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GENETIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO POSITIVE AFFECT: INSIGHTS FROM ADOLESCENT TWINS
Diane C Gooding1,2, Mollie N Moore1, Madeline J Pflum1
1Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
Affective Science
|March 25, 2022
Summary
This study found that the Anticipatory and Consummatory Interpersonal Pleasure Scale (ACIPS-A) has moderate heritability in adolescents. Genetic factors significantly influence social pleasure and its overlap with other positive affect measures.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Genetics
- Psychiatry
- Adolescent Psychology
Background:
- Clinical disorders often involve reduced positive affect and social reward.
- Understanding the genetic and environmental influences on interpersonal pleasure is crucial for mental health research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the genetic and environmental underpinnings of the Anticipatory and Consummatory Interpersonal Pleasure Scale (ACIPS-A) in adolescents.
- To investigate the relationship between ACIPS-A and other measures of positive affect using a genetically informative design.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a sample of 177 MZ and 136 DZ adolescent twins from the Wisconsin Twin Project.
- Administered self-report questionnaires including ACIPS-A, BAS, Psychological Well-Being Scale, and EATQR.
- Employed structural equation modeling and bivariate biometric analyses to assess genetic and environmental contributions.
Main Results:
- The ACIPS-A demonstrated moderate heritability.
- Additive genetic and unique environmental effects (AE models) provided the most parsimonious explanation for the data.
- Phenotypic intercorrelations between ACIPS-A and other positive affect measures were moderately positive and showed significant genetic components.
Conclusions:
- The ACIPS-A captures unique heritable variation related to social pleasure.
- Shared genetic variance exists between ACIPS-A and other positive affectivity measures.
- Findings highlight the significant genetic influence on adolescent interpersonal pleasure and its relationship with broader positive affect.
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