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Does the heritability of cognitive abilities vary as a function of parental education? Evidence from a German twin sample

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  • Marion Spengler
  • Juliana Gottschling
  • Elisabeth Hahn
  • Elliot M Tucker-Drob
  • Claudia Harzer
  • Frank M Spinath

Abstract

A well-known hypothesis in the behavioral genetic literature predicts that the heritability of cognitive abilities is higher in the presence of higher socioeconomic contexts. However, studies suggest that the effect of socioeconomic status (SES) on the heritability of cognitive ability may not be universal, as it has mostly been demonstrated in the United States, but not in other Western nations. In the present study we tested whether the importance of genetic and environmental effects on cognitive abilities varies as a function of parental education in a German twin sample. Cognitive ability scores (general, verbal, and nonverbal) were obtained on 531 German twin pairs (192 monozygotic, 339 dizygotic, ranging from 7 to 14 years of age; Mage = 10.25, SD = 1.83). Data on parental education were available from mothers and fathers. Results for general cognitive ability and nonverbal ability indicated no significant gene x parental education interaction effect. For verbal ability, a significant nonshared environment (E) x parental education interaction was found in the direction of greater nonshared environmental influences on verbal abilities among children raised by more educated parents.

Suggested Citation

  • Marion Spengler & Juliana Gottschling & Elisabeth Hahn & Elliot M Tucker-Drob & Claudia Harzer & Frank M Spinath, 2018. "Does the heritability of cognitive abilities vary as a function of parental education? Evidence from a German twin sample," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(5), pages 1-15, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0196597
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0196597
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ken B Hanscombe & Maciej Trzaskowski & Claire M A Haworth & Oliver S P Davis & Philip S Dale & Robert Plomin, 2012. "Socioeconomic Status (SES) and Children's Intelligence (IQ): In a UK-Representative Sample SES Moderates the Environmental, Not Genetic, Effect on IQ," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(2), pages 1-16, February.
    2. Eric A. Hanushek & Ludger Wössmann, 2006. "Does Educational Tracking Affect Performance and Inequality? Differences- in-Differences Evidence Across Countries," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 116(510), pages 63-76, March.
    3. Reiss, D. & Leve, L.D. & Neiderhiser, J.M., 2013. "How genes and the social environment moderate each other," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 103(SUPPL.1), pages 111-121.
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    1. Gottschling, J. & Hahn, E. & Beam, C.R. & Spinath, F.M. & Carroll, S. & Turkheimer, E., 2019. "Socioeconomic status amplifies genetic effects in middle childhood in a large German twin sample," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 20-27.

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