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08/13/2007: "People befriend, mate with similar people"

Researchers report that as individuals develop, genes become increasingly important in influencing how they choose their peer groups. The findings offer insight into which individuals may be at risk for future substance use or other externalizing behaviors such as conduct and antisocial personality disorder.

"As we grow and move out of our own home environment, our genetically influenced temperament becomes more and more important in influencing the kinds of friends we like to hang out with," said Kenneth S. Kendler, M.D., a professor of psychiatry and human genetics in VCU's School of Medicine and lead author on the study. "The study shows how genetic and family environmental factors influence the ways in which we create our own social environment as we grow."

http://www.physorg.com/news105636987.html

Unions of "like" individuals are more advantageous from an evolutionary perspective, says Emlen, because they are more stable. This is beneficial because humans require long-term relationships both to produce a lot of children and to ensure that they survive to adulthood.

http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn3887

[ This surprises no one who hasn't drunk the mass media kool-aide. ]