Monoamine oxidase A gene (MAOA) predicts behavioral aggression following provocation

摘要: Monoamine oxidase A gene (MAOA) has earned the nickname “warrior gene” because it been linked to aggression in observational and survey-based studies. However, no controlled experimental studies have tested whether warrior actually drives behavioral manifestations of these tendencies. We report an experiment, synthesizing work psychology economics, which demonstrates that occurs with greater intensity frequency as provocation is experimentally manipulated upwards, especially among low activity MAOA (MAOA-L) subjects. In this study, subjects paid punish those they believed had taken money from them by administering varying amounts unpleasantly hot (spicy) sauce their opponent. There some evidence a main effect for genotype environment interaction, such less associated occurrence condition, but significantly predicts behavior high situation. This new genetic influences on punishment complicates characterizations humans “altruistic” punishers supports theories cooperation propose mixed strategies population. It also suggests important implications role individual variance factors contributing everyday behaviors decisions.