Genes Involved in both Dopaminergic and Serotonergic Pathways and Financial Decision Making

Abstract

One of the most important assumption of rational choice theory is that individuals are purely self-interested utility maximizers. However research in economics and other social sciences has found that people can also be irrational and their choices can also be taken with some heuristics and biases. Laboratory experiments have documented substantial heterogeneity in irrational preferences, but little is known about the origins of such irrational financial behavior. Especially in recent studies, it is seen that the inheritance estimates of these differences are investigated by using quantitative and molecular genetic methods.
 The main purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of dopamine and serotonin-related genes on financial decisions. For this purpose, genes associated with dopamine and serotonin were identified. Some of the studies investigating the effects of these genes on financial decision making process have been examined.
 Key words: Genoeconomics, Financial Decision, Dopamine, Serotonin, MAOA gene.