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Related Concept Videos

Biological Influences on Intelligence01:30

Biological Influences on Intelligence

Intelligence is often thought to be linked to brain size, but the relationship is more complex than that. While brain size does correlate modestly with some abilities, like verbal skills, the connection is weaker for others, such as spatial reasoning. Other factors, like brain structure, also play crucial roles. For instance, despite Einstein's smaller-than-average brain, his parietal cortex, which is involved in spatial reasoning, was 15% wider, suggesting that neural density might matter more...
Genome-wide Association Studies-GWAS01:11

Genome-wide Association Studies-GWAS

Genome-wide association studies or GWAS are used to identify whether common SNPs are associated with certain diseases. Suppose specific SNPs are more frequently observed in individuals with a particular disease than those without the disease. In that case, those SNPs are said to be associated with the disease. Chi-square analysis is performed to check the probability of the allele likely to be associated with the disease.
GWAS does not require the identification of the target gene involved in...
Human Genetics01:28

Human Genetics

Human genetics provides a profound framework for understanding the interplay between genetic predispositions and human psychology. At the heart of this discipline lies the study of how genes influence physical traits, behaviors, and susceptibility to diseases. Each person carries a unique genetic code that subtly or significantly shapes their psychological and behavioral landscape.
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...
Polygenic Traits01:18

Polygenic Traits

When more than one gene is responsible for a given phenotype, the trait is considered polygenic. Human height is a polygenic trait. Studies have uncovered hundreds of loci that influence height, and there are believed to be many more. Due to the high number of genes involved, as well as environmental and nutritional factors, height varies significantly within a given population. The distribution of height forms a bell-shaped curve, with relatively few individuals in the population at the...
Polygenic Traits01:18

Polygenic Traits

When more than one gene is responsible for a given phenotype, the trait is considered polygenic. Human height is a polygenic trait. Studies have uncovered hundreds of loci that influence height, and there are believed to be many more. Due to the high number of genes involved, as well as environmental and nutritional factors, height varies significantly within a given population. The distribution of height forms a bell-shaped curve, with relatively few individuals in the population at the...
Environmental Influences on Intelligence01:29

Environmental Influences on Intelligence

Despite the strong genetic influence on traits like intelligence, environmental factors significantly shape outcomes. For example, while over 90% of height variation is due to genetic differences, environmental factors such as nutrition also have a notable impact. Similarly, for intelligence, changes in a child's surroundings can significantly alter their IQ. Research shows that enriched environments boost children's academic success and help them develop key cognitive skills. Children from...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 18, 2026

An Allele-specific Gene Expression Assay to Test the Functional Basis of Genetic Associations
10:17

An Allele-specific Gene Expression Assay to Test the Functional Basis of Genetic Associations

Published on: November 3, 2010

Most reported genetic associations with general intelligence are probably false positives.

Christopher F Chabris1, Benjamin M Hebert, Daniel J Benjamin

  • 1Department of Psychology, Union College, Schenectady, NY 12308, USA. chabris@gmail.com

Psychological Science
|September 27, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Replication studies found few significant genetic associations for general intelligence (g) using candidate genes. New approaches are needed for molecular genetics in psychology and social science.

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Area of Science:

  • Behavioral genetics
  • Neurogenetics
  • Psychometrics

Background:

  • General intelligence (g) and behavioral traits exhibit heritability.
  • Previous research suggested associations between g and specific single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in candidate genes.
  • Replication is crucial for validating genetic findings in complex traits.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To replicate previously reported associations between general intelligence (g) and 12 specific genetic variants.
  • To assess the reliability of candidate gene associations for g using large, independent datasets.
  • To evaluate the current candidate gene approach in behavioral genetics.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized three independent longitudinal study datasets (N=5,571, 1,759, 2,441).
  • Tested associations between g and 12 candidate gene SNPs (e.g., DTNBP1, COMT, BDNF, APOE).
  • Performed power analyses and confirmed known genetic associations for Alzheimer's disease and BMI as positive controls.

Main Results:

  • Only 1 out of 32 tests yielded a nominally significant association between candidate genes and g.
  • Power analyses indicated an expected 10-15 significant associations if effects were real.
  • SNP-based relatedness confirmed that common genetic variation accounts for approximately 50% of the variance in g.

Conclusions:

  • The candidate gene approach is insufficient for explaining the genetic architecture of general intelligence.
  • Molecular genetics in psychology and social science necessitates broader genomic strategies beyond single candidate genes.
  • Current findings highlight the need for novel methodologies in behavioral genetics research.