Are politics in your DNA?

Nature versus nurture: this is the classic comparison between the way we are genetically made, and the way we were raised in our environment. Now the same mentality is coming to a voting booth near you. Is there a possibility that political leanings are genetically acquired, as opposed to being taught?

This is a question that researchers are trying to answer. Scientists are not necessarily saying that there's a Republican gene powering the McCain supporters or a Democratic one backing the Obama campaign. They do think, however, that DNA composition could play a role in how we approach the polls.

In fact, our genetic makeup could influence whether we even vote or not at all! A study tracked certain voters, and they discovered people with a certain variation of one gene were 60 percent more likely to hit the polls than those people without that version. But that doesn't explain how people vote (ie: their political beliefs). Researchers know that we make judgments on these kind of issues by complex processing in our brain. They think the way our brains process political judgments could be hard-wired from birth! Not 100 percent, of course, but at least on a basic level. Pretty interesting theory given the upcoming election. Read on for more information if you're curious.