Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 11, 2025

The Social Dimension of Stress: Experimental Manipulations of Social Support and Social Identity in the Trier Social Stress Test
Published on: November 19, 2015
Genetic Influence on Social Support: A Twin Study
Bodine M A Gonggrijp1,2, Steve G A van de Weijer1, Jenny van Dongen2,3
1Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Abstract:
Social support is often considered an environmental factor affecting health, especially in aging populations. However, its genetic underpinnings suggest a more complex origin. This study investigates the heritability of social support through applying a threshold model on data of a large adult sample of twins (N = 8019) from the Netherlands Twin Register, collected between 2009 and 2011. The study employed the Duke - UNC Functional Social Support Questionnaire to assess social support quality. Our analysis revealed genetic contributions to social support, with heritability estimated at 37%, without a contribution of shared environment and no differences between men and women in heritability. The study's results underscore the complexity of social support as a trait influenced by genetic and environmental factors, challenging the notion that it is solely an environmental construct.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Behavioral Genetics and Its Designs
The primary methodologies used in behavior genetics include family studies, twin studies, and adoption studies, each providing unique...
Heritability
Gene-Environment Interactions
Human Genetics
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...
Biological Influences on Intelligence
Inclusive Fitness

