Political Heredity
A new study from New York University shows that part of your political preference is written in your DNA. “40, perhaps 50, percent of our political beliefs seem to have a basis in genetics,” said Josh Hibbing, who contributed to the study.
Hibbing’s research [.pdf file here] showed that identical twins were more likely to share political beliefs than fraternal twins, regardless of how they were raised. DNA does not “hardwire” the belief itself, it merely affects how a person responds to a given situation. A control-happy neat-freak is far more likely to be a conservative because he or she prefers order and the comfort of the familiar, whereas a touchy-feely, globe-trotting artist is more likely to be a liberal because he or she enjoys new experiences.
“Dem or Repub? Half of the Answer is in Your Genes,” by Jen Phillips