Genetically Outgoing

    Throughout middle school, high school, and basically the rest of your life; your social skills will affect the person you are and what you become. While some are just classified as "shy" and left to stand on the wall at dances, others are social butterflies, and will be the center of attention for the rest of their life. But is there something more scientific behind every person's social behavior? According to recent studies, genetics greatly affect one's social abilities and its not just a matter of "shyness" or "vivaciousness."
    At the University of California in San Diego, studies  are being conducted to see if people's genes have anything to do with the way they form relationships and behave in social situations. Prior to these studies it was believed that social behavior was a matter of nurture rather then nature.

"No one has ever drawn the link between genes and social networks before," Fowler said. "It suggests a whole new field of inquiry."

Social Butterfly or Wallflower: It's in Your Genes

   Not only can genes lead to the social group you choose, but the social group can then lead to things that tend to be genetic. Things like nicotine addiction and obesity. So the tables seem to have turned drastically and now social networks and genetics can help or harm the life you lead.
    A study was performed on 1110 sets of twins, half identical and half fraternal. The identical twins having identical genes, tended to have the same amount of friends and very similar groups of friends while fraternal twins have completely different social networks.

Genetics can help us understand why identical circumstances can elicit different behavioral responses among individuals. Genetic differences are reflected in variations in behavior; activation of distinct versions of a hormone receptor gene,

From Genes to Social Behavior -- Jasny et al. 322 (5903): 891 -- Science

    Many more studies must be done to prove the link between genetics and social interaction. For those of us that are less inclined to be the center of attention, there may be help in the future, and for those that are already comfortable in their own skin, give thanks.