Appraisal of Parental Bias in Twin Studies. Ascribed Zygosity and IQ Differences in Twins

1979 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam P. Matheny
Keyword(s):  
Human Behavior ◽  
Behavior Genetics ◽  
Twin Studies ◽  
Parental Influences ◽  
Twin Method ◽  
Iq Scores ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Parental Bias ◽  
Parental Belief

A criticism of twin studies has been that the difference between the behavioral similarities of identical and fraternal twins is largely created by parental influences based on their perception of the twins' zygosity. This issue is examined for differences in the IQ scores found within pairs classified by parents and bloodtyping. The systematic differences in IQ scores could be attributed to zygosity classified by bloodtyping rather than by parental belief. The available evidence indicates that the twin method is still appropriate for human behavior genetics.

Twin Studies and Behavior Genetics

1976 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 187-190
Author(s):  
Lissy F. Jarvik
Keyword(s):  
Human Behavior ◽  
Behavior Genetics ◽  
Twin Studies ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Social Scientists ◽  
Best Available Techniques ◽  
And Behavior

It is observed that neither the methodology of twin studies nor that of behavior genetics in general has been adequately explored in most investigations of human behavior. General distrust of genetic methodologies as well as the belief that genie disorders are unalterable appear to be salient factors in explaining the neglect of those areas by social scientists. A plea is made for putting aside biased attitudes that prevent utilization of the best available techniques for the study of human beings as distinguished from all other animals.

Human behavior genetics

1972 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven G. Vandenberg ◽  
John DeFries ◽  
David C. Garron ◽  
Ronald C. Johnson ◽  
William Meredith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Behavior ◽  
Behavior Genetics

Heritability estimates in behavior genetics: Wasn't that station passed long ago?

2012 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 361-362 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wim E. Crusio
Keyword(s):  
Human Behavior ◽  
Animal Studies ◽  
Behavior Genetics ◽  
Human Research ◽  
Real Place ◽  
Heritability Estimates

AbstractCharney describes several mechanisms that will bias estimates of heritability in unpredictable directions. In addition, the mechanisms described by Charney explain the puzzling fact that research in human-behavior genetics routinely reports higher heritabilities than animal studies do. However, I argue that the concept of heritability has no real place in human research anyway.

Human Behavior Genetics

1988 ◽  
pp. 475-503 ◽  
Author(s):  
George P. Vogler ◽  
David W. Fulker
Keyword(s):  
Human Behavior ◽  
Behavior Genetics

scholarly journals Twinship as a Resource: Zygosity- and Gender-Based Comparison of Twins’ Attitudes Toward Twinship

2014 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 376-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rita Hegedűs ◽  
András Pári ◽  
Zsófia Drjenovszky ◽  
Hanna Kónya
Keyword(s):  
A Priori ◽  
Twin Studies ◽  
Main Question ◽  
Cultural Goods ◽  
Online Data ◽  
Opposite Sex ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Gender Based ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Adult Twins

Aiming to perform the first sociological survey of Hungarian twins, our main question was whether being a twin has positive consequences on one's life. Adult twins completed our questionnaire at three Hungarian summer twin festivals, in hospitals during medical twin studies, and on some websites online. Data represent 140 twin pairs (mean age: 38.2 ± 14.6 years). We employed some indices for measuring the resource nature of twinship. Three main types of benefits were distinguished: profit of attraction, as ‘material capital’; the easier obtainability of cultural goods when twins take part in it, as ‘cultural capital’; and positive aspects of an a priori existing dyadic relation, as ‘relational capital’. We were interested in the difference among types of twins regarding advantages. We paid special attention to the five groups of twins derived from gender and zygosity (i.e., monozygotic females, monozygotic males, dizygotic females, dizygotic males, opposite-sex pairs). Our analysis showed that Hungarian twins involved in our research basically enjoy their twinship; during their lives they used and still make use of different benefits given by it. In our twin samples, women had more advantages from being a twin than men. Significant differences could be observed on all indicators between monozygotic and dizygotic twins.

Behavior and Molecular Genetics of Personality Disorders

2012 ◽  
pp. 142-165
Author(s):  
Susan C. South ◽  
Ted Reichborn-Kjennerud ◽  
Nicholas R. Eaton ◽  
Robert F. Krueger
Keyword(s):  
Personality Disorder ◽  
Personality Disorders ◽  
Molecular Genetics ◽  
Behavior Genetics ◽  
Association Studies ◽  
Molecular Genetic ◽  
Genetic Research ◽  
Twin Studies ◽  
Personality Pathology ◽  
Genome Wide Association Studies

The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of the behavior and molecular genetics of personality disorder. We begin with a thorough review of findings from the field of behavior genetics of personality pathology, including univariate twin studies, multivariate twin studies, and new models of gene–environment interplay. We then discuss the molecular genetics of personality pathology, including a consideration of candidate gene analysis, linkage analysis, and genome-wide association studies. We focus in particular on research concerning antisocial personality disorder (including antisociality and aggression), borderline personality disorder, schizotypal personality disorder, Cluster B and C personality disorders, and normal personality traits. We then provide a discussion of challenges and future directions with respect to behavior and molecular genetic research. We conclude the chapter with a discussion of the implications of this research for the forthcoming fifth edition of the American Psychiatric Association’s diagnostic manual.

Twin Studies of Political Behavior: Untenable Assumptions?

2008 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 785-791 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jon Beckwith ◽  
Corey A. Morris
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Genetic ◽  
Genetic Research ◽  
Twin Studies ◽  
First Century ◽  
Behavioral Traits ◽  
Political Ideologies ◽  
Equal Environments Assumption ◽  
Twin Method ◽  
Genetic Techniques ◽  
Equal Environments

Using the “classical twin method,” political scientists John Alford, Carolyn Funk, and John Hibbing conclude that political ideologies are significantly influenced by genetics, an assertion that has garnered considerable media attention. Researchers have long used human twins in attempts to assess the degree of genetic influence on various behavioral traits. Today, this methodology has been largely replaced in favor of contemporary molecular genetic techniques, and thus heritability studies have seen a diminishing role in behavioral genetic research of the twenty-first century. One important reason the twin method has been superseded is that it depends upon several questionable assumptions, the most significant of which is known as the equal environments assumption. Alford, Funk, and Hibbing argue that this crucial assumption, and thus their conclusion, holds up under empirical scrutiny. They point to several studies in support of this assumption. Here, we review the evidence presented and conclude that these attempts to test the equal environments assumption are weak, suffering significant methodological and inherent design flaws. Furthermore, much of the empirical evidence provided by these studies actually argues that, contrary to the interpretation, trait-relevant equal environments assumptions have been violated. We conclude that the equal environments assumption remains untenable, and as such, twin studies are an insufficient method for drawing meaningful conclusions regarding complex human behavior.

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