East Asians have a much higher probability of having the S allele of the serotonin transporter gene than people living in many other parts of the world. There is a positive correlation between the percentage of S allele carriers and a culture’s rating on a scale from individualistic to collectivistic. What does this correlation mean at the population level? How do individuals with the S allele

vary from those with the L allele, individually and within societal context?

What will be an ideal response?

ANSWER:
Like all correlations, multiple relationships are possible. A population with a certain genetic mix might be more likely to form a particular type of culture, a culture might shape the reproductive success of its members, some outside variable could influence both the genetic mix and form of the culture, or some combination of these factors could influence each other simultaneously.
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Zooming in to the level of the individual, we find that people carrying the S allele are especially attentive to negative information, like words and pictures that produce negative emotions. This focus on negativity might assist a person to cope well within a collectivistic environment, as it could lead to a heightened sensitivity to another person’s anger or fear. Early recognition of impending negative interactions might give people a chance to smooth things over before they escalate. In contrast, the L allele is associated with more attention to positive stimuli, greater risk-taking, and creativity, which are probably better suited to the individualistic cultural environment. The person carrying the S allele might be too cautious for the individualistic cultural environment, whereas the person carrying the L allele might act like a bull in a china shop in the collectivistic cultural environment. Although the S allele is a risk factor for depression, China has a much lower rate of depression than the United States in spite of the much higher frequency of the S allele in the Chinese population. The collectivistic cultural environment might buffer an individual with the S allele from the stress that can lead to depression. Individual differences are an important aspect of behavior and mental processing, but must be viewed within the larger contexts of the social and cultural environment.
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