Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Biological Influences on Intelligence01:30

Biological Influences on Intelligence

707
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...
707
Human Genetics01:28

Human Genetics

1.9K
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...
1.9K
Environmental Influences on Intelligence01:29

Environmental Influences on Intelligence

1.2K
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...
1.2K
Behavioral Genetics and Its Designs01:23

Behavioral Genetics and Its Designs

1.4K
Behavior genetics explores how genetic inheritance influences human behavior. It focuses on how genes, passed from parents to offspring, contribute to the development of behavioral traits and tendencies. This branch of genetics seeks to understand the complex interplay between inherited genetic factors and environmental influences in shaping our behaviors.
The primary methodologies used in behavior genetics include family studies, twin studies, and adoption studies, each providing unique...
1.4K
Inheritance01:25

Inheritance

2.0K
Gregor Mendel's pioneering work on the principles of inheritance fundamentally transformed our understanding of how traits are transmitted from generation to generation. His experiments with pea plants laid the groundwork for the discovery of genes, discrete units within organisms that control heredity.
Each gene exists in pairs, and the combination of these genes from both parents forms an individual's genotype. This genotype is a blueprint of potential traits. Examples of genotype...
2.0K
Gene-Environment Interactions01:20

Gene-Environment Interactions

1.6K
Gene expression is a dynamic process that is significantly influenced by environmental factors. This interaction underlies the complex nature of biological development and the phenotypic differences observed among individuals, even among those with identical genetic makeups. Factors such as radiation, temperature, behavior, nutrition, and stress play pivotal roles in determining how genes are expressed. The concept of the reaction range is central to understanding this interaction. It posits...
1.6K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Polatuzumab Vedotin Plus Rituximab, Gemcitabine, and Oxaliplatin in Relapsed or Refractory Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma: Results From the Phase III, Randomized POLARGO Trial.

Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology·2026
Same author

Mood in the moment: a study protocol for embedding ecological momentary assessments into established longitudinal cohorts to examine depression in real time.

BMJ open·2026
Same author

Linking the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS) With NHS Electronic Health Records.

Twin research and human genetics : the official journal of the International Society for Twin Studies·2026
Same author

The reliability of medical illness reporting in a randomized clinical trial.

PloS one·2025
Same author

Palliative care patients' attitudes and openness towards psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for existential distress.

Frontiers in psychiatry·2024
Same author

Differences in schizophrenia treatments by race and ethnicity-analysis of electronic health records.

Schizophrenia (Heidelberg, Germany)·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 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

23.5K

Thinking positively: The genetics of high intelligence.

Nicholas G Shakeshaft1, Maciej Trzaskowski1, Andrew McMillan1

  • 1King's College London, MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, London, SE5 8AF, United Kingdom.

Intelligence
|January 17, 2015
PubMed
Summary

High intelligence is familial and heritable, influenced by the same genetic and environmental factors as average intelligence. This finding supports "positive genetics," focusing on beneficial genetic effects.

Keywords:
Human geneticsIntelligencePositive geneticsSiblingsTwins

More Related Videos

Generalized Psychophysiological Interaction PPI Analysis of Memory Related Connectivity in Individuals at Genetic Risk for Alzheimer's Disease
09:38

Generalized Psychophysiological Interaction PPI Analysis of Memory Related Connectivity in Individuals at Genetic Risk for Alzheimer's Disease

Published on: November 14, 2017

15.9K
A Pipeline using Bilateral In Utero Electroporation to Interrogate Genetic Influences on Rodent Behavior
06:59

A Pipeline using Bilateral In Utero Electroporation to Interrogate Genetic Influences on Rodent Behavior

Published on: May 21, 2020

4.8K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 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

23.5K
Generalized Psychophysiological Interaction PPI Analysis of Memory Related Connectivity in Individuals at Genetic Risk for Alzheimer's Disease
09:38

Generalized Psychophysiological Interaction PPI Analysis of Memory Related Connectivity in Individuals at Genetic Risk for Alzheimer's Disease

Published on: November 14, 2017

15.9K
A Pipeline using Bilateral In Utero Electroporation to Interrogate Genetic Influences on Rodent Behavior
06:59

A Pipeline using Bilateral In Utero Electroporation to Interrogate Genetic Influences on Rodent Behavior

Published on: May 21, 2020

4.8K

Area of Science:

  • Behavioral genetics
  • Cognitive neuroscience
  • Human capital development

Background:

  • High intelligence (general cognitive ability) is crucial for societal advancement in the information age.
  • Understanding the genetic and environmental origins of high intelligence is vital for policy, neuroscience, and genetics.
  • A key genetic question is whether high intelligence origins differ from the normal intelligence distribution.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if the genetic and environmental factors underlying high intelligence are distinct from those influencing the normal distribution of intelligence.
  • To examine the heritability and familial nature of high intelligence.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a large-scale Swedish conscription registry dataset (3 million 18-year-old males, 1968-2010).
  • Analyzed cognitive assessments from 360,000 sibling pairs and 9,000 twin pairs.
  • Employed quantitative genetic modeling to assess familial resemblance and heritability.

Main Results:

  • High intelligence demonstrates significant familial resemblance and heritability.
  • The same genetic and environmental factors contribute to both high intelligence and the normal distribution of intelligence.
  • No evidence suggests qualitatively different genetic causes for high intelligence.

Conclusions:

  • High intelligence is influenced by the same etiological factors as average intelligence, indicating a quantitative rather than qualitative genetic difference.
  • This research supports the concept of
  • positive genetics,
  • exploring the beneficial spectrum of genetic variation.
  • Findings have implications for understanding human capital and informing genetic research beyond disease-associated variations.