The Role of Novelty-Seeking Traits in Contemporary Knowledge Creation

Arbeitspapier

This paper hypothesizes and empirically establishes the persistent effects of novelty-seeking traits on crosscountry differences in scientifc knowledge creation. I use data on the prevalence of specifc allele variants of the human DRD4 exon III gene, which population geneticists have linked to the human phenotype of novelty-seeking behavior to examine its relationship to scientifc knowledge creation in society. The results suggest a positive and statistically signifcant linear relationship between both outcomes that is consistent with the hypothesis that the prevalence of novelty-seeking traits in society facilitates scientifc knowledge creation through benefcial human behaviors related to risk-taking and explorative behavior. The empirical fndings remain qualitatively unaffected when controlling for additional historical, biogeographical, and socioeconomic factors that appear as additional important determinants in the creation of scientifc knowledge in society.

Objekt anzeigen

• Sprache: Englisch

Verweise und Beziehungen

• Erschienen in: Series: Oldenburg Discussion Papers in Economics ; No. V-402-17

Klassifikation und Themen

• Klassifikation: Wirtschaft ; Economic History: Transport, International and Domestic Trade, Energy, Technology, and Other Services: General, International, or Comparative ; Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights: General ; Economywide Country Studies: General ; Cultural Economics; Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology: General
• Thema: DRD4 Exon III ; Novelty-Seeking Traits ; Entrepreneurial Activity ; Knowledge Creation ; Technological Progress ; Economic Development ; Natural Selection ; Genetic Diversity

Beteiligte, Orts- und Zeitangaben

• Ereignis: Geistige Schöpfung
• (wer): Gören, Erkan
• Ereignis: Veröffentlichung
• (wer): University of Oldenburg, Department of Economics
• (wo): Oldenburg
• (wann): 2017

Weitere Informationen

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/171168