Culture, distress, and oxytocin receptor polymorphism (OXTR) interact to influence emotional support seeking.

ABSTRACT: Research has demonstrated that certain genotypes are expressed in different forms, depending on input from the social environment. To examine sensitivity to cultural norms regarding emotional support seeking as a type of social environment, we explored the behavioral expression of oxytocin receptor polymorphism (OXTR) rs53576, a gene previously related to socio-emotional sensitivity. Seeking emotional support in times of distress is normative in American culture but not in Korean culture. Consequently, we predicted a three-way interaction of culture, distress, and OXTR genotype on emotional support seeking. Korean and American participants (n = 274) completed assessments of psychological distress and emotional support seeking and were genotyped for OXTR. We found the predicted three-way in

SUBMITTER: Kim HS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2936623 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature