Ethnic culture gene?

[DoctorT]

Hi!

 

I am looking for peer-reviewed sources (e.g., scholarly articles) about genes associated with ethnic culture, if any.

 

Thank you.

[chadn737]

What do you mean about ethnic culture? Genes don't determine specific beliefs or cultural practices.

[DoctorT]

Dear Chadn737,

 

Thank you for your prompt reply.

 

Research supports that some personality traits and some human behaviors are embedded in the human genome. One might then infer that some cultural traits may also be embedded.

 

Dr. T

[Strange]

Research supports that some personality traits and some human behaviors are embedded in the human genome.

 

That is true. But, as far as I know, those traits are universal.

 

One might then infer that some cultural traits may also be embedded.

I have never seen anything that might support such a hypothesis. What evidence there is seems to contradict it; for example, people from any genetic background can learn any language (and other aspects of an adopted culture).

[chadn737]

Dear Chadn737,

 

Thank you for your prompt reply.

 

Research supports that some personality traits and some human behaviors are embedded in the human genome. One might then infer that some cultural traits may also be embedded.

 

Dr. T

 

Behavior is a complex trait and arises from complex interactions of genetics and environment. Again it depends upon what you mean by "cultural trait". A specific cultural practices cannot be genetically determined, but underlying behaviors that dispose one towards something may have a genetic basis.

[overtone]

Somewhere out there, and I leave you to find it, is a study of a genetically inherited predisposition to seek physical adventure - take physical risks, get bored in safety, require or at least more strongly desire and seek and enjoy physical danger.

 

The prevalenced of the somatic expression/indication (reaction to loud noise as an infant, etc) of what is presumed to be a genetic complex or set of alleles etc has been measured across various cultures, and found to vary by culture - in particular, to be greater among the descendants of the pioneer Europeans in North America. The explanation is self-selection for migration, pioneering endeavor, in the era of European exploration and settlement of the continent (it would also apply to the emigration of black people from the Confederacy in the Jim Crow era, the settlement of New Zealand by the Maoris as well as the Europeans, etc.) The suggestion has been made that this has had some influence on the development of what people recognize as an "American" culture.

 

Good luck.

[CharonY]

The beginning of the post is kind of correct, although the gene in question is not really a cultural one. Variations of DRD4 alleles have been associated with novelty seeking, but also of ADHD. The precise mechanisms remain speculative. The next paragraph pretty much breaks down especially with reference to European pioneers in North America.

 

In order to understand the patterns much longer time spans have to be taken into account. A study by Chen et al (Evolution and Human Behavior Volume 20, Issue 5, September 1999, Pages 309–324) has shown that prevalence of a long allele variation is indeed associated with migration, but over much longer distances and timescales. For instance, the highest prevalence is found in the Americas, but from populations that came from Asia (e.g. Ticuana, Karitiana, Quechuan, Cheyenne). The average frequencies of North Americans (just to avoid confusion, of course natives Americans are meant here) is about 32% for the long alleles, in South America 69%. There is the usually caveat with how populations are assigned etc. but as a whole there appears indeed to be a correlation between the long variant frequency and migratory patterns of certain populations. Note that this does not indicate a gene for a given culture as all humans have that gene. It is just that certain allele frequencies are more common than in other population. Conversely it means that if someone has a certain allele one cannot assign the individual with certainty to a given population.

 

Europeans had a lower frequency (around 20ish) but there was no significant difference between populations emigrated to the US and those in their original countries. This was taken as evideence that the pattern did not emerge from founder effects but rather due to selection (I have no idea what self-selection is means in this context). I.e. in populations where a sedentary lifestyle is more beneficial e.g. by developing strategies to utilize limited resources novelty-seeking could be selected against (as being too wasteful), whereas the opposite may be the case in populations that rely on exploration and migration (which may include nomadic lifestyles) the opposite may be the case.

But again, the time frame we are talking about are in the order of millenia. Relatively modern emigration does not really factor in. Especially considering that the selective forces are/were quite different ten thousand years ago that would have shaped the DRD4 frequencies.