Attraction to the similars: For all three relations, friendships, casual/short-term, & long-term, what counts is political views, career goals, food preferences, travel desires, & music preferences

 Domains of Similarity and Attraction in Three Types of Relationships. Stanislav Treger, James N. Masciale. Interpersona, 2018, Vol. 12(2), 254–266, doi:10.5964/ijpr.v12i2.321

Abstract: For decades, social scientists have observed that people greatly desire a partner who is similar to themselves. Less is known, however, about whether particular similarity domains (e.g., music preferences) may uniquely influence relationship formation. We address this gap by examining people’s preferences for 18 similarity domains in three types of relationships: friendships, casual/short-term, and long-term. The most important similarity domains, across the three relationship types, were political views, career goals, food preferences, travel desires, and music preferences. General similarity was most important in long-term rather than in friendships and casual/short-term relationships, with the latter two relationship types not differing from one another. This pattern emerged for all similarity domains with four exceptions: preferences for books, video games, computer brands, and cell phone brands. No sex differences emerged in similarity domains except in preferences in video games and brands of cell phones and computers. Men rated these domains to be more important than did women. All three of these differences were of relatively small effect size. We tie this work into the larger body of research on similarity and preferences for partner traits.

Keywords: attraction, mate preferences, similarity

Molecular-genetic correlates of hostile behavior in the young: robust relationships between propensity to hostile behavior with a low-active variant of the monoamine oxidase enzyme gene MAOA-A (LPR)

Molecular-genetic correlates of hostile behavior in teenagers and young adults. G.Avanesyan et al. International Journal of Psychophysiology, Volume 131, Supplement, October 2018, Page S67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2018.07.197

Studying the problem of hostile behavior of people representing different age, ethnic, and cultural groups is becoming increasingly relevant, especially in complex and conflicted societies. To date, this field of research suffers from substantial shortage of studies that explore the relationships between hereditary factors and such psychological characteristic as “hostility.” Of a particular interest is the issue of the connection between the polymorphism of the MAOA gene (often associated with the development of such hereditary complications as mental disorders, dependencies, depression, and asocial traits) and the psychological characteristics of hostile strategies in behavior. The purpose of the study: To analyze the associations of the polymorphism of the MAOA gene with hostile behavior among adolescents and young adults. Participants, materials and method: 285 male adolescents and young adults (aged 12-19) composed the study sample. The Buss-Durkee Hostility inventory scales (in adaptation of A.K Osnitsky, 1998) were used as a measure of hostility. As a gene-candidate, the genotypes and alleles of the gene determining the work of the monoamine oxidase (MAOA) enzyme were considered. Isolating genomic DNA from buccal epithelium cells was used as a method for determining polymorphic variants of MAOA gene. Further statistical analysis and data processing were carried out using the PSPP program 0.8.5 and the program STATISTICA 6.1.478.

Study results: a low-active variant of the MAOA gene is found in 18% of the participants, high-activity variant in 63%. In 98% of young adults who have allele 3 (low enzyme activity), a high level of hostility is detected (according to the Buss-Durkee technique). The results of the single-factor analysis of variance, where the genetic parameters acted as an independent variable, and the dependent variables were different forms of manifestation of hostility, indicate the presence of robust relationships (F = 24.30, p b0.05) between propensity to hostile behavior with a low-active variant of the monoamine oxidase enzyme gene MAOA-A (LPR). Among the genetic polymorphisms of the MAOA gene that determine the risk of aggressive and hostile behavior, the low-active variant of the monoamine oxidase gene MAOA-A (LPR) plays the most important role in adolescents and young adults.

Biological Processes Modulating Longevity across Primates: A Phylogenetic Genome-Phenome Analysis

Biological Processes Modulating Longevity across Primates: A Phylogenetic Genome-Phenome Analysis. Gerard Muntané et al. Molecular Biology and Evolution, Volume 35, Issue 8, 1 August 2018, Pages 1990–2004, https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msy105

Abstract: Aging is a complex process affecting different species and individuals in different ways. Comparing genetic variation across species with their aging phenotypes will help understanding the molecular basis of aging and longevity. Although most studies on aging have so far focused on short-lived model organisms, recent comparisons of genomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic data across lineages with different lifespans are unveiling molecular signatures associated with longevity. Here, we examine the relationship between genomic variation and maximum lifespan across primate species. We used two different approaches. First, we searched for parallel amino-acid mutations that co-occur with increases in longevity across the primate linage. Twenty-five such amino-acid variants were identified, several of which have been previously reported by studies with different experimental setups and in different model organisms. The genes harboring these mutations are mainly enriched in functional categories such as wound healing, blood coagulation, and cardiovascular disorders. We demonstrate that these pathways are highly enriched for pleiotropic effects, as predicted by the antagonistic pleiotropy theory of aging. A second approach was focused on changes in rates of protein evolution across the primate phylogeny. Using the phylogenetic generalized least squares, we show that some genes exhibit strong correlations between their evolutionary rates and longevity-associated traits. These include genes in the Sphingosine 1-phosphate pathway, PI3K signaling, and the Thrombin/protease-activated receptor pathway, among other cardiovascular processes. Together, these results shed light into human senescence patterns and underscore the power of comparative genomics to identify pathways related to aging and longevity.

Keywords: evolution, longevity, primates, genotype-phenotype, aging

Kay and Ross (2003) priming findings not replicable, despite counting on higher power

Testing the effect of cooperative/competitive priming on the Prisoner’s Dilemma. A replication study. Anabel Belaus, Cecilia Reyna, Esteban Freidin. PLOS, Dec 20, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0209263

Abstract: The replicability crisis in psychology demands direct replications to test the reliability of relevant phenomena. Prime-to-behavior effects have been an area under intense scrutiny given its surprising results. However, intuitive unsurprising effects have been mostly neglected, while they may lack robustness as well. In the present study, we focused on an intuitive prime-to-behavior effect in which Kay and Ross (2003) used a 2x2 design to test cooperation/competition priming crossed with an explicit/non-explicit construal of a Prisoner’s Dilemma (PD). They found a stronger assimilation effect of priming when the situational construal anteceded the decision, but we could not reproduce their findings in the present close replication, despite counting on higher power. Even with limitations due to the unavailability of original materials, this replication presents evidence that questions the existence of the original finding, and highlights the need for further replications to get a deeper understanding of the hypothesized effect. The complete project is available at: https://osf.io/dhfns/.