The quantitative and molecular genetics of individual differences in animal personality

Abstract

One of the main goals in current personality research is to identify genes behind the measured behavioral variations. This is important in order to study how, under the influence of the environment, gene expression changes are translated into the observed phenotypes. The advances, especially in genomic technologies, have made it possible to identify genetic loci behind these variations, also concerning non-model species. In this chapter, we will describe the role and relevance of quantitative and molecular genetic approaches in explaining the existence and maintenance of variation in animal personality. We here will provide (1) a timely review on the papers published on this topic, (2) an overview of the current situation and progress, and (3) a view on the likely new avenues the field will take.