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Genetic Basis of Traits

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Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences

Abstract

It is no longer controversial that genetic differences account for individual differences in all human traits, such as personality traits: About 40–50% of variations are attributable to genetic sources. Heritability estimates are even larger for more accurate measures of personality characteristics. The combined consideration of molecular genetic study results and findings from different genetically informative family studies yields that the genetic basis of personality traits reflects many gene variants of small effects, which interact in complex ways among each other and with environmental factors. Moreover, individual differences in the genetic makeup drive individual differences in experiences and thus influence the course of individual trait development within the opportunities provided by the environment.

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Acknowledgment

The authors received support from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft KA 4088/2-1.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Psychology and Sports Science, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany

    Christian Kandler, Julia Richter & Alexandra Zapko-Willmes

  2. Department of Psychology, Medical School Berlin, Calandrellistraße 1-9, 12247, Berlin, Germany

    Christian Kandler & Alexandra Zapko-Willmes

Authors
  1. Christian Kandler
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  2. Julia Richter
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  3. Alexandra Zapko-Willmes
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christian Kandler .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Oakland University, Rochester, USA

    Virgil Zeigler-Hill

  2. Oakland University, Rochester, USA

    Todd K. Shackelford

Section Editor information

  1. University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

    Ilan Dar-Nimrod

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Kandler, C., Richter, J., Zapko-Willmes, A. (2017). Genetic Basis of Traits. In: Zeigler-Hill, V., Shackelford, T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_1473-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_1473-1

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-28099-8

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