DNA predisposes some people to be pessimistic A gene, the ADRA2b deletion variant, impacts the way people see the world, leading some to see things negatively through "gene-coloured glasses" The gene also causes some people to see the world more vividly than others People with the gene are more likely to perceive words as negative Some people are genetically predisposed to see the world negatively, and to experience emotional events more vividly than others - especially when they are negative If your glass is always half empty, it could be down to your genes, according to scientists. Some people are genetically predisposed to see the world negatively, and to experience emotional events more vividly than others - especially when they are negative. The gene, called the ADRA2b deletion variant, plays a role in how the hormone and neurotransmitter norepinephrine functions. The variant was previously known to affect how the brain forms emotional memories. Researchers say the new study shows that the ADRA2b deletion variant also influences the way people see the world in real-time, leading some to see things negatively through "gene-coloured glasses." Neuroscientist Professor Rebecca Todd explained: "This is the first study to find that this genetic variation can significantly affect how people see and experience the world. We found that some individuals are predisposed to see the world more darkly than others. A previously known genetic variation causes some individuals to perceive the world more vividly than others - and particularly negative aspects of the world. This is important because our findings shed new light on the way that genes, along with other factors such as cultural differences or life experiences, can influence individual differences in emotional perception. For example, people who have this variation might look out at a crowd of people and only see angry faces. Or they may be in an outdoor scene and see potential hazards - rocks where you might slip - instead of seeing the natural beauty. "So we've all heard the expression "seeing the world through rose-coloured glasses." Well, this is like seeing the world through gene-coloured glasses tinted a bit darkly. Professor Todd and her team at the University of British Columbia ran an experiment on 200 volunteers who were tested for the ADRA2b gene variant before taking a visual emotional test. A gene, the ADRA2b deletion variant, impacts the way people see the world, leading some to see things negatively through 'gene-coloured glasses' Each was shown positive, negative and neutral words in quick succession and asked how their mood was affected. The team's results, published in Psychological Science, showed people with the varied gene were more likely to perceive words as being negative than others, while both sets of people with and without the variation equally saw positive word as better than neutral words. Professor Todd said: "The findings suggest people experience emotional aspects of the world partly through gene-coloured glasses - and that biological variations at the genetic level can play a significant role in individual differences in perception," adding that the discovery shows how genes can affect "differences in emotional perception and human subjectivity."