Our estimates of the genetic correlations between general risk tolerance and the supplementary risky behaviors are substantially higher than the corresponding phenotypic correlations (Supplementary Tables 8 and 9). Although measurement error partly accounts for the low phenotypic correlations, the genetic correlations remain considerably higher even after adjustment of the phenotypic correlations for measurement error. The comparatively large genetic correlations support the view that a general factor of risk tolerance partly accounts for cross-domain correlation in risky behavior21,22 and imply that this factor is genetically influenced. The lower phenotypic correlations suggest that environmental factors are more important contributors to domain-specific risky behavior23,24.
