Women “Nicer” Than Men

New research, based on an analysis of nearly 1,000 pairs of identical and non-identical twins, found that about half of “prosocial” traits—the willingness to help others—identified in women could be linked with genes rather than environmental upbringing, whereas the figure was just 20 per cent in men. Scientists believe the findings lend further support to the idea that prosocial behaviour has a strong heritable component with some people displaying an innate tendency from childhood. One conclusion from the study, published in the journal Biology Letters, is that some women, and rather fewer men, find it easier than the rest of the population to be generous and helpful towards others, given the right sort of upbringing.