The ambition linked to the parasite of toxoplasmosis

The parasite responsible for the toxoplasmosis would be badociated with a taste for entrepreneurship and risk taking, according to a study published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society. Studies conducted on 1500 university students show that the carriers of the parasite Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) are more inclined to start a business.

"Using a saliva-based test, we found that students who [étaient positifs] at T. gondii were 1.4 times more likely to be good at business and 1.7 times more likely to value the job. management and entrepreneurship, "say the researchers English, American, German, Spanish, Norwegian and Chinese, who collaborated in the study. This positive correlation between T. gondii exposure and entrepreneurial behavior was also tested at an event on entrepreneurship. Here again, the observation was confirmed: professionals carrying the parasite had created more of their business.

The parasite would reduce the fear of failure

In a second step, the data of 42 countries were badyzed by Researchers. In countries where the prevalence of the parasite is higher, the "fear of failure" that discourages starting a business is less present. In other words, the parasite could grow to be more adventurous professionally outgoing: "New businesses have high failure rates, and the fear of failure is quite rational but T.gondii could simply reduce this rational fear, "Stuff site Stefanie Johnson, lead author of the study and Associate Professor of Management at the Leeds School of Business, University of Colorado, USA, comments.

Humans can be infected by the protozoan T. gondii, and to catch toxoplasmosis, the badociated parasitic infection if they consume contaminated or undercooked meat or drink contaminated water. The disease can also be contracted in case of contact with cat excrements.

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