Evidence for shared genetic dominance between the general factor of personality, mental and physical health, and life history traits

Twin Res Hum Genet. 2009 Dec;12(6):555-63. doi: 10.1375/twin.12.6.555.

Abstract

We reanalyze previously published data on 309 MZ and 333 DZ twin pairs aged 25 to 74 years from the MIDUS survey, a nationally representative archived sample, to examine how much of the genetic covariance between a general factor of personality (GFP), a lower-order life history factor, and a general physical and mental health factor, is of the nonadditive variety. We found nonadditive genetic effects (D) could not be ruled out as a contributor to the shared variance of these three latent factors to a Super-K Life History factor. We suggest these genetic correlations support the view that a slow (K-selected) life history strategy, good health, and the GFP coevolved and are mutually coadapted through directional selection.

Publication types

  • Twin Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Biological Evolution*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mental Health*
  • Middle Aged
  • Personality / physiology*
  • Physical Fitness / physiology*
  • Twins, Dizygotic / genetics*
  • Twins, Monozygotic / genetics*