The monogamy gene - what's all the buzz about really
There has been a lot of buzz surrounding what the media has pronounced to be "the monogamy gene". Basically, it seems our genetic code may contain a gene that makes an individual male more prone to being promiscuous.
Scientists at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden have done research around the gene coding the vasopressin receptor (determines the level of promiscuity) in 552 Swedish people, who were all involved in heterosexual relationships. Men with two copies of RS3 334 (a variation in a section of the gene) were more likely to be unmarried than men with one or none, and if they were married, they were twice as likely to have marriage crises. I won't go further into scientific details of the research, because you can read a pretty good write up about it here.
What's more important is that the finding has spawned numerous discussions and opinions around the Web. To my discontent, much of the media have already dubbed the gene "the cheating gene", and have already produced titles like "Men's Fidelity Controlled By Cheating Genetics" and "Cheating Men, is it in the Genes?". The thing is, a simple finding such as this has nothing to do whatsoever with being able to draw conclusions about whether men have a "cheating mechanism" built-in, or whether women can make sure they won't be "one of many" by checking their partner's gene for the abundance of the "cheating" predisposition. To be arrogant enough to draw conclusions from a small detail, while not seeing even a significant part of the big picture is in my opinion, well, irresponsible and immature. The vasopressin gene certainly presents an interesting direction for research of the human genetic map, but I am afraid that's all for now. Being monogamous is usually a much more complex phenomenon, and doesn't really boil down to "I got two RS3 334's therefore I am not capable of monogamous relationships". Promiscuous men will take refuge in the fact that they are "predisposed to polygamy", while women who don't want to work on keeping their man can take the easy way out - "he's got two RS3 334's so why should I bother".
I wouldn't even have written about this, was it not for the fact that gene testing is already available. I can see plenty of products and services appearing which will offer to "check" your partner for the "cheating gene". Think "dating service featuring single RS3 334 men" and "dating service featuring double RS3 334 men", which is another way of saying "interested in commitment" and "interested in casual relationships". Both already exist, both produce questionable results. The rule is that there are no rules in matters of the heart.
Do you have an opinion about this?