Related data for: Oxytocin Receptor Gene polymorphism and early parental bonding interact in shaping Instagram social behaviour

Human beings maintain multiple social interactions both offline and online. From previous literature, it is not clear if early environmental exposures and genetic predispositions would influence the online social behaviors in adulthood as well as the offline ones. To better understand the multi-factorial interplay that influences daily social behavior on social media (i.e. Insta- gram), this research aims to explore the interaction between oxytocin receptor (OXTr) gene genotype and early parent-child relationship in shaping Instagram users’ behaviors. More specifically, the self-reported questionnaire Parental Bonding Instrument was used to evaluate participants’ (N = 57) early parental care. The number of people that the individual follows (”followings”), followers, posts, and the Social Desirability Index, estimated by the ratio between the number of followers and followings, were extracted to capture study participants’ activity on Instagram. Finally, buccal mucosa cell samples were collected to assess participants’ genetic predispositions, and regions OXTr/rs2254298 (G/G homozygotes vs A-carriers), OXTr/rs53576 (A/A homozygotes vs G-carriers) were analyzed. We hypothesized a cross interaction between OXTr groups and parental bonding scores on the number of followings and posts. Interestingly, the effects of gender and paternal care were found on the number of followings. We also identified a gene-environment interaction for OXTr/rs2254298 on the number of Instagram posts: in line with our hypothesis, participants with a genetic risk factor (A-carriers) and a history of low paternal care showed fewer Insta- gram posts than those without this risk factor (G/G genotype). Moreover, an interaction effect between maternal overprotection and OXTr/rs2254298 on the standardized Instagram Social Desirability Index was detected. These findings could represent an indirect pathway through which genes and parental behavior interact to shape Instagram social interactions.