Genetic And Environmental Influences On Intelligence

• Quantitative estimates of heritability
  • Overlap of genetic and phenotypic variability (population estimates!)
  • Galton's early efforts
  • Twin studies over decades
  • Adoption studies
  • GCTA studies
  • Do genetic effects appear additive or non-additive?
  • Multivariate genetic studies (associations among abilities aka structure)
• Where are family influences?
• Assortative mating

• Environmental effects
  • Education (a separate topic)
  • Culture (changes across time and space)
  • Environmental effects on gene (expression) frequencies (inbreed depression, heterosis)
  • Nutrition and vitamins

• Gene-envirnment correlations (Wendy Johnson's elephant in the room)
• Gene-environment interactions

These three papers are useful reading

Deary, I. J., Spinath, F. M. and Bates, T. C. (2006). Genetics of intelligence. European Journal of Human Genetics, 14. 690-700. doi. pdf

Bates, T. C., Lewis, G. J. and Weiss, A. (2013). Childhood Socioeconomic Status Amplifies Genetic Effects on Adult Intelligence. Psychological Science, 24. 2111-2116. doi. PMID. pdf

Plomin, R., & Deary, I. J. (2015). Genetics and intelligence differences: five special findings. Molecular Psychiatry, 20(1), 98-108. doi:10.1038/mp.2014.105