Genetic and environmental influences and covariance among meaning in life, religiousness, and spirituality

Abstract

Meaning in life, spirituality, and religiousness have been empirically linked in previous research. This study aimed to advance knowledge of the interrelations among these variables by examining their heritable and non-heritable sources of influence, as well as the genetic and environmental contributions to their inter-relations. A sample of 343 middle-aged twins drawn from the Minnesota Twin Registry completed measures of meaning in life and spirituality. There was evidence that religiousness, spirituality, and meaning in life shared common genetic and environmental influences, suggesting that these people's attitudes concerning these variables may arise from shared factors. These results provide novel evidence of a shared genetic substrate for meaning in life, religiousness, and spirituality, and support the possibility that people's basic attitudes about the meaning of existence are commonly rooted in evolved biological factors and conjointly influenced through people's experiences with life.

Keywords:

• heritability
• meaning in life
• spirituality
• religiousness
• twin studies

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by a grant from the Manuel D. and Rhoda Mayerson Foundation and the Values in Action Institute, administered by Dr Neal H. Mayerson, to Michael Steger. We appreciatively acknowledge assistance from Chris Peterson and Martin Seligman.

Notes

1. This study examined the genetic covariation between basic personality and character strengths, one of which is spirituality.