Do Genetics Have Anything to Do With Risk Taking?
You are enjoying a hot summer day with your friends at the local river and they encourage you to scurry up a steep pile of rocks with them. At the top they begin to take turns urging one another to jump and plunge into the water below. Your heart is racing. It looks fun, and the water there appears calm and deep enough, but it could be dangerous. Your brain races through a semi-subconscious risk-benefit analysis: To jump or not to jump?
What makes one person more prone to risk than others? Is it how you grew up or your genetics? Or maybe it is a bit of both. To start, what we know for sure is animals, including humans, have different levels of risk and loss aversion behaviors. Some people seem to love the thrill of fun activities with some potential risk, from extreme sports to online casino slots while others are much happier staying in their comfort zone. What seems to be agreed upon is that environmental factors and upbringing definitely shape this part of us, but do our genes have an influence as well?
The Science
In short, there are definitely a few genes that have been linked to risk-taking behavior in various studies, but genetics are extremely complicated. This study for example uncovered various genes tied to risk taking behavior. Interestingly, they also found that the same genes that may make us risk-prone can also lead to obesity, addiction, and mental illness. This means that people may be genetically predisposed to having more fun betting on a sports game with melbet slot while others would rather just watch – but that isn’t the only factor influencing how you make decisions.
This scientific review for example, both recognizes the genetic component of risk taking that scientists are uncovering and cautions that there is a lot of research to be done on understanding how genetics interact with our environment to produce our personalities and decision making processes.
Genetically Predisposed Does Not Mean Certain
It is important to note that just because you have a genetic predisposition to something does not mean it defines your personality. Genetics are extremely complicated since the expression of genes can be changed a lot by our environment. As an example, someone who is at higher risk of heart disease because of genetics can live a healthy lifestyle and avoid it all together – the same goes for how many factors in your life – such as your family, upbringing, past experiences – will impact the level of risk-taker you are.
End Thoughts
As the field of genetics continues to improve we are understanding more about how our genetics influence our lives. At the same time, we also learn more about just how complicated it all is. At the end of the day, there are genes that can be linked to risk taking behavior and therefore people who may be predisposed to being more risky, but environmental factors still have a huge part in developing our decision making. It will be interesting to see what we uncover next!
