Beliefs about genetic influences on prosocial and antisocial behavior in a U.S. sample

Genes are increasingly understood to influence behavior. Research—generally conducted among convenience samples— has suggested that genetic influences tend to be perceived as playing a greater role in positive (e.g. prosocial) behaviors than in negative (e.g. antisocial) behaviors. Several potential bases for this asymmetry have been explored previously. We examined, in a U.S. sample, whether an asymmetry in genetic attributions between prosocial and antisocial behavior would be observed, and if so, what might help to explain it. Results revealed that the asymmetry did occur and appeared to be robustly mediated by an asymmetry between how “natural” prosocial and antisocial behavior are perceived to be. Genetic attributions were also lower on average when the individual was described as African American, especially as an African American man. These findings provide further evidence that genetic attributions are endorsed selectively, in ways that appear to reflect pre-existing psychological motivations and views about human nature.