People Who Have These Personality Traits Likely Inherited Them
When it comes to genetics, there's far more than our eye and hair color that we inherit from our parents. Traits such as sneezing in the sun, craving sugary food, and music taste are just a few of the quirky things people exhibit because of their parents. Read on to see what other personality traits you didn't know are inherited.
Why Certain People Get A Sweet Tooth
Everyone has different tastes in food, but there are some people who can't get enough of the sugary treats. This could be due to a taste-receptor gene called TAS2R38.
Those who have this gene will experience more of a bitter taste when eating vegetables and will crave things that are sweeter. Those who don't have the gene will likely eat 200 more servings of vegetables per year.
Your Intelligence Depends On Your Parents
There are so many ways to measure intelligence, so it can be difficult to determine where genetics factor in. A study in Scientific American found that 50 percent of differences in intelligence in twins come from genetics.
The other half comes from their environment. This means that intelligent parents will likely teach their children ways to improve upon their already inherited intelligence.
How Parents Play A Part In Weight Management
There are two types of fat in your body. Brown fat is considered good because it increases your metabolism and helps you maintain a healthy weight. This is usually inherited from your mother.
White fat is the bad type of fat and it can cause obesity and disease because it's closer to your internal organs. This type of fat is inherited from your father.
How Do You Clasp Your Hands?
There's only a couple of ways to clasp your hands; whether it be the left over your right or vice versa. The preference of the hand position is genetically inherited.
Researchers found that about 55 percent of people are left-hand claspers, 44 percent are right-hand claspers, and one percent don't have a preference.
The Taste Of Cilantro Varies
One of the most unique traits people inherit is how they taste cilantro. Some love the taste, while others will experience a soapy flavor.
23andMe scientists found a genetic component to the cilantro taste perception where it affected olfactory receptors. Environment and gender also play a role with the most common groups disliking it being Ashkenazi Jews and females.
Do You Trust Others?
Your genetics play a decent part in how much you trust other people. According to a study of twins from researchers at the University of Arizona, they found that trust is 30 percent inheritable.
On the other hand, distrust is actually not inherited and is influenced by your social environment.
If You Can't Sleep At Night, You Can Thank Your Mother
About 30 percent of Americans regularly experience insomnia. Researchers at the University of Warwick discovered that insomnia can actually be inherited, but there's a catch.
People can only inherit insomnia on their mother's side. Insomnia can also be an environmental factor, especially with children. Since children tend to spend more time with their mother, they are bound to pick up on their sleeping habits.
The Onset Of Puberty Is Genetic
Puberty signals the time when children begin their journey into adolescence, but there's a wide range of ages when it can start. While both parents' genetics play a part in this, people should pay a little more attention to the paternal side.
Girls who started puberty before age eight and boys who started puberty before age nine can likely attribute it to a gene inherited from their father's side.
Music Taste Is Dependent On Your Parents
While the environment does heavily influence your taste in music, your genetics also play a significant role. A UK study on twins found that environment and genetics each account for about 50 percent of your music taste.
According to Little Things, this starts to change once you reach age 50. Then, your music taste becomes more influenced by your environment.
You May Be More Likely To Get Sweaty Palms
While many people tend to sweat through their palms if they feel nervous, there are some who will get sweaty for no reason.
Researchers at UCLA found that over two-thirds of people with hyperhidrosis, or "sweaty palms syndrome," have a family history of it. Not only can it show up in your hands, but can also be present in your feet.
Being A Bad Driver Could Be Linked To Your Genes
A study from the University of California, Irvine found that about 30 percent of people carry a gene that can make them bad drivers.
These people have less of the protein, BDNF, which helps the brain link memory to physical responses. Those with less BDNF also have a hard time correcting their mistakes and learning new motor skills.
How Mothers' Moods Affect Their Daughters
Something that mothers can pass on to their daughters is their mood. This is controlled by the corticolimbic system in the brain, which regulates emotions and deals with mood disorders such as depression.
It's less likely for a mother to pass this on to her sons or for fathers to pass it down to any of his children.
Your Ancestors Might've Given You Some Phobias
According to Buzzworthy, phobias are likely genetic memories that have been passed down over several generations from your ancestors. This occurs through chemical changes in your DNA.
Dr. Brian Dias did a study with mice and trained them to fear the smell of cherry blossoms. Later, he found that the fear was passed down to several generations.
Why Certain People Turn To Coffee
If you find yourself drinking a lot of coffee, then it could be genetic. A study in Scientific Reports found that those with more of the PDSS2 gene drank less caffeine.
This is because these people metabolize caffeine slower than average, so they don't need as much to get the effects.
Pain Tolerance Is Different For Everyone
One of the hardest things for researchers to measure is pain, because it's different for everyone. However, a study presented at the American Association of Neurology's annual meeting was able to figure out that pain tolerance is genetic.
This research will likely be used to help people who suffer from chronic pain.
What To Know Before Your Next Gender Reveal
The genes from the mother and father usually determine the gender of their children, but gender genes are inherited from the father.
A study in Evolutionary Biology found that fathers with more brothers will likely have sons and men with more sisters will likely have daughters. Other studies have shown that outside factors such as location, nutrition, and wealth can influence whether or not someone is having a boy or girl.
The Chances Someone Will Be A Gym Rat Or Couch Potato
The gym is very polarizing. While some people love going in and working out as much as they can, others avoid it as much as possible.
Those who find themselves avoiding the gym may have a gene that interferes with the release of dopamine. This neurotransmitter releases after you exercise and helps regulate the brain's pleasure and reward centers.
Facial Expressions Are Impacted By Genetics
Almost all of the physical traits someone has are determined by their genes and this includes facial expressions.
A report in Scientific American looked at people born blind and twins separated at birth and found that even those who were unable to physically see their parents exhibited similar facial expressions.
Do You Sneeze In The Sun?
Autosomal Dominant Compelling Heliopathic Outburst or ACHOO Syndrome occurs when someone starts sneezing after being exposed to bright lights. For example, being in a dark room and stepping outside during a sunny day could cause someone to start sneezing.
If someone has ACOO Syndrome, it means that their children have a 50 percent chance of getting it.
Athleticism Is Passed Down Through Your Genes
Being a great athlete takes a lot of practice, but there are other factors that can determine if someone will excel at sports.
According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, about 30 to 80 percent of athleticism is inherited from your parents. You can see this in families like the Curry's, who have three NBA players in the family: Dell Curry, Steph Curry, and Seth Curry.
