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Genetic and environmental influences on pupil performances
S Fischbein1, R Guttman, M Nathan
1Department of Special Education, Stockholm Institute of Education, Sweden. siv.fischbein@lhs.se
Summary
Genetic and environmental influences on cognitive performance vary across educational settings. Restrictive environments did not decrease genetic impact, with Stockholm showing stronger environmental influences than Jerusalem or the kibbutz.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Genetics
- Developmental Psychology
- Educational Psychology
Background:
- Comparative studies examine genetic and environmental influences on cognitive abilities.
- Educational settings may modulate the expression of genetic predispositions.
- Previous research highlights the complexity of nature vs. nurture interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if a restrictive educational setting reduces genetic influences on cognitive performance.
- To compare genetic and environmental impacts across three distinct educational environments: Stockholm, Jerusalem, and the Israeli kibbutz.
- To analyze cognitive performance differences based on twin status, gender, and zygosity.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of cognitive performance measures (Raven Progressive Matrices, verbal, reading comprehension, arithmetic).
- Data collected from twins and controls across different age points.
- Assessment of within-pair similarity in monozygotic (MZ), dizygotic (DZ) twins, and controls.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in cognitive performance were observed between twins and controls.
- Gender differences in cognitive performance were smallest in Stockholm and largest in Jerusalem.
- Genetic influences on cognitive performance were evident in Jerusalem, while Stockholm exhibited stronger shared environmental influences.
Conclusions:
- The educational setting significantly moderates the interplay of genetic and environmental factors in cognitive development.
- Restrictive educational settings do not necessarily diminish genetic influences.
- Environmental factors, particularly shared influences at home and school, play a crucial role, varying by location.
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