How Your Genes Shape Your Personality

A groundbreaking study published today in Nature delves into the genetic markers tied to the five major personality traits known as the "Big Five." These traits encompass openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. The team, comprising researchers from various disciplines, conducted a meta-analysis of 46 different cohorts of people who completed personality surveys while providing DNA samples.

Through their analysis, the researchers identified 1,260 genetic variants linked to these personality traits, which are also connected to certain life outcomes.

One example cited is variants associated with extraversion, which have been linked to an increased risk of COVID infection during the early days of the pandemic. Conversely, those with variants tied to agreeableness were found to be less likely to be suspended from school. Additionally, high conscientiousness variants were associated with increased daytime activity, while variants related to openness to experience and extraversion were connected to being a night owl.

The study's authors, including Ted Schwaba from Michigan State University, emphasize that there is no single "personality gene." Instead, personality traits are influenced by numerous genetic variants, and even the most significant effects of individual variants are relatively small. For instance, a variant associated with more extraversion might only shift someone from the 50th to the 50.35th percentile in extraversion scores.

The researchers also note that personality is moderately heritable, accounting for 4.8 to 9.3 percent of the variation in a given personality trait. Despite these small genetic nudges, the collective impact suggests they contribute to a wider range of outcomes. The team hopes that future researchers will consider incorporating personality traits into their respective fields, such as medical professionals examining the link between neuroticism and hospitalization time, or vocational researchers exploring the relationship between openness to experience and income or job-switching tendencies.