This Explains a Whole Lot

I was just going to post a quick teaser for my next post (all about our fabulous mini trip this weekend), but I ran across this article titled "Scientists Find Link Between Gene and Ruthless Behavior". I wondered if the word "Gene" referred to a person by that specific name or was it referencing the human gene. I was secretly rooting for ruthless behavior to be linked to some guy somewhere in the mid-west named Gene. Man, what a jerk he would be, huh? All ruthless and selfish behavior linking back to him? I wasn't so lucky, turns out, all those jerks you know have a common gene.

Now I can be more understanding when certain people (not any of you) behave in such a way, that it makes me want to curl up in a ball, rock back and forth and mutter to myself until I've calmed down whenever they approach. It isn't really me you're upset with is it? You can't help it. It's in your genes.

I laughed out loud when I saw that scientists were actually studying ruthlessness. I gasped out loud when I realized that if I posted this finding, I would have ANOTHER scientific post on this blog. You are welcome.

Ruthless People

"Researchers at Hebrew University in Jerusalem have found a link between a gene called AVPR1a and ruthless behavior. These findings come from an economic exercise called the 'Dictator Game' that allows players to behave selflessly, or like national dictators and 'little Hitlers' found in workplaces the world over. The team decided to look at AVPR1a because it is known to produce receptors in the brain that detect vasopressin, a hormone involved in 'prosocial behavior. Researchers tested DNA samples from more than 200 student volunteers, before asking the students to play the game that measured their altruism. There was no connection between the participants' gender and their behavior but there was a link to the length of the AVPR1a gene."

Anyway, you can count this post as a pre-teaser, teaser!