A mixed blessing? Dual mediating mechanisms in the relationship between dopamine transporter gene DAT1 and leadership role occupancy

详细信息    查看全文

• 作者：Wen-Dong Li^a ; ¹ ; ^{oceanbluepsy@gmail.com" class="auth_mail" title="E-mail the corresponding author} ; Nan Wang^b ; ^{wangnan09@nus.edu.sg" class="auth_mail" title="E-mail the corresponding author} ; Richard D. Arvey^c ; ^{bizra@nus.edu.sg" class="auth_mail" title="E-mail the corresponding author} ; Richie Soong^d ; ^{richie_soong@nus.edu.sg" class="auth_mail" title="E-mail the corresponding author} ; Seang Mei Saw^e ; ^{seang_mei_saw@nuhs.edu.sg" class="auth_mail" title="E-mail the corresponding author} ; Zhaoli Song^b ; ² ; ^{bizszl@nus.edu.sg" class="auth_mail" title="E-mail the corresponding author}
• 关键词：Leadership role occupancy ; Dopamine gene ; Proactive personality ; Rule breaking ; Dual mechanisms
• 刊名：The Leadership Quarterly
• 出版年：2015
• 出版时间：October 2015
• 年：2015
• 卷：26
• 期：5
• 页码：671-686
• 全文大小：557 K

文摘

Trait theories of leadership have documented the role of individual characteristics in affecting leadership. Twin studies have further revealed significant genetic effects on leadership role occupancy. In the era of genomics, the current research examines how a dopamine transporter gene, DAT1, is involved in genetic influences on leadership role occupancy. Study 1 found DAT1 10-repeat allele to negatively relate to proactive personality, which in turn was positively associated with leadership role occupancy. The negative indirect effect was significant, but the overall relationship between this gene and leadership was not. In addition to replicating Study 1's findings using a nationally representative sample, Study 2 revealed another countervailing mechanism: DAT1 was positively related to (moderate) rule breaking, which was positively associated with leadership role occupancy. Consistent findings across the two studies suggest that the pathways linking specific genes to leadership are complex and a middle-ground approach is needed in such multidisciplinary investigations.