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chrisdh79 OP t1_ixvl3fr wrote

From the article: A recent study published in Psychology Research and Behavior Management attempts to determine the relationship between parental Dark Triad traits, emotional reactivity, and their children’s Dark Triad and emotional reactivity. The research team sought to discover if the Dark Triad and emotional reactivity of the parent’s generation can transmit these personality traits and behaviors to their offspring.

Their results indicate that Dark Triad traits and emotional reactivity are transmitted intergenerationally. In addition, the children had much higher levels of Dark Triad traits and reactive emotions. Finally, the more emotionally reactive the parents were, and the greater the Dark Triad in children, the more likely parental Dark Triad personality traits would have a negative effect on their children’s emotional reactivity.

The Dark Triad refers to three related personality traits: Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and narcissism. Machiavellianism as a personality trait includes an absence of a robust moral code and manipulation for personal gain. Behaviors that make up psychopathy include impulsivity as well as lacking remorse and empathy. Finally, seeking attention and selfishness are indicative of narcissism.

Like the Dark Triad, emotional reactivity comprises individual measurable elements. These include emotional sensitivity, emotional persistence, and emotional intensity. Those with high degrees of emotional sensitivity are likely to experience mood changes in response to minimal environmental changes. Those with high emotional persistence struggle to shake off bad emotions, and emotional intensity is the difference between feeling mildly inconvenienced and rage.

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lilrabbitfoofoo t1_ixx2rec wrote

> Their results indicate that Dark Triad traits and emotional reactivity are transmitted intergenerationally.

I'm glad they did the research but this seems to have been self-evident for tens of thousand of years.

I suspect that genetic Dark Triad traits are passed on to children who are then raised to enhance rather than mitigate Dark Triad traits.

For a modern example, look at Fred Trump and his son Donald and then his children, etc.

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TumorBrainov t1_ixyte2m wrote

Of course this is known for 000 years, but such measurement gives a good starting point to genetics research. The culture/education layer on phenotype is very thin, and then it usually turns out that genome was a principal culprit. The united forces of Frankfurt and Christianity will defend the dogma of 'Tabula Rasa'. This is why, following Copernicus who published on his death bed, Robert Plomin published his "Blueprint". The MIT Press, 2018 a few days before retirement.

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lilrabbitfoofoo t1_ixzgmin wrote

> The united forces of Frankfurt and Christianity will defend the dogma of 'Tabula Rasa'.

Which has been proven to be outdated nonsense philosophical dogma centuries ago. We should've really stopped talking about this mental masturbation centuries ago. And certainly not in /r/science. :)

We now know for a fact (supported by evidence) that Nature and Nurture work together on people. And science has revealed how both work to a very large degree regarding virtually everything we know about what shapes and what modifies the human mind. For example, twin studies show that which side of the bread we butter is anchored in our DNA first. However, nurture can train us out of this.

Studies like this provide reinforcement and much needed nuance regarding these ratios between nature and nurture.

For example, if little Donnie Trump had been raised by better human beings, would he still be a criminal, pathological lying, textbook narcissist today? Or would he just be a bad used watch salesmen in Jersey?

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Parrish_performance t1_iy2867j wrote

You spelt Hillary Clinton wrong.

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lilrabbitfoofoo t1_iy2t23k wrote

>You [spelled] Hillary Clinton wrong.

Thank you for proving my point.

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Inner_Spray_6770 t1_ixxr0zn wrote

How would someone not pass this down. Would they need to put their kids in counseling early on?

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drinkyourdinner t1_ixxz3d2 wrote

If anyone has insight on this… I’d love to hear research/discussion on “breaking environmental transmission cycle,” because I’m clawing my way out of that black hole, dragging my husband past the event horizon while our kids are still salvageable (aged 8, 6, 4.) absolutely willing to participate in any current study on this topic.

We both have CPDST, I’m farther in remission than he, thanks 15 years intensive and revealing of therapy, interspersed with couples/family/kids/his.

Also: I should start writing our extended families’ baggage into some sort of sale-able reality TV script after observing my kids’ post-COVID interactions with his fam (with kids the same age.)

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Hob_O_Rarison t1_ixz5u4x wrote

Your (you and your husband's) therapy should be enough to save your kids.

Trauma isn't genetic, and response to it is 100% learned behavior.

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