Infidelity and genetics: the surprising connection
updated the 14 July 2015 à 18:33Some of us are predisposed to infidelity. Such is the conclusion of an Australian study, which will not delight those who have already been affected by adultery. It also raises serious questions about the influence of genetics on our behavior.
There is no longer a need to justify yourself when deceiving your partner. According to a study led by psychologists from the University of Queensland in Australia, it is now sufficient to say: “it is not my fault, it is in my genes“. Quoted by the English newspaper Telegraph, Brendan Zietsch, who was in charge of this research, explains: “our study shows clearly that the genetic profile of individuals influences their tendency to sleep with somebody other than their partner”. The psychologist goes on to add: “there are hundreds of genes which influence our behaviour, and it is difficult to isolate one in particular. But, for once, we were able to isolate in the woman’s a specific gene, which plays a large part in infidelity“.
INFIDELITY, HEREDITY AND… MORALity
To arrive at this conclusion, the researchers studied the behavior of more than 7300 twins who were all in committed relationships, aged between 18 and 49 years old. More than 9.8 % of the men and 6.4 % of the women had had one or several extra-marital affairs during the previous 12 months. After sorting out the identical and the fraternal twins, the researchers were able to consider that infidelity correlates with genetic peculiarities in 63 % of the men and 40 % of the women studied. By looking further, they discovered that the women might be more inclined to deceive their partners as they possess a certain variation on a gene, named AVPRIA. This gene is involved in the production of a hormone known to modulate behaviour. Beyond an unfortunate tale of adultery, this discovery raises another problem: Where does genetic predisposition stop and individual responsibility begin? As infidelity is not a disease, we cannot deny our responsibility by alluding to our heredity. This is a question on which researchers would do well to work before morals fluctuate at the mercy of genetic variations.
Maureen Diament
