Todays study,published in the journal Translational Psychiatry, brings them a bit closer.
23andMe provided the saliva of 46,861 customers, and all of the subjects also completed an online EQ test.
The average self-reported EQ score was 46.4 out of 80, which is in line with previous studies.
The findings also suggest a narrow but significant correlation between DNA and empathy variance.
But its not clear exactly how those DNA differences cause differences in empathy.
In other words, the search for a specific empathy gene continues.
The scattered nature of the results may mean that genes affect empathy in a way we dont yet understand.
These results offer a fascinating new perspective on the genetic influences that underpin empathy, he said.
What Genes Have to Do With Empathy
So how might genes influence empathy?
Previous research gives us some clues.Genes give the body directions for making different kinds of proteins.
Another found that genetic factors accounted for 35 percent of the difference in peoples empathy.
(Read about these studies and othershere.)
The new study also validated previous findings about empathy differences in people with autism, schizophrenia, and anorexia.
They note that this may be because the dataset is still too smalla common problem with genome-wide association studies.
Even with this amount of data from 23andMe, its still not enough.
We need even bigger data, saidDr.
Given the complexity of the brain, there will be no quick and easy answers found.
Its still not enough.
We need even bigger data, said Dr. Jean Kim.
Studies like this one are part of many small steps toward better understanding of human behavior, she said.
