Genes, Security, Tolerance and Happiness

31 Pages Posted: 1 Jan 2014

See all articles by Ronald F. Inglehart

Ronald F. Inglehart

University of Michigan at Ann Arbor - Institute for Social Research (ISR); National Research University Higher School of Economics (Moscow)

Svetlana Borinskaya

Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) - Institute of General Genetics

Anna Cotter

University of Michigan at Ann Arbor

Jaanus Harro

University of Tartu - Division of Neuropsychopharmacology

Ronald Inglehart

University of Michigan at Ann Arbor

Eduard Ponarin

National Research University Higher School of Economics (Moscow)

Christian Welzel

Leuphana University of Lueneburg; LCSR

Date Written: December 30, 2013

Abstract

This paper discusses correlations between certain genetic characterestics of the human populations and their aggregate levels of tolerance and happiness. We argue that a major cause of the systematic clustering of genetic characteristics may be climatic conditions linked with relatively high or low levels of parasite. This may lead certain populations to develop gene pools linked with different levels of avoidance of strangers, which helped shape different cultures, both of which eventually helped shape economic development. Still more recently, this combination of distinctive cultural and economic and perhaps genetic factors has led some societies to more readily adopt gender equality and high levels of social tolerance, than others. More tolerant societies tend to be happier because they create a more relaxed environment conducive to happiness.

Keywords: genetic research, World Values Survey, happiness, tolerance

JEL Classification: E11

Suggested Citation

Inglehart, Ronald F. and Borinskaya, Svetlana and Cotter, Anna and Harro, Jaanus and Inglehart, Ronald and Ponarin, Eduard and Welzel, Christian, Genes, Security, Tolerance and Happiness (December 30, 2013). Higher School of Economics Research Paper No. WP BRP 31/SOC/2013, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2373161 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2373161

Ronald F. Inglehart

University of Michigan at Ann Arbor - Institute for Social Research (ISR) ( email )

Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1248
United States

National Research University Higher School of Economics (Moscow)

Myasnitskaya street, 20
Moscow, Moscow 119017
Russia

Svetlana Borinskaya

Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) - Institute of General Genetics ( email )

Leninsky Ave, 32а
Moscow, 119991
Russia

Anna Cotter

University of Michigan at Ann Arbor ( email )

500 S. State Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
United States

Jaanus Harro

University of Tartu - Division of Neuropsychopharmacology ( email )

Tiigi str. 78-347
50410 Tartu
Estonia

Ronald Inglehart

University of Michigan at Ann Arbor ( email )

Eduard Ponarin (Contact Author)

National Research University Higher School of Economics (Moscow) ( email )

Myasnitskaya street, 20
Moscow, Moscow 119017
Russia

Christian Welzel

Leuphana University of Lueneburg ( email )

Scharnhorststraße 1
Lüneburg, 21335
Germany

LCSR ( email )

Myasnitskaya street, 20
Moscow, Moscow 119017
Russia

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
359
Abstract Views
2,493
Rank
152,544
PlumX Metrics