Money addiction is not very well defined but is much more complex than shopping or gambling addictions, other common disorders related to money that are hot topics for neuroscientists.
Money Just Never Seems Enough
In the 1930s, Professor Jellinek described the steps of becoming an alcoholic. Even today, the 'Jellinek Curve' can be used as an instrument for self-diagnosis of alcohol addiction [1]. Maybe this scheme could also help identify people having unhealthy relationships with money. Let’s give it a try:
In the pre-‘moneyholic’ phase, the individual is motivated by self-preservation. The more money that is gathered, the more their income tolerance increases. This initial phase starts with memory gaps, especially on tax declarations. A critical phase is entered, as in all kinds of addictions, if loss of control is prevalent. The strong urge for more cannot be resisted and this mostly results in social isolation, which is compensated by an inflated self-confidence. In the chronic phase, the affected persons degrade their own ethical values in order to meet their strong desires for more.
Piff and colleagues revealed through several different studies that upper-class individuals behave more unethically than lower-class individuals [2]. At this point, there is only two ways forward; either the individual decides to ‘exit’ the desire for more money, or the damage becomes irreversible, when even having more money does not bring any relief.
 |
| By Frits, hikingartist.com |
Is Money Addiction Hereditary?
Assuming money has the same potential as that of a drug, being addicted to it can be defined as ‘‘the loss of control over [money] use, or the compulsive seeking of [money] despite adverse consequences” [3]. Researchers believe that genetics contribute to 40-60% of the susceptibility of drug addiction and the remainder is due to environmental factors [4].
Kuhnen and colleagues hypothesized that genetic predispositions exist for money addiction, or, as they call it, financial risk taking [5]. They showed that variants of two genes that regulate the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin are significant determinants of financial risk taking. Dopamine and serotonin play a role in a plethora of different brain circuits and emotional behaviors, such as anxiety, addiction, novelty seeking, and extroversion.
It is unsurprising that the sight of money activates the brain’s reward system in a very similar way as the sight of cocaine [6]. Money determines – whether we want it or not – our existence.
Consequences of 'Moneyholics' for Society
The most difficult thing after diagnosing someone as a 'moneyholic' is how one should deal with this problem. This is especially important if the person in question is in a position of power, such as directors and investors, whose decisions affect not only their own but also other people’s lives.
So what if researchers find a causal link between a gene and the greed for money? Does this matter when a money-related crime has been committed? Similar to the big discussion of genetic predeterminants for any sort of criminal behavior, several questions arise. One of the most fundamental is how we reconcile a legal system that is based on the concept of culpability with findings from behavioral genetics.
Personally,
I wonder if the study by Kuhnen and colleagues can be seen as an artful
attempt to justify things that go wrong, as in a financial crisis or
when billions are made at the cost of other people’s lives. For
instance, one could well say that when weapons are exported to war zones
in exchange for money, it’s not the seller's fault, it’s their genes'!
[1] Leggio et al., Neuropsychol Rev, 2009
[2] Piff et al., PNAS, 2012
[3] Nestler, Nat Rev Neurosci, 2001
[4] Uhl, Neuropharmacology, 2004
[5] Kuhnen and Chiao, PLoS One, 2009
[6] Fliessbach et al., Science, 2007
by Anahita Poshtiban, PhD Student AG Plested
this article originally appeared in 2015, CNS Volume 8, Issue 4, Money on My Mind.
No comments:
Post a Comment