The Biogeographic Origins of Novelty-Seeking Traits

Arbeitspapier

This paper empirically investigates the biogeographic determinants of the human DRD4 exon III locus, a particular gene variant associated with the human personality trait of novelty-seeking behavior. Providing a novel compilation of worldwide DRD4 exon III allele frequencies in a large sample of indigenous populations around the world, this study employs population-specific biogeographic characteristics using hig h-resolution geospatial data. The estimates suggest that migratory distance from East Africa naturally selects for specific novelty-seeking traits, even controlling for a broad range of biogeographic determinants. Notably, land suitability for pastoral nomadism is significantly related to DRD4 exon III diversity. This result provides further credence to the general observation that novelty-seeking traits are quite common in nomadic populations, explaining why some societies failed to settle and to develop centralized states.

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• Sprache: Englisch

Verweise und Beziehungen

• Erschienen in: Series: Oldenburg Discussion Papers in Economics ; No. V-366-14

Klassifikation und Themen

• Klassifikation: Wirtschaft ; Economic History: Agriculture, Natural Resources, Environment, and Extractive Industries: General, International, or Comparative ; Economic Development: General ; Cultural Economics; Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology: General
• Thema: Novelty-Seeking Behavior ; Entrepreneurial Traits ; Biogeography ; Out of Africa Hypothesis ; Gene-Culture Co-Evolution ; Natural Selection

Beteiligte, Orts- und Zeitangaben

• Ereignis: Geistige Schöpfung
• (wer): Gören, Erkan
• Ereignis: Veröffentlichung
• (wer): University of Oldenburg, Department of Economics
• (wo): Oldenburg
• (wann): 2014

Weitere Informationen

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/105054