Is Sluttiness Genetic?

Have you ever been in this situation — you meet some and you’re totally smitten. The relationship seems to be going great. The sex is great. You have fun together and you really think it might go somewhere. They make you feel alive and the future seems bright. Then, they cheat  on you and suddenly everything you thought you knew about them seems like a lie.  How could someone be great and do something so terrible? Is it in their genes? Here, we ask: Is sluttiness genetic?

Do you think it’s a choice? Let us know in the comments!

Genetics. While it may not account for the whole of promiscuous behavior, infidelity researchers believe infidelity may be clearly linked to genetic predisposition. In fact, they may have identified one gene in particular.

One night stands. In trying to fill in the whole picture that is promiscuity or the type of behavior that might move a person to use the term “slut” (for a male or female) frequent one night stands, when combined with infidelity stared to complete the puzzle.

One night stand gene. And now, much like cheating it seems the tendency to partake in one night stands can also be attributed to genetics, and not just genetics but a single gene that’s been called “the wanderlust gene."

Study. Finding published the scientific journal PLoS ONE were conducted by researchers from the State University of New York in Binghamton. What they found was a dopamine receptor associated with “pleasure seeking behavior.”

DRD4. The type of dopamine receptor they determined is associated with pleasure seeking behavior is called DRD4. Specifically, they believe the receptor can be associated with infidelity and one night stands.

New Study. A researcher named Justin Garcia and his team set out to determined whether DRD4 could influence peoples motivations for promiscuity and infidelity. They decided to conduct a study.

Parameters. 181 young adults were interviewed about subjects like relationships and seal behavior. Then, DNA samples were taken from all of the participants. 77 percent of them had sexual experience to speak of.

Results. The findings seemed to prove their hypothesis. 50 percent of the subjects that had a genetic variation of DRD4 called 7R+ had been unfaithful to their partner in the past.

Other people. Minus the 50 percent, only 22 percent of the remaining subjects who’d been unfaithful in the past did not have 7R+. This numbers prove that 7R+ and DRD4 have at least some influence.

Men and women. They also weighed the extent to which 7R+ influenced infidelity in men and women. What they found was that women are equally influenced to cheat by the presence of the gene.

Proven. As Medical News Today put it, these studies aren’t conclusive proof. “The researchers stressed that further and larger studies are required to confirm their findings. At this point it is not possible to confirm a cause-and-effect link between sexual behavior and genetic traits. “

Associative. The scientist stressed that the relationships are “associative.” This means that some with 7R+ won’t cheat and some whiteout 7R+ will cheat. Meaning, you don’t need to go get your new partner’s DNA tested to be sure they won’t cheat.

Addiction. 7R+ has been linked to other pleasure-seeking behaviors in the past. It’s been linked to addiction, alcoholism, gambling and interestingly, a love of horror films.

Animals. Most animals are not monogamous but even the animals that are monogamous, like some birds, often cheat. It seems that infidelity doesn’t discriminate between different species.

Benefit. The way Seeker puts it, we may be hardwired to cheat simply because there have always been genetic benefits to doing so. Moral objections aside, promiscuity can benefit a species because it often results in more progeny with greater genetic diversity. There are clear risks, such as having a higher chance of acquiring a sexually transmitted disease, but the genetic predisposition to play the field appears to be locked into the DNA of socially monogamous species, including humans.