Is friendship determined by genetics?

January 17, 2011

Researchers mapped out friendship networks of more than 9,000 people. They were looking for the effects of six genes know to affect human behavior and two appear to affect friendships.

People with the genetic markers for the gene associated with alcoholism tended to cluster together within the friendship network. Those with markers for a gene linked with an open personality tended to avoid one another.

The study suggests biological makeup may predispose people toward friends.

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