Genetic Strategies for Probing Conscientiousness and Its Relationship to Aging

Autor/inn/en	South, Susan C.; Krueger, Robert F.
Titel	Genetic Strategies for Probing Conscientiousness and Its Relationship to Aging
Quelle	In: Developmental Psychology, 50 (2014) 5, S.1362-1376 (15 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0012-1649
DOI	10.1037/a0030725
Schlagwörter	Genetics; Personality Traits; Aging (Individuals); Environmental Influences; Correlation; Molecular Structure; Health Behavior; Well Being; Etiology; Twins; Alcohol Abuse; Personality Measures; Scientific Research; Telephone Surveys + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Humangenetik; Individual characteristics; Personality characteristic; Persönlichkeitsmerkmal; Aging; Altern; Environmental influence; Umwelteinfluss; Korrelation; Health behaviour; Gesundheitsverhalten; Well-being; Wellness; Wohlbefinden; Ätiologie; Twin; Zwilling; Telephone interview; Telefoninterview
Abstract	Conscientiousness is an important trait for understanding healthy aging. The present article addresses how behavioral and molecular genetics methodologies can aid in furthering explicating the link between conscientiousness and aspects of health and well-being in later life. We review the etiology of conscientiousness documented by both quantitative and molecular genetics methods. We also discuss the ways behavior genetics can be used to continue to help refine the concept of conscientiousness and to help identify points of etiological overlap between conscientiousness and healthy aging outcomes. Phenotypic research has established nontrivial associations between conscientiousness and important outcomes, but behavior genetic methods can determine what the causal (genetic and environmental) mechanisms are behind these relationships. An empirical example of one of these techniques is provided using twin data from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study. We demonstrate that conscientiousness moderates genetic and environmental influences on problem alcohol use, such that greater levels of conscientiousness buffer against the random effects of the environment. Finally, suggestions for future work in this area are discussed. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01