Largest-Ever Genetic Study of Personality Finds 1,260 DNA Variants Tied to Traits
Researchers found 1,260 linked variants, but DNA explained only 7.4% to 10.6% of personality differences and predicted less than 4% of variation.
- On September 2, 2026, the Revived Genomics of Personality Consortium published a study in Nature identifying 1,260 genetic variants linked to Big Five personality traits using data from around 1.14 million participants across 46 cohorts.
- Led by Michigan State University's Ted Schwaba, the team combined personality and genetic data to investigate how genetics influence personality, confirming it is a combination of genetics and environment rather than genetics alone.
- The analysis revealed 824 previously unknown variants, with DNA accounting for only around 13% of personality variation. Genetic effects on personality were nearly identical between family members and unrelated people.
- Genetic variants associated with neuroticism predict increased hospital stays, while openness-linked variants correlate with career changes and income. Personality genetics now link to dozens of life outcomes including health, education, and longevity.
- The University of Bristol's Michel Nivard cautioned that individual personality is not measurable via genome, though genetics offers a tool to link personality to broader life outcomes across populations. Researchers hope the findings encourage other scientists to incorporate personality traits into their fields.
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18 Articles
Study identifes genetic variants that shape human personality traits
An international consortium of researchers found that more than 1,200 different genetic variants are associated with the Big Five personality traits - and surprisingly, these personality genetics are linked to dozens of life outcomes.
Personality Is Linked to Genes, New Study Finds
—Flavio Coelho—Getty ImagesWhen it comes to personality, humanity contains all sorts, from people who thrive on socializing to those who’d prefer to have a quiet cup of tea at home. Psychologists have found that five dimensions of personality, often termed the “Big Five,” are reliable descriptors of temperament. Given regular questionnaires about their lives and attitudes, people tend to score consistently across their lifetimes on extraversion,…
A person's way of being does not depend solely on his experiences, education or the environment in which he grows. Genetics also plays a role, although in a much more complex way than might suggest the idea that there is a "personality gene." A new study led by Michigan State University (United States) has identified 1,260 genetic variants associated with five broad personality traits.The work, published in the journal 'Nature', points out that …
A large-scale study analyzing over a million people concludes that the influence of the family environment on the development of curiosity or kindness is less than previously thought.
Writing Science, 2 Sep (EFE).- Genetics and the environment are interrelated when it comes to shaping personality, whose traits are associated with numerous genetic variants of which more than 1,200 have now been identified related to five great forms of being of a person. Personality genetics is more relevant [...] The entry Identify 1,200 genetic variants linked to five broad personality traits was first published in HolaNews.
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