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Continental Genetic Ancestries as Predictors of Socioeconomic and Cognitive Variation Across the Americas

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  • Fuerst, John
  • Kirkegaard, Emil O. W.

Abstract

We draw upon newly compiled subnational indicators from fifteen countries to revisit relationships between continental genetic ancestry, cognitive ability (CA), and socioeconomic outcomes (S) in the Americas. Across national and subnational analyses, West Eurasian ancestry, in contrast to Amerindian and African, correlates robustly and positively with CA and S. In models including country fixed effects a shift from 0% to 100% West Eurasian genetic ancestry corresponds to an estimated increase of approximately 1.0–1.3 in either CA or S in units of standard deviation. Models that include both country fixed effects and random slopes produce similar estimates. These associations remain stable when controlled for geoclimatic variables (e.g., annual temperature, precipitation, UV-radiation). Although the cross-sectional nature of the data precludes formal causal inference, the results are consistent with CA mediating roughly 50% of the association between West Eurasian ancestry and S. The findings provide additional support for the “deep roots” hypothesis that continental ancestry is systematically linked to regional variations in cognitive and socioeconomic outcomes across the Americas.

Suggested Citation

  • Fuerst, John & Kirkegaard, Emil O. W., 2025. "Continental Genetic Ancestries as Predictors of Socioeconomic and Cognitive Variation Across the Americas," SocArXiv vgfrb_v1, Center for Open Science.
    • Handle: RePEc:osf:socarx:vgfrb_v1
    DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/vgfrb_v1
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