Are Women Happier than men?
Posted By: Robert Biswas-Diener
Posted on: September 11, 2012
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Are women Happier than men?
2 weeks ago a landmark study was published in which a team of researchers identified a gene associated with happiness in women. The researchers worked with 152 men and 193 women, in racial and socioeconomic proportions that resemble the overall make-up of the USA. From this group they sampled happiness and saliva (from which they were able to analyze, and double check, genetic factors).
The researchers discovered the genetic marker MAOA-L was associated with happiness in women but not in men. MAOA-L resides on the x chromosome, and because women have two x chromosomes where men have an x and a y women are able to have a double marker whereas men can have one at the most. The research team found that women with two markers for MAOA-L (about 17% of women) were significantly happier than those women who had only one who were-in turn-significantly happier than those women who did not have this gene.
This is a major breakthrough because it is a step closer to understanding happiness at the genetic level. It is also interesting because in men MAOA-L is known as the "warrior gene." That's right, in men this same gene is directly associated with impassivity, aggression and anti-social personality traits.
A best guess-based on research-- about why these sex differences emerge: This genetic marker is activated by estrogen, a female hormone and affects the way the brain uses serotonin, a neurotransmitter closely associated with pleasurable feelings. For both men and women, however, it appears that this genetic marker interacts with early life experiences such that it makes people hypersensitive, fearful and-as a result-more aggressive. This trend is particularly pronounced in men, likely because MAOA-L interacts with the male hormone testosterone.
The take home message is that in the absence of life stresses women have a genetic advantage where happiness is concerned. This pans out in other research on happiness: Although sex differences account for only about 1% of happiness, there are large sex differences in the intensity of happiness. Women report higher highs and are more likely to say that they are "very happy" (as opposed to "moderately happy") than are men. See the CBS 2 minute video here: http://tinyurl.com/9bqnd7x
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