Happiness in marriage is predetermined genetically

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A group of American scientists has published a work that states that how people are satisfied or dissatisfied with their marriage is determined by their genes.

Over the past half century, humanity has learned quite a lot about the mechanisms of storage and implementation of genetic information. And, if in the field of the material contribution of heredity, although not always, it can be evaluated quite accurately, then the role of genes in the intangible sphere of the psyche, emotions and behavior is much more complicated to evaluate and is generally quite ambiguous . Some studies argue that the nature of the relationship can partially be inherited. To assess the quality of marriage, the spouses themselves indicate inheritance from 13% to 28%.

Meanwhile, even without calculations, it is clear that a happy marriage is much better than unhappy. Scientists add oils into the fire, claiming that an unlucky marriage increases the risk of problems with both mental and physical health.

Most of us are familiar with pairs that often quarrel, but at the same time they are satisfied and perfectly feel. In others, the mood spoils even from the minimum number of negative emotions. At the same time, a favorable emotional background in some causes delight, and leaves some relatively indifferent. It turns out that the connection between the emotional climate in marriage and the subjective sensations of the spouses is not so unambiguous.

People with two short fragments of Gena were more upset when they watched films in which the heroes had trouble.

The new study states that the nature of this connection is affected by the structure of the regulatory region of the gene encoding a serotonin conveyor - a protein that regulates the return of the neurotransmitter serotonin to the neuron from which the signal comes. The shorter version of the regulatory region reduces the amount of protein-transporter and serotonin longer remains in the synaptic gap, the nervous impulse is more powerful. In fact, for options for the structure of this gene, a connection with many features of behavior is shown. With a shorter option, a more acute response to stress correlates: more frequent development of depression and a higher percentage of suicides. People with two short fragments (and each gene is present in the body in two copies, one of which goes from the father, and the other from the mother), they were more upset when they watched films in which the heroes had troubles. Such people also reacted more emotionally, were more angry and surprised, falling into an awkward situation.

The authors traced the relationship of the structure of this gene with how the spouses evaluate their marriage. The study was started in 1989. It turned out that the carriers of two short options (17%of them turned out to be) experience more acute sensations. They are much happier when everything is good, and they are much more worried if something goes wrong. The carriers of at least one long option reacted much more calmly on the ups and downs of family life. This connection was especially strong for middle and older people. The authors separately emphasize that it cannot be said that one of these options is definitely better, they are simply different.

This kind of research gives a new content when considering issues of satisfaction in psychiatry and psychology. In addition, taking into account the individual characteristics of the consumer, its genetically predetermined patterns of behavior, should be the basis for the development of successful marketing decisions.