How genetic inheritance causes us to “fall short”

Beginning in the 1980’s and continuing until the present time, research studies on identical twins have found ways to measure how commonly “heritable” various personality traits can be. After comparing large numbers of identical and fraternal twins, one study statistically determined, for example, that happiness is an 80% inherited trait (George Howe Colt, “Were you born that way?”1998). As another source described it, these twin studies have “found the invisible hand of genetic influence helping… Continue reading →