To Cheat or Not To Cheat: Tryptophan Hydroxylase 2 SNP Variants Contribute to Dishonest Behavior.

Qiang Shen,Soo H Chew,Meijun Teo,Richard P Ebstein,Eyal Winter,Einav Hart

doi:10.3389/fnbeh.2016.00082

Abstract

Although, lying (bear false witness) is explicitly prohibited in the Decalogue and a focus of interest in philosophy and theology, more recently the behavioral and neural mechanisms of deception are gaining increasing attention from diverse fields especially economics, psychology, and neuroscience. Despite the considerable role of heredity in explaining individual differences in deceptive behavior, few studies have investigated which specific genes contribute to the heterogeneity of lying behavior across individuals. Also, little is known concerning which specific neurotransmitter pathways underlie deception. Toward addressing these two key questions, we implemented a neurogenetic strategy and modeled deception by an incentivized die-under-cup task in a laboratory setting. The results of this exploratory study provide provisional evidence that SNP variants across the tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2) gene, that encodes the rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of brain serotonin, contribute to individual differences in deceptive behavior.

Highlights

IntroductionWe’ll lie about lying if we have to
18 of 29 SNPs were significant at p-value of 0.1; of these, 15 SNPs were significant at p < 0.05
Haplotype Analysis Yin–Yang Configuration Haplotype analysis revealed significant association between the most common (p = 0.008, β = 0.505) and second most common (p = 0.007, β = −0.516) tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2) haplotypes (15 SNPs) in opposite directions (Table 1). These two haplotypes have no overlapping alleles at each and every SNP site, which is consistent with a Yin Yang configuration as reported for a number of other human genes (Zhang et al, 2003) and as we previously reported for TPH2 (Manor et al, 2008)

Summary

Introduction

We’ll lie about lying if we have to. I figure two good lies make a positive. Tim Allen ‘Lying,’ as a facet of human nature, has been a focus of research across a broad range of disciplines including psychology, evolutionary biology, and experimental economics. Due to its immoral nature, lying is widely condemned across cultures. In addition to its dark side, lying is ubiquitous and appears essential for frictionless social interactions (Nyberg, 1993; DePaulo et al, 1996)

Methods

Results

Conclusion