Researchers in Binghamton, New York Say Cheating Is Genetic

It seems like quite often when someone does something questionable, they reply with a flippant, "I can't help it" and in the case of some, if researchers are correct, they really might not be able to help it.

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If you know a woman who has a reputation for being promiscuous, they very well could be that way because of inherited genetics, according to researchers at Binghamton University.

Researchers at the Upstate New York University claim to have identified a promiscuity gene and say that they’re certain the gene is passed down genetically from parents to their children.

While the researchers at Binghamton University made it clear that behavioral genetics should never be used as an excuse for risky or questionable behavior, some people are simply drawn to acting a certain way because of what has been handed down to them by their parents and must make efforts to fight the predisposition to cheat.

The research results say, "What we found was that individuals with a certain variant of the DRD4 gene were more likely to have a history of uncommitted sex, including one-night stands, and acts of infidelity."

To reach their conclusion, Binghamton University researchers gathered detailed information on the sexual behavior and relationship history of 181 young people as well as DNA samples from each of the volunteers. The researcher analyzed the samples for the presence of the thrill-seeking version of DRD4.

What researchers found that was half of the people with the DRD4 gene, admitted that they had or would cheat on their partner while only 22 percent of the individuals without the specific gene said that they had or would cheat.