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Kids May Inherit Parents' Joy

Life experiences could change the genes passed on

By Ambreen Ali,  Newser User

Posted May 14, 2009 1:31 PM CDT

(Newser) – Kids with a sunny disposition may have inherited that attitude from happy parents, a scientist hypothesizes based on research showing that personal experiences can change the traits parents pass on to their kids. This could mean that parents’ pre-conception mental state influences the child, he contends. If that proves true, people may be able to pass on the joy they accumulate in life, LiveScience writes.

While life events still play an instrumental role in people’s moods, related studies have shown that certain personality-related genes predispose children to be happy. “There is a heritable component of happiness which can be entirely explained by genetic architecture of personality,” says a psychologist who led one of those studies.

Happy parents may pass on their joy to their kids, a researcher has hypothesized.
Happy parents may pass on their joy to their kids, a researcher has hypothesized.   (Shutter Stock)
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The genes that a child gets from its parents help shape that child's character. - Alberto Halabe Bucay, Research Center Halabe and Darwich

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COMMENTS
Showing 2 of 2 comments
TiredMemeCat
May 15, 2009 12:22 PM CDT
...or not.
kokuaguy
May 15, 2009 5:03 AM CDT
Thought you might find this interesting. I forgot to thank you for the card & the "happy faces." ;^)

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