1816072 were associated with high antipsychotics dosage in a US Caucasian schizophrenic cohort. Moreover, strongly significant GABRB2-disease associations were found among schizophrenics with severe psychosis based on high PANSS positive score, but no significant association was observed for schizophrenics with only mild psychosis. Interestingly, in addition to association with psychosis in schizophrenics, rs187269 was also associated with altruism in healthy Han Chinese. Furthermore, parallel to correlation with severe psychosis, its minor allele was correlated with high altruism scores. These findings revealed that GABRB2 is associated with psychosis, the core symptom and an endophenotype of schizophrenia. Importantly, the association was found across the breadth of the psychiatric (psychosis) to psychological (altruism) spectrum of social cognition suggesting GABRB2 involvement in human cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shui Ying Tsang
- Division of Life Science and Applied Genomics Laboratory, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
| | - Songfa Zhong
- Department of Economics, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Economics, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Rep. of Singapore
| | - Lingling Mei
- Division of Life Science and Applied Genomics Laboratory, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jianhuan Chen
- Division of Life Science and Applied Genomics Laboratory, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
| | - Siu-Kin Ng
- Division of Life Science and Applied Genomics Laboratory, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
| | - Frank W. Pun
- Division of Life Science and Applied Genomics Laboratory, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
- Center for Statistical Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
| | - Cunyou Zhao
- Division of Life Science and Applied Genomics Laboratory, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
| | - Bingyi Jing
- Center for Statistical Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Mathematics, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
| | - Robin Chark
- Department of Marketing, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Rep. of Singapore
| | - Jianhua Guo
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Yunlong Tan
- Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Lijun Li
- Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Chuanyue Wang
- Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Soo Hong Chew
- Department of Economics, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Economics, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Rep. of Singapore
| | - Hong Xue
- Division of Life Science and Applied Genomics Laboratory, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
- Center for Statistical Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
- * E-mail:
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Gu H, Liu C, Liu C, Chen M, Zhang Q, Zhai J, Wang K, Ji F, Xu Z, Shen Q, Bao X, Chen X, Li J, Dong Q, Chen C. The combined effects of the 5- HTTLPR and HTR1A rs6295 polymorphisms modulate decision making in schizophrenia patients. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2012; 12:133-9. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-183x.2012.00866.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2012] [Revised: 09/03/2012] [Accepted: 09/27/2012] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- H. Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning; Beijing Normal University; Beijing; 100875; P.R. China
| | - C. Liu
- Key Laboratory for Mental Health; Ministry of Health; Beijing; 100083; P.R. China
| | | | - M. Chen
- School of Mental Health; Jining Medical University; Jining; 272013; Shandong Province; P.R. China
| | - Q. Zhang
- School of Mental Health; Jining Medical University; Jining; 272013; Shandong Province; P.R. China
| | - J. Zhai
- School of Mental Health; Jining Medical University; Jining; 272013; Shandong Province; P.R. China
| | - K. Wang
- School of Mental Health; Jining Medical University; Jining; 272013; Shandong Province; P.R. China
| | - F. Ji
- School of Mental Health; Jining Medical University; Jining; 272013; Shandong Province; P.R. China
| | - Z. Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning; Beijing Normal University; Beijing; 100875; P.R. China
| | - Q. Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning; Beijing Normal University; Beijing; 100875; P.R. China
| | - X. Bao
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning; Beijing Normal University; Beijing; 100875; P.R. China
| | - X. Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning; Beijing Normal University; Beijing; 100875; P.R. China
| | - J. Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning; Beijing Normal University; Beijing; 100875; P.R. China
| | - Q. Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning; Beijing Normal University; Beijing; 100875; P.R. China
| | - C. Chen
- Department of Psychology and Social Behavior; University of California; Irvine; CA; 92697; USA
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Benjamin DJ, Cesarini D, Chabris CF, Glaeser EL, Laibson DI, Guðnason V, Harris TB, Launer LJ, Purcell S, Smith AV, Johannesson M, Magnusson PKE, Beauchamp JP, Christakis NA, Atwood CS, Hebert B, Freese J, Hauser RM, Hauser TS, Grankvist A, Hultman CM, Lichtenstein P. The Promises and Pitfalls of Genoeconomics*. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ECONOMICS 2012; 4:627-662. [PMID: 23482589 PMCID: PMC3592970 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-economics-080511-110939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
This article reviews existing research at the intersection of genetics and economics, presents some new findings that illustrate the state of genoeconomics research, and surveys the prospects of this emerging field. Twin studies suggest that economic outcomes and preferences, once corrected for measurement error, appear to be about as heritable as many medical conditions and personality traits. Consistent with this pattern, we present new evidence on the heritability of permanent income and wealth. Turning to genetic association studies, we survey the main ways that the direct measurement of genetic variation across individuals is likely to contribute to economics, and we outline the challenges that have slowed progress in making these contributions. The most urgent problem facing researchers in this field is that most existing efforts to find associations between genetic variation and economic behavior are based on samples that are too small to ensure adequate statistical power. This has led to many false positives in the literature. We suggest a number of possible strategies to improve and remedy this problem: (a) pooling data sets, (b) using statistical techniques that exploit the greater information content of many genes considered jointly, and (c) focusing on economically relevant traits that are most proximate to known biological mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Benjamin
- Department of Economics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853; National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138;
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Ebstein RP, Knafo A, Mankuta D, Chew SH, Lai PS. The contributions of oxytocin and vasopressin pathway genes to human behavior. Horm Behav 2012; 61:359-79. [PMID: 22245314 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2011.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 181] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2011] [Revised: 12/20/2011] [Accepted: 12/21/2011] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Arginine vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OXT) are social hormones and mediate affiliative behaviors in mammals and as recently demonstrated, also in humans. There is intense interest in how these simple nonapeptides mediate normal and abnormal behavior, especially regarding disorders of the social brain such as autism that are characterized by deficits in social communication and social skills. The current review examines in detail the behavioral genetics of the first level of human AVP-OXT pathway genes including arginine vasopressin 1a receptor (AVPR1a), oxytocin receptor (OXTR), AVP (AVP-neurophysin II [NPII]) and OXT (OXT neurophysin I [NPI]), oxytocinase/vasopressinase (LNPEP), ADP-ribosyl cyclase (CD38) and arginine vasopressin 1b receptor (AVPR1b). Wherever possible we discuss evidence from a variety of research tracks including molecular genetics, imaging genomics, pharmacology and endocrinology that support the conclusions drawn from association studies of social phenotypes and detail how common polymorphisms in AVP-OXT pathway genes contribute to the behavioral hard wiring that enables individual Homo sapiens to interact successfully with conspecifics. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Oxytocin, Vasopressin, and Social Behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard P Ebstein
- Department of Psychology, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
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Sapra S, Beavin LE, Zak PJ. A combination of dopamine genes predicts success by professional Wall Street traders. PLoS One 2012; 7:e30844. [PMID: 22292056 PMCID: PMC3265532 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0030844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2011] [Accepted: 12/29/2011] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
What determines success on Wall Street? This study examined if genes affecting dopamine levels of professional traders were associated with their career tenure. Sixty professional Wall Street traders were genotyped and compared to a control group who did not trade stocks. We found that distinct alleles of the dopamine receptor 4 promoter (DRD4P) and catecholamine-O-methyltransferase (COMT) that affect synaptic dopamine were predominant in traders. These alleles are associated with moderate, rather than very high or very low, levels of synaptic dopamine. The activity of these alleles correlated positively with years spent trading stocks on Wall Street. Differences in personality and trading behavior were also correlated with allelic variants. This evidence suggests there may be a genetic basis for the traits that make one a successful trader.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steve Sapra
- Center for Neuroeconomics Studies, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, California, United States of America
| | - Laura E. Beavin
- Center for Neuroeconomics Studies, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, California, United States of America
| | - Paul J. Zak
- Center for Neuroeconomics Studies, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, California, United States of America
- Department of Economics, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, California, United States of America
- Department of Neurology, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Delayed reward discounting and addictive behavior: a meta-analysis. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2011; 216:305-21. [PMID: 21373791 PMCID: PMC3201846 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-011-2229-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 658] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2010] [Accepted: 02/09/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Delayed reward discounting (DRD) is a behavioral economic index of impulsivity and numerous studies have examined DRD in relation to addictive behavior. To synthesize the findings across the literature, the current review is a meta-analysis of studies comparing DRD between criterion groups exhibiting addictive behavior and control groups. OBJECTIVES The meta-analysis sought to characterize the overall patterns of findings, systematic variability by sample and study type, and possible small study (publication) bias. METHODS Literature reviews identified 310 candidate articles from which 46 studies reporting 64 comparisons were identified (total N=56,013). RESULTS From the total comparisons identified, a small magnitude effect was evident (d= .15; p< .00001) with very high heterogeneity of effect size. Based on systematic observed differences, large studies assessing DRD with a small number of self-report items were removed and an analysis of 57 comparisons (n=3,329) using equivalent methods and exhibiting acceptable heterogeneity revealed a medium magnitude effect (d= .58; p< .00001). Further analyses revealed significantly larger effect sizes for studies using clinical samples (d= .61) compared with studies using nonclinical samples (d=.45). Indices of small study bias among the various comparisons suggested varying levels of influence by unpublished findings, ranging from minimal to moderate. CONCLUSIONS These results provide strong evidence of greater DRD in individuals exhibiting addictive behavior in general and particularly in individuals who meet criteria for an addictive disorder. Implications for the assessment of DRD and research priorities are discussed.
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Zhong S, Chark R, Ebstein RP, Chew SH. Imaging genetics for utility of risks over gains and losses. Neuroimage 2011; 59:540-6. [PMID: 21801841 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2011.07.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2011] [Revised: 07/02/2011] [Accepted: 07/11/2011] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
One tenet of behavioral economics is the asymmetry in how decision makers evaluate risks involving gains versus risks involving losses. Correspondingly, an increasingly important question is what neuroanatomical and neurochemical correlates underpin valuation over gains and losses. By employing an imaging genetics strategy, this paper aims at identifying the specific neurotransmitter pathways underlying these decision making processes. We find enhanced striatal activation responding to increases in the magnitude of utility for risks over gains and to increases in the magnitude of disutility for risks over losses, while increased amygdala activation correlates only with the disutility for risks over losses. Stratifying brain activation by genotype, we find that a well-characterized polymorphism in the dopamine transporter (DAT1) contributes to individual differences in striatal response for gain-oriented risks, whereas a polymorphism in the serotonin transporter (STin2) partially accounts for individual differences in amygdala responses for loss-oriented risks. Together, our results suggest the role of the amygdala and corresponding serotonergic pathway in evaluating losses. This further corroborates the hypothesis of serotonin being linked to dopamine in an "opponent partnership".
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Affiliation(s)
- Songfa Zhong
- Department of Economics, National University of Singapore, Singapore
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Mertins V, Schote AB, Hoffeld W, Griessmair M, Meyer J. Genetic susceptibility for individual cooperation preferences: the role of monoamine oxidase A gene (MAOA) in the voluntary provision of public goods. PLoS One 2011; 6:e20959. [PMID: 21698196 PMCID: PMC3116851 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0020959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2011] [Accepted: 05/16/2011] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In the context of social dilemmas, previous research has shown that human cooperation is mainly based on the social norm of conditional cooperation. While in most cases individuals behave according to such a norm, deviant behavior is no exception. Recent research further suggests that heterogeneity in social behavior might be associated with varying genetic predispositions. In this study, we investigated the relationship between individuals' behavior in a public goods experiment and the promoter-region functional repeat polymorphism in the monoamine oxidase A gene (MAOA). In a dynamic setting of increasing information about others' contributions, we analyzed differences in two main components of conditional cooperation, namely the players' own contribution and their beliefs regarding the contribution of other players. We showed that there is a significant association between individuals' behavior in a repeated public goods game and MAOA. Our results suggest that male carriers of the low activity alleles cooperate significantly less than those carrying the high activity alleles given a situation where subjects had to rely on their innate beliefs about others' contributions. With increasing information about the others' cooperativeness, the genetic effect diminishes. Furthermore, significant opposing effects for female subjects carrying two low activity alleles were observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Mertins
- Institute for Labour Law and Industrial Relations in the European Community (IAAEG), University of Trier, Trier, Germany.
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Beauchamp JP, Cesarini D, Johannesson M, van der Loos MJHM, Koellinger PD, Groenen PJF, Fowler JH, Rosenquist JN, Thurik AR, Christakis NA. Molecular Genetics and Economics. THE JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVES : A JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ECONOMIC ASSOCIATION 2011; 25:57-82. [PMID: 22427719 PMCID: PMC3306008 DOI: 10.1257/jep.25.4.57] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The costs of comprehensively genotyping human subjects have fallen to the point where major funding bodies, even in the social sciences, are beginning to incorporate genetic and biological markers into major social surveys. How, if at all, should economists use and combine molecular genetic and economic data from these surveys? What challenges arise when analyzing genetically informative data? To illustrate, we present results from a “genome-wide association study” of educational attainment. We use a sample of 7,500 individuals from the Framingham Heart Study; our dataset contains over 360,000 genetic markers per person. We get some initially promising results linking genetic markers to educational attainment, but these fail to replicate in a second large sample of 9,500 people from the Rotterdam Study. Unfortunately such failure is typical in molecular genetic studies of this type, so the example is also cautionary. We discuss a number of methodological challenges that face researchers who use molecular genetics to reliably identify genetic associates of economic traits. Our overall assessment is cautiously optimistic: this new data source has potential in economics. But researchers and consumers of the genoeconomic literature should be wary of the pitfalls, most notably the difficulty of doing reliable inference when faced with multiple hypothesis problems on a scale never before encountered in social science.
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Frydman C, Camerer C, Bossaerts P, Rangel A. MAOA-L carriers are better at making optimal financial decisions under risk. Proc Biol Sci 2010; 278:2053-9. [PMID: 21147794 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2010.2304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Genes can affect behaviour towards risks through at least two distinct neurocomputational mechanisms: they may affect the value assigned to different risky options, or they may affect the way in which the brain adjudicates between options based on their value. We combined methods from neuroeconomics and behavioural genetics to investigate the impact that the genes encoding for monoamine oxidase-A (MAOA), the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) and the dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) have on these two computations. Consistent with previous literature, we found that carriers of the MAOA-L polymorphism were more likely to take financial risks. Our computational choice model, rooted in established decision theory, showed that MAOA-L carriers exhibited such behaviour because they are able to make better financial decisions under risk, and not because they are more impulsive. In contrast, we found no behavioural or computational differences among the 5-HTT and DRD4 polymorphisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cary Frydman
- HSS, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, Caltech 228-77, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
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Zhong S, Israel S, Shalev I, Xue H, Ebstein RP, Chew SH. Dopamine D4 receptor gene associated with fairness preference in ultimatum game. PLoS One 2010; 5:e13765. [PMID: 21072167 PMCID: PMC2972208 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0013765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2010] [Accepted: 07/27/2010] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
In experimental economics, the preference for reciprocal fairness has been observed in the controlled and incentivized laboratory setting of the ultimatum game, in which two individuals decide on how to divide a sum of money, with one proposing the share while the second deciding whether to accept. Should the proposal be accepted, the amount is divided accordingly. Otherwise, both would receive no money. A recent twin study has shown that fairness preference inferred from responder behavior is heritable, yet its neurogenetic basis remains unknown. The D4 receptor (DRD4) exon3 is a well-characterized functional polymorphism, which is known to be associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and personality traits including novelty seeking and self-report altruism. Applying a neurogenetic approach, we find that DRD4 is significantly associated with fairness preference. Additionally, the interaction among this gene, season of birth, and gender is highly significant. This is the first result to link preference for reciprocal fairness to a specific gene and suggests that gene × environment interactions contribute to economic decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songfa Zhong
- Department of Economics, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Economics, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Salomon Israel
- Scheinfeld Center of Human Genetics for Social Sciences, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Idan Shalev
- Scheinfeld Center of Human Genetics for Social Sciences, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Hong Xue
- Applied Genomics Center, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Richard P. Ebstein
- Scheinfeld Center of Human Genetics for Social Sciences, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
- Department of Psychology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- * E-mail: (SHC); (RPE)
| | - Soo Hong Chew
- Department of Economics, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Economics, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong
- Department of Finance, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Center for Experimental Business Research, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong
- * E-mail: (SHC); (RPE)
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Abstract
The propensity to make risky choices has a genetic component, and recent studies have identified several specific genes that contribute to this trait. Since risk-taking often appears irrational or maladaptive, the question arises how (or if) natural selection favors risk-taking. Here we show, using a stochastic simulation of selection between two hypothetical species, “R” (risk-seeking) and “A” (risk-averse) that, when expected reproductive fitness of the individual is unaffected by the making of the risky choice (winnings balanced by losses) natural selection (taken to the point of extinction) favors the risk-averse species. However, the situation is entirely reversed if offspring are permitted to inherit a small fraction of the parent's increased or decreased fitness acquired through risk-taking. This seemingly Lamarckian form of inheritance actually corresponds to the human situation when property or culture are transmitted in families. In the presence of this “cultural inheritance”, the long-shot risk-taking species was overwhelmingly favored, even when 90% of individuals were rendered sterile by a losing choice. Given this strong effect in a minimal model, it is important to consider the co-evolution of genes and culture when interpreting the genetics of risk-taking. This conclusion applies, in principle, to any species where parental resources can directly affect the fecundity of offspring. It might also be relevant to the effects of epigenetic inheritance, if the epigenetic state of zygotes can be affected by parental experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D Stern
- Laboratory of Cardiovascular Science, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
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