Title:      The MAOA Gene Predicts Credit Card Debt

Authors:    Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, James Fowler

Entrydate:  2009-08-18 14:40:12

Keywords:   

Abstract:   This article presents the first evidence of a
specific gene predicting real world economic behavior. Using
data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health,
we show that individuals with a polymorphism of the MAOA gene
that has lower transcriptional efficiency are significantly more
likely to report having credit card debt. Having one or both MAOA
alleles of the low efficiency type raises the average likelihood
of having credit card debt by 7.8% and 15.9% respectively. About
half of our population has one or both MAOA alleles of the low
type. Prior research has linked this genetic variation to lack
of conscientiousness, impulsivity, and addictive behavior.

http://polmeth.wustl.edu/retrieve.php?id=932

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