From an abstract of a metastudy on inheritability of the trait of self-discipline:
Self-control is the ability to control one’s impulses when faced with challenges or temptations, and is robustly associated with physiological and psychological well-being. … The aim of this study was to perform a meta-analysis to provide a quantitative overview of the heritability of self-control. … Our results revealed an overall monozygotic twin correlation of 0.58, and an overall dizygotic twin correlation of 0.28, resulting in a heritability estimate of 60%. … This finding provides evidence that when aiming to understand individual differences in self-control, one should take genetic factors into account.
It’s not the last word of course, and would anyone say that nature trumps nurture? Continue reading