title: Associations between iris characteristics and personality in adulthood.
abstract: Variable and person-oriented analyses were used to explore the associations between personality and three previously untested general iris characteristics: crypts, pigment dots and contraction furrows. Personality data, as measured by the NEO PI-R and ratings of iris characteristics from 428 undergraduate students were collected. Crypts were significantly associated with five approach-related behaviors, i.e., feelings, tendermindedness, warmth, trust and positive emotions, whereas furrows were associated with impulsiveness. These findings suggest that because Pax6 induces tissue deficiencies in both the iris and the left anterior cingulate cortex, Pax6 may influence the extent people engage in approach-related behaviors. The results from using a person-oriented analysis suggested that people with different iris configurations tend to develop along different personality trajectories. Future longitudinal studies, twin-studies and genetic association studies, may benefit from collecting iris data and testing candidate genes for crypts and furrows.
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral, Social and Legal Sciences, Center for Developmental Research, Orebro University, 701 82 Orebro, Sweden. mats.larsson@bsr.oru.se
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Larsson
authors.forename: Nancy L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: Håkan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stattin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002605:Character; D005127:Eye Color; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007498:Iris / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D060850:LIM-Homeodomain Proteins; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D000071841:PAX6 Transcription Factor; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012025:Reflex, Pupillary / Q000235:genetics*; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000097607:Homeobox Protein SIX3
chemical_list: D005136:Eye Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D060850:LIM-Homeodomain Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D000071841:PAX6 Transcription Factor; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000097607:Homeobox Protein SIX3; C078021:LMX1A protein, human; C000605730:PAX6 protein, human