Shy or show-off: It's not just genetics
What makes one person introverted and another the life of the party? New research suggests social experiences—not just heredity—play a big role.
Researchers tested whether the variables of strength and attractiveness actually predicted extraversion levels. They found that, between the sexes and among the different samples, the variables explained approximately 20 to 40 percent of the variance. That's much higher than identified genes, which typically only explain 1 to 3 percent of variance.
“If you’re getting feedback that says you’re attractive, it makes sense to play an extraverted strategy,” says James Roney, associate professor of psychology at University of California, Santa Barbara, and the paper’s co-author. “If you’re getting feedback that you’re less attractive, then it makes sense to be introverted. The same is true for strength, especially for men.”
Full story at Futurity.
