Cognitive ability as a mediator of GxSES interactions along the educational life course
A growing body of research asks whether the opportunity to realize the genetic endowment for education varies by parental socio-economic status (GxSES). While the behavioral genetic Scarr-Rowe hypothesis (SRH) suggests stronger, the sociological compensatory advantage hypothesis (CAH) predicts weaker genetic effects for individuals with a higher social origin. Using data from the German TwinLife survey, I estimate biometric twin models to test for a GxSES along the educational life course and whether it can be explained by a moderation of the effect of genes associated with cognitive ability. While for secondary school track no GxSES can be found, there is a GxSES for tertiary enrolment in line with the CAH that is mainly accounted for by social origin differences in the realization of genes associated with cognitive ability. Taken together, the results show a more pronounced GxSES pattern in the later educational life course.