Is The Secret To A Happy Marriage In Your DNA?
Are some people genetically predisposed to stay happily married? Researchers at UC Berkeley have found a major clue in our DNA.
Robert Levenson and his team have found a link between relationship fulfillment and a variation of the serotonin transporter gene — referred to as the “short allele.” The gene is involved in the regulation of serotonin in the brain and can predict whether a person is oblivious or sensitive to the emotional climate of their relationship.
The researchers have been following a group of 156 middle-aged and older couples since 1989. Every five years, the couples have come to UC Berkeley to report on their marital satisfaction and interact with one another in a lab setting while researchers code their conversations based on facial expressions, body language, tone of voice and topic of discussion.
FEATURING: Robert Levenson, Professor of Psychology, UC Berkeley
The research highlighted in this video has been supported in part by the National Institute on Aging and the National Institute of Mental Health.
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