When Belsky and his colleagues looked at the genetic profiles of the New Zealanders, they found that those with higher polygenic scores not only had a greater education, but went on to achieve more in other ways. By the age of 38, they had more prestigious occupations, higher incomes, more assets and were better at managing their finances. The individuals’ polygenic scores could predict success even when the team accounted for their level of education.
The relationship held regardless of whether the person had come from a rich or poor family, too – those with a higher polygenic score were more likely to achieve upward social mobility, and do better than their parents. “You wouldn’t have predicted social mobility based on genetics,” says Robert Plomin at King’s College London. “I think it’s a heartening sign.”
Belsky’s team also found that successful people with higher polygenic scores were more likeable and friendly, both as children and adults. “It’s a ‘nice guys finish first’ story that I didn’t expect to find,” says Belsky. But the polygenic scores had no link to life satisfaction or health.
