Genetic and environmental variation in educational attainment: an individual-based analysis of 28 twin cohorts.

We investigated the heritability of educational attainment and how it differed between birth cohorts and cultural-geographic regions. A classical twin design was applied to pooled data from 28 cohorts representing 16 countries and including 193,518 twins with information on educational attainment at 25 years of age or older. Genetic factors explained the major part of individual differences in educational attainment (heritability: a2 = 0.43; 0.41-0.44), but also environmental variation shared by co-twins was substantial (c2 = 0.31; 0.30-0.33). The proportions of educational variation explained by genetic and shared environmental factors did not differ between Europe, North America and Australia, and East Asia. When restricted to twins 30 years or older to confirm finalized education, the heritability was higher in the older cohorts born in 1900-1949 (a2 = 0.44; 0.41-0.46) than in the later cohorts born in 1950-1989 (a2 = 0.38; 0.36-0.40), with a corresponding lower influence of common environmental factors (c2 = 0.31; 0.29-0.33 and c2 = 0.34; 0.32-0.36, respectively). In conclusion, both genetic and environmental factors shared by co-twins have an important influence on individual differences in educational attainment. The effect of genetic factors on educational attainment has decreased from the cohorts born before to those born after the 1950s.

Differential Influences of Genes and Environment Across the Distribution of Reading Ability.

We partitioned early childhood reading into genetic and environmental sources of variance and examined the full distribution of ability levels from low through normal to high as computed by quantile regression. The full sample comprised twin pairs measured at preschool (n = 977), kindergarten (n = 1028), grade 1 (n = 999), and grade 2 (n = 1000). Quantile regression analyses of the full distribution of literacy ability showed genetic influence in all grades from preschool to grade 2. At preschool, the low end of the distribution had higher genetic influence than the high end of the distribution and the shared environment influence was the opposite. These shared environment influences of preschool became insignificant with formal schooling. This suggests that higher scores in pre-literacy skills (preschool) are more influenced by shared environment factors, though these are short-lived. This study discusses the factors that may be influencing the results.

Heredabilidad de las capacidades motoras: estudio con gemelos monocigóticos y dicigóticos / Heritability of motor skills: study with monozygotic and dizygotic twins

El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar el poder relativo de contribución genética y ambiental de la variación de capacidades motoras en gemelos monocigóticos y dicigóticos. MÉTODO:participado 88 sujetos divididos en 56 monocigóticos y 32 dicigóticos de ambos sexos. Para la evaluación de la flexibilidad fue realizado el test de flexión de cadera; para la potencia de miembros inferiores fue aplicado el test contra movimiento y para la velocidad de desplazamiento, el test de carrera de 30m. Para determinar el índice de heredabilidad, utilizamos la ecuación: (h²) = (S²DZ-S²MZ)/S²DZx100. Fue utilizado tratamiento descriptivo y el test Shapiro-Wilk. Con la varianza de datos fueron calculados valores de tendencia central. Los datos fueron categorizados en percentiles de 25%. RESULTADOS: flexibilidad 16%, velocidad de desplazamiento 83% y potencia de los miembros inferiores 70%. CONCLUSIÓN: Fue evidenciado mayor heredabilidad para las variables de potencia y velocidad, y mayor influencia ambiental para la flexibilidad

The aim of the study was to assess the relative power of genetic and environmental contributions to the variation of motor skills in monozygotic and dizygotic twins. Method: For this study, participated 88 people divided in 56 monozygotic and 32 dizygotic twins of both sexes. For the assessment the flexibility, was performed hip flexion test, for assessment the lower limbpower, was applied the test against movement and the speed of movement, the 30m running test. To determine the index of heritability, was used an equation: (h ²) = (S ²MZ- S²DZ) / S²DZx100. For the statistic, was used the descriptive treatment and Shapiro-Wilk test. The variance values were calculated, through the tendency central values. Data were categorized into percentiles of 25%. RESULTS: Flexibility was 16% by heritability influence, speed of movement 83% of influence and for the lower limbs power were 70%. CONCLUSIONS: In this study was demonstrated higher heritability for the variables of lower limbs power and the speed of movement, and for the flexibility, a greater influence was linked for environmental factors

The genetic basis of political sophistication.

Political sophistication is a concept that encompasses political reasoning, the coherence of people's issue attitudes, and their knowledge of political processes. To what extent is political sophistication affected by genes and environments? Do these distinct but related measures of sophistication share a common genetic structure? We analyze survey data collected from participants in the Minnesota Twin Registry to estimate influences of genes and environments on variables used to measure political sophistication. Additive genetic factors explain 48-76% of the variation in educational attainment, political interest, and political knowledge, while dominance genetics influence 28% of the variance of ideological consistency. Multivariate analyses show that, although these measures share common genetic and unique environmental factors to a modest extent, much of the variance is explained by specific genetic and unique environmental factors. Ideological consistency appears to be mostly distinct from the other measures, as it is strongly accounted for by unique environmental influences.

The heritability of foreign policy preferences.

Attitudes towards foreign policy have typically been explained by ideological and demographic factors. We approach this study from a different perspective and ex amine the extent to which foreign policy preferences correspond to genetic variation. Using data from the Minnesota Twin Family Study, we show that a moderate share of individual differences in the degree to which one's foreign policy preferences are hawkish or dovish can be attributed to genetic variation. We also show, based on a bivariate twin model, that foreign policy preferences share a common genetic source of variation with political ideology. This result presents the possibility that ideology may be the causal pathway through which genes affect foreign policy preferences.

Integrating classical and contemporary explanations of political participation.

Traditional theories of political participation have emphasized its social and normative components; however, recent evidence suggests that political participation has a strong additive genetic component. Accordingly, it is necessary to reevaluate the traditional empirical findings and begin to integrate the two approaches. To do so, a variety of analyses were conducted that explore the modes of genetic and environmental transmission. I find that the empirical estimates of the relationships between the phenotypic level traits are highly consistent with what has been found in the traditional literature, the vast majority of the variance in political participation that is accounted for by the predictor variables is being accounted for at the genetic level, and not at the environmental level. Thus, the current findings suggest that the empirical results found in prior studies are quite likely very accurate. However, the interpretation of those empirical findings, as well as the subsequent theoretical implications, require serious revision.

Twin specific risk factors in primary school achievements.

The main aim of this study was to examine twin specific risk factors that influence educational achievement in primary school. We included prenatal factors that are not unique to twins, except for zygosity, but show a higher prevalence in twins than in singletons. In addition, educational achievement was compared between twins and their nontwin siblings in a within-family design. Data were obtained from parents and teachers of approximately 10,000 twins and their nontwin siblings registered with the Netherlands Twin Register. Teachers rated the proficiency of the children on arithmetic, language, reading, and physical education, and reported a national educational achievement test score (CITO). Structural equation modeling showed that gestational age, birth weight, and sex were significant predictors of educational achievement, even after correction for socioeconomic status. Mode of delivery and zygosity did not have an effect, while parental age only influenced arithmetic. Mode of conception, incubator time, and birth complications negatively affected achievement in physical education. The comparison of educational achievement of twins and singletons showed significantly lower ratings on arithmetic, reading, and language in twins, compared to their older siblings, but not compared to their younger siblings. Low gestational age and low birth weight were the most important risk factors for lower educational achievement of twins in primary school. It seems that the differences observed between twins and their nontwin siblings in educational achievement can largely be explained by birth order within the family.

Multiple regression analysis of reading performance data from twin pairs with reading difficulties and nontwin siblings: the augmented model.

The augmented multiple regression model for the analysis of data from selected twin pairs was extended to facilitate analyses of data from twin pairs and nontwin siblings. Fitting this extended model to data from both selected twin pairs and siblings yields direct estimates of heritability (h2) and the difference between environmental influences shared by members of twin pairs and those of sib or twin-sib pairs (i.e., c2(t) - c2 (s)). When this model was fitted to reading performance data from 293 monozygotic and 436 dizygotic pairs selected for reading difficulties, and 291 of their nontwin siblings, h2 = .48 ± .22, p = .03, and c2 (t) - c2 (s) = .22 ± .12, p = .06. Although the test for differential shared environmental influences is only marginally significant, the results of this analysis suggest that environmental influences on reading performance that are shared by members of twin pairs (.36) may be substantially greater than those for less contemporaneous twin-sibling pairs (.14).

Características de superdotação em um par de gêmeos monozigóticos / Characteristics of giftedness in a pair of monozygotic twins

Com objetivo de comparar características de superdotação em um par de gêmeos monozigóticos, mais especificamente criatividade, motivação e capacidade superior, foram utilizados dados provenientes de um programa que identifica estudantes talentosos com o Modelo das Portas Giratórias. Os gêmeos responderam, também, ao Teste Torrance de Pensamento Criativo, à Escala de Avaliação da Motivação para Aprender de Alunos do Ensino Fundamental e à Bateria de Provas de Raciocínio. Eles possuem superdotação acadêmica e artística, sendo que um deles possui, também, altas habilidades para liderança e comunicação. Verificou-se que eles apresentaram elevada criatividade, principalmente verbal. O envolvimento com a tarefa, que neste estudo foi reduzido à motivação para aprender, não está presente em níveis superiores nos gêmeos. Mais semelhanças que diferenças entre os irmãos, talvez por eles compartilharem genes e ambientes, foram identificadas.

Data from program that identifies talent through the Revolving Door Identification Model was used to compare characteristics of giftedness of a pair of monozygotic twins, specifically focusing on creativity, motivation and high ability. The twins also answered the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking, the Scale of Motivation to Learn in Elementary School Students and the Battery of Reasoning Tests. They have academic and artistic giftedness; one of them also has high leadership and communication skills. It was found that they showed great creativity, mainly verbal. Task commitment, which in this study was limited to motivation to learn, is not present at higher levels for the twins. More similarities than differences between the two brothers were identified, possibly because they share genes and environments.

Características de superdotação em um par de gêmeos monozigóticos / Characteristics of giftedness in a pair of monozygotic twins

Com objetivo de comparar características de superdotação em um par de gêmeos monozigóticos, mais especificamente criatividade, motivação e capacidade superior, foram utilizados dados provenientes de um programa que identifica estudantes talentosos com o Modelo das Portas Giratórias. Os gêmeos responderam, também, ao Teste Torrance de Pensamento Criativo, à Escala de Avaliação da Motivação para Aprender de Alunos do Ensino Fundamental e à Bateria de Provas de Raciocínio. Eles possuem superdotação acadêmica e artística, sendo que um deles possui, também, altas habilidades para liderança e comunicação. Verificou-se que eles apresentaram elevada criatividade, principalmente verbal. O envolvimento com a tarefa, que neste estudo foi reduzido à motivação para aprender, não está presente em níveis superiores nos gêmeos. Mais semelhanças que diferenças entre os irmãos, talvez por eles compartilharem genes e ambientes, foram identificadas.(AU)

Data from program that identifies talent through the Revolving Door Identification Model was used to compare characteristics of giftedness of a pair of monozygotic twins, specifically focusing on creativity, motivation and high ability. The twins also answered the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking, the Scale of Motivation to Learn in Elementary School Students and the Battery of Reasoning Tests. They have academic and artistic giftedness; one of them also has high leadership and communication skills. It was found that they showed great creativity, mainly verbal. Task commitment, which in this study was limited to motivation to learn, is not present at higher levels for the twins. More similarities than differences between the two brothers were identified, possibly because they share genes and environments.(AU)

Returns to education: what do twin studies control?

The current article examines the assumptions of the MZ co-twin control method that has been applied in attempts to gain more accurate estimates of the returns to education by naturally 'controlling' for individual differences on which MZ twins are matched. The current study examined 1738 MZ and 926 DZ twins from Minnesota, including 133 pairs of MZ and 101 pairs of DZ twins discordant for university attendance. They were assessed prospectively on personality, intelligence, GPA, and academic motivation; a subset also has reported income at age 29. MZ twins discordant for university attendance differed significantly and prospectively on verbal IQ, personality traits, and GPA. While MZ co-twin control studies can provide more accurate estimates of the returns to education than analyses of single individuals, these studies do not entirely obviate the need to control for differences between university students and non-students that predate university attendance and might account for income differentials and even non-monetary outcomes.