Genes 'influence our happiness'
Updated on 05 March 2008
Happiness levels throughout life are strongly influenced by the genes people were born with, researchers have said.
A University of Edinburgh-led study of 900 pairs of twins found a person's genetic makeup was around 50% responsible for how content they were.
The other 50% was linked to external factors, such as relationships, health and careers.
The Edinburgh researchers worked with academics at the Queensland Institute for Medical Research in Australia.
The teams discovered that people who did not excessively worry and who were sociable and conscientious tended to be happier.
The research also suggested that those lucky enough to have the right inherited personality mix could have an "affective reserve" of happiness which could be called upon in stressful times.
Dr Alexander Weiss, of the University of Edinburgh's school of philosophy, psychology and language science, said: "Together with life and liberty, the pursuit of happiness is a core human desire.
"Although happiness is subject to a wide range of external influences we have found that there is a heritable component of happiness which can be entirely explained by genetic architecture of personality."
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