This link was posted on a web site of a woman who is a lie detection expert, "Eyes For Lies."

I thought this was interesting. I'm wondering if our diet could influence this gene...

http://oregonstate.edu/ua/ncs/.....ed-genetic-variation

Since almost all genes have epiginetic responses, I'm sure our diet can influence empathy. I'm willing to bet that plenty of non-food things will affect this gene's expression as well, such as how much a child is held in infancy.

Maybe playground bullies just need some good nutrition. But they probably hate nutritious food too.  On the other hand, maybe it started with poor nutrition for the parents. Interesting subject.

OXTR (SNP rs53576) is also related to optimism, self-esteem, and depression.

I am GG.

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GG is "“prosocial,” defined by researchers as the ability to behave in a way that benefits another person.

(AA-tends to have a more autistic or antisocial nature. Which is a camp that many that know me in the physical world would place me in)

Quoted from C_sharp

I am GG.

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GG is "“prosocial,” defined by researchers as the ability to behave in a way that benefits another person.

(AA-tends to have a more autistic or antisocial nature. Which is a camp that many that know me in the physical world would place me in)

Well, you certainly were a huge help to me when I was trying to get SWAMI up and going while in a fever-fogged state!! Many thanks for that too!

C_Sharp - you are in the same boat as Lola as far as I'm concerned. Always way beyond helpful, very knowledgeable, popping up to help when least expected - patient when we've asked the same thing in a different way...you just keep posting! I & many others always appreciated your willingness to help. Thanks a big bunch!!!  

so its the gene.....

I found it interesting that all the people named had their phone numbers posted along side?!

This type of thing would be great to have some tested for.. would make communicating easier..

I wonder what I am??

How, where to get tested?

Quoted from Goldie

How, where to get tested?

I used 23 & Me:

https://www.23andme.com

Fascinating stuff, isn't it!

Quoted Text

https://www.23andme.com        for genetic testing..

interesting info..
how much was it? are there other labs other people used? for how much,

what makes on lab better then the other?  

My two cents on this, as a mum of a boy with autism I'm pretty sure there is some genetic component to the disorder. Lack of empathy is one characteristic but not all autistics lack empathy, on the contrary they do ave empathy but expressing it is the difficult part.

I have not had my swami done as of yet.  My son had his dna done, and his mtDNA is HVR-1
Anyone know anything about it?

Quoted from Goldie

how much was it? are there other labs other people used? for how much,

what makes on lab better then the other?  

Advertised price is $99 actual price  with shipping and other fees $223

I would not consider finding out this gene to be worth $223.

But you also find out secretor status, Type A blood sub group, haplogroups, duffy, and lots of other things.

>what makes on lab better then the other?

The advantage of 23 & Me is that it is cheap.

They use chip technology (which many other use to) this allows a high volume of sample to be processed quickly.

It is possible in some situations to overwhelm or swamp the chips used for determining the genetic profile.

Some other vendors use a more labor intensive approach.

Even in comparison with other vendors relying on chip technology 23 & Me has a reputation of being less careful and less accurate. Primary problem seems to be the co-mingling of samples.

Quoted from trish44

My son had his dna done, and his mtDNA is HVR-1
Anyone know anything about it?

Really this means nothing.

Everyone has an HVR-1 region in their mtDNA.

When we want to determine a person's haplogroup we look first at the genetic data in the first hypervariable region (that is HVR-1) of the mitochondrial DNA.

For maternal haplogroups SNPs in HVR-1 are important and serve as the starting point for haplogroup determination.

Usually we then continue to look at some of the SNPs in the second hypervariable region (HVR-2). It is not always necessary to look at this region.

After looking at the data form the hypervariable regions one will also generally examine some of the SNPs in the coding region of the backbone of the mitochondrial DNA strand.

---

So the fact that someone looked at HVR-1 is just normal lab procedure. One needs to know what they found.

If the lab tells you the SNPs you can figure out haplogroups yourself, but usually they do the matching for you and tell you what your haplogroup is likely to be.

I don't even think that this study is worth anything more than a passing glance.  They used just 23 couples and drew conclusions based on someone's observation of those couples?  That's ridiculous.  There are far too many uncontrolled parameters to even begin to draw any conclusions about that.

I'm an EXTREMELY empathetic person, but if you put me in that situation with my soon-to-be-ex husband telling a sob story, I guarantee you that anyone watching me would think that I am the coldest bee-atch they've ever seen.  Absolutely absurd.

It seems like it is the standard now to do some sort of "research" on MINUTE numbers of people, using god-knows what as control, if there IS any control, and who-knows what parameters, then drawing a conclusion from it and printing it as a new discovery and as fact.

Drives me crazy.

Quoted from EquiPro

I don't even think that this study is worth anything more than a passing glance.  They used just 23 couples and drew conclusions based on someone's observation of those couples?  That's ridiculous.  There are far too many uncontrolled parameters to even begin to draw any conclusions about that.

I'm an EXTREMELY empathetic person, but if you put me in that situation with my soon-to-be-ex husband telling a sob story, I guarantee you that anyone watching me would think that I am the coldest bee-atch they've ever seen.  Absolutely absurd.

It seems like it is the standard now to do some sort of "research" on MINUTE numbers of people, using god-knows what as control, if there IS any control, and who-knows what parameters, then drawing a conclusion from it and printing it as a new discovery and as fact.

Drives me crazy.

Not to mention blaming unethical behavior on one's heredity. If people have it out for Jesus, Moses, Buddha, Gandhi, Confucius, Martin Luther King, et al, this is an academic-sounding way to attempt to invalidate their words.

"Love Thy Neighbour As Thyself"?  I can't - I haven't gotten my SWAMI yet! ??  

There are some people in the world who have no empathy, and they enjoy destroying other people's lives. It's a condition generally called "Sociopathy" by criminologists and psychiatrists. We shouldn't expect them to be able to obey the law? Because they're genetically programmed to break it and harm others without feeling any regret? Should our health insurance cover that? Oh, I forgot -- our taxes already pay that price...

Quoted from EquiPro

I don't even think that this study is worth anything more than a passing glance.  They used just 23 couples and drew conclusions based on someone's observation of those couples?  That's ridiculous.  There are far too many uncontrolled parameters to even begin to draw any conclusions about that.

I'm an EXTREMELY empathetic person, but if you put me in that situation with my soon-to-be-ex husband telling a sob story, I guarantee you that anyone watching me would think that I am the coldest bee-atch they've ever seen.  Absolutely absurd.

It seems like it is the standard now to do some sort of "research" on MINUTE numbers of people, using god-knows what as control, if there IS any control, and who-knows what parameters, then drawing a conclusion from it and printing it as a new discovery and as fact.

Drives me crazy.

Do you know anything about "truth wizards", how they've been scientifically tested or "personality identification at zero acquaintance?"

There is science to support it.

Before you jump to a conclusion, please read about a truth wizard I follow, "Eyes For Lies" who's been scientifically tested in a lab to detect lies.  

http://www.eyesforlies.com/index.htm

There are many people who still think Dr. D'Adamo's theories are hogwash, but that's because they are unaware of the science.

Sharing with the best of intentions.

Oh,I truly believe that there are people who, both through training and/ or through great innate intuitiveness, are able to tell if someone is lying.  Absolutely.

What I'm saying is that this study is utterly flawed, by design and execution, in it's ability to support any of it's findings and certainly can't be used, in any way, to support it's results, scientifically.

Equipro,

Have you read Malcolm Gladwell's book Blink?  I highly recommend it if you have the time.

Btw, the truth wizard, Eyes For Lies is a natural.  She was born with her abilities.  Her mother also has the ability, but her brother does not.

I've recently read that there is validity to the following genetic link to empathy: Sex.
The female sex (double X, vs. XY) would appear to correlate with the finding of higher empathy.
So it's about a chromosome and all the baggage that comes with it!  
Yet, far be it from me to say that it's pure determinism, that many of the world's great empaths have not been male.

Interesting subject.  My 93 year old mother has always possessed an innate ability to spot people who are either dishonest or not what they appear to be.  When I was younger, it used to really bother me because she was always telling me to watch out for this friend or that friend.  Usually I would learn after a period of time that she was correct.

I seem to have this ability, to some extent, but not to the level my mother has it.  I find that I can generally determine things about people  within a short period of time and often times my instincts are correct as well.  Sometimes it can be a burden to possess this ability because people assume you are being negative when in fact you are so attuned to body language, etc.  My husband has learned to rely upon my instincts about people but my children find this trait in me to be irritating just like I did with my mother.

I can see that my daughter has this trait as well and I assume, like my mother and me, it will become more developed with time and experience.

http://www.eyesforlies.com/index.htm


Interesting.. I think I HAVE NEVER looked at people to SEE if they tell the truth..

I think I never even thought of looking for clues, I am a trusting person.. what I see I believe to be so UNTIL proven otherwise..

I can see where that method of looking for CLUES might really be a good way to learn how to distinguish one type of person from the next..

BUT IF I looked at you with my eyes so, then you would feel violated as I can look directly at you and already some people might feel intimidated.. I can ask questions and not be intimidated by any answer, but others might feel intruded upon..

But interesting to think about this..  

There is a child with Autism that I saw recently .. he 'loves' ANGRY BIRDS.. the toy.. according to his mom.. but I saw him repeat 'angry birds' as words over and over when he thought that MOM was getting angry..

I think there needs to be fine tooned hearing when dealing with kids in general.. clues may tell us more.. if we listen and compare notes from situation to situation ..  

the same might work for adults.. listen better and hear better..  but does all that study not unnerve the other person???

Quoted from Patty H

Interesting subject.  My 93 year old mother has always possessed an innate ability to spot people who are either dishonest or not what they appear to be.  When I was younger, it used to really bother me because she was always telling me to watch out for this friend or that friend.  Usually I would learn after a period of time that she was correct.

I seem to have this ability, to some extent, but not to the level my mother has it.  I find that I can generally determine things about people  within a short period of time and often times my instincts are correct as well.  Sometimes it can be a burden to possess this ability because people assume you are being negative when in fact you are so attuned to body language, etc.  My husband has learned to rely upon my instincts about people but my children find this trait in me to be irritating just like I did with my mother.

I can see that my daughter has this trait as well and I assume, like my mother and me, it will become more developed with time and experience.

There are some interesting online tests to see if you can tell, just by looking at a photo, if someone is a criminal or not.  I know Eyes For Lies has posted links to these in the past.  I'll see if I can find one for you.  It might be interesting to see how well you score....