Exactly how these tendencies arise, and the extent to which they are the result of nature or nurture, are areas of active research. Now, in a paper published in Nature on September 2, scientists who examined the genes of more than a million people who also took personality questionnaires have revealed a swath of genetic variants linked to each of the Big Five traits. This information opens the door to research into the intersection of personality and biology, helping to answer questions about how we become who we are.
To overcome these problems, the authors of the new study reached out to scientists around the world who manage repositories of data that include both genomic information and information about personality.
What did researchers find?
The study revealed more than 1,000 genetic variants that appear to contribute to personality. Because the data came with all sorts of information about the people in the study—including, in some cases, the area where they lived, how much they walked a day, how other people rated them on personality questionnaires, and other measures—the researchers could see links between personality traits, genetic variants, and other parts of people’s lives as well.
Personality was also linked to where people lived in midlife, the researchers found, using information from the UK Biobank that included home location. Those with genetic profiles linked to greater openness to new experience tended to end up in cosmopolitan cities, while those higher on neuroticism gravitated to affluent suburbs.
Many, many genes—more than were identified in this study—are probably involved, influencing a variety of pathways in the brain, Nivard says. “That must be the case, given how diffuse we find those genetic effects to be.”
What’s next for genetics and personality research?
Understanding the genetic variants playing into each trait may help psychologists and neuroscientists further explore the basic neurobiology of personality. “There’s this endless debate on whether our body and our experiences shape our personality, or whether personality shapes our experience. I'm super excited to go and use these results to dig into those kinds of questions,” says Nivard.
If you’d like to find out more about your own personality, the best way is still an academically validated Big Five test, Nivard says—not a genomic test. “There is no better way to know about your personality than to take a personality test,” says Nivard. “They're really good. They're not perfect, but they're way better than anything we could ever do with genetics.”
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