We know that our individual interests and cultural tastes develop and are shaped over time, especially with the influence of our social environment. At the same time, it is obvious that what we ‘see’ from our family also has an effect in this direction.
What about enjoying classical music or being interested in visual arts; Could it be our genes to enjoy watching an opera or having fun at a rock concert? Before we were even born, the answer is yes, according to a possible recent study on this topic! Moreover, the effect is much more than you can imagine.
1,200 twins were studied for the effects of genes on our cultural tastes
Research led by Professor Mads Meier Jæger and associate professor Stine Møllegaard from the sociology department of the University of Copenhagen, explores our cultural tastes and interests. They sought an answer to the question of how our fields are shaped.
A study of 1,200 twins, 466 of whom were identical and 734 of whom were fraternal, gave interesting answers to this question. Choosing genetically identical identical twins and fraternal twins sharing 50% of their genes in this study provided the necessary conditions for genetic effects to be observed.
The results revealed that the influence of our genes is much higher than you would expect
Identical and fraternal twins were surveyed to map their interest in 12 different cultural activities. The results revealed that different cultural tastes are affected by genes, family and social environment at different rates.
- Accordingly, our interest in ‘high culture’ activities such as classical music, opera and ballet is inherited by our genes with a rate of 54%. Family ‘environmental impact’ is 16% for these events. The impact of our social environment is 30%.
- The effect of the social environment is greater for the interest in popular culture and individual pleasures in this direction; 29% genes, 23% family-related environmental effects, 48% social environment.
- The last group included in the research is what we can call ‘subculture’; an interest in, for example, stand-up or rock music. The situation regarding the interest in such subcultural elements is as follows; 30% genes, 33% family-related environmental effects, 37% social environment.
According to the study, which also provides detailed data for the interest in literature and music, 46% of genes, 54 social environment in music; In literature, 43% of genes and 57% of social environment are prominent. There is no family-related environmental impact in this chart.
As a result; Inherited genetic influences influence our cultural development and preferences
With this study, researchers argue that inherited genetic influences on cognitive skills and personality traits underlie various cultural preferences. In other words, apart from all environmental effects, we have a genetic interest and predisposition to certain cultural activities and species. But the study does not answer the question of how genes influence cultural taste. This is a brand new field that needs to be examined and a question that needs to be answered.
I wonder which gene is being transferred, how is this possible? Is there a specific gene that determines our cultural tastes or is it a completely different scenario? New scientific research will answer these questions.
Children are not born ‘culturally equal’
The results of the research show that not every baby is born equal in terms of cultural disposition either. However, especially considering that the influence of the social environment is not to be underestimated, the transformation and development of genetic interests and orientations continue from the developmental age to adulthood. So while genes are very influential, they are not everything.
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