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. 2007 Mar;37(2):273-83.
doi: 10.1007/s10519-006-9113-4. Epub 2006 Sep 15.

Genotype by environment interaction in adolescents' cognitive aptitude

K Paige Harden  1 , Eric Turkheimer, John C Loehlin
Affiliations

Genotype by environment interaction in adolescents' cognitive aptitude

K Paige Harden et al. Behav Genet. 2007 Mar.

Abstract

In a replication of Turkheimer, Haley, Waldron, D'Onofrio, Gottesman II (2003, Socioeconomic status modifies heritability of IQ in young children. Psychological Science, 14:623-628), we investigate genotype-environment (G x E) interaction in the cognitive aptitude of 839 twin pairs who completed the National Merit Scholastic Qualifying Test in 1962. Shared environmental influences were stronger for adolescents from poorer homes, while genetic influences were stronger for adolescents from more affluent homes. No significant differences were found between parental income and parental education interaction effects. Results suggest that environmental differences between middle- to upper-class families influence the expression of genetic potential for intelligence, as has previously been suggested by Bronfenbrenner and Ceci's (1994, Nature-nurture reconceptualized in developmental perspective: a bioecological model Psychological Review, 101:568-586) bioecological model.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Income interaction model
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Genetic and shared environmental proportions of variance by parental income, as implied by fitted interaction parameters. *Note: X-axis corresponds to response categories of parental education scale
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Genetic and shared environmental proportions of variance by parental education, as implied by fitted interaction parameters. *Note: X-axis corresponds to response categories of parental education scale
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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