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Assortative marriage for cognitive abilities

A B Zonderman, S G Vandenberg, K P Spuhler

    Behavior Genetics
    |May 1, 1977
    PubMed
    Summary
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    Spousal resemblance in cognitive abilities like spatial and verbal skills was examined. The study found no evidence of couples becoming more similar over time or that cognitive similarity influences fertility.

    Area of Science:

    • Psychology
    • Behavioral Genetics
    • Cognitive Science

    Background:

    • Family studies investigate the genetic basis of special abilities.
    • Assortive mating, the tendency for individuals to marry partners with similar traits, is a key factor in genetic studies.
    • Understanding cognitive resemblance between spouses can offer insights into shared environments and genetic influences.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate phenotypic convergence in cognitive abilities between spouses during marriage.
    • To determine if resemblance in cognitive abilities between spouses is associated with fertility.
    • To analyze the genetic and environmental factors contributing to cognitive similarities in married couples.

    Main Methods:

    • 123 spouse pairs were assessed using a battery of cognitive ability tests.

    Related Experiment Videos

  • Factor analysis was employed to identify underlying cognitive abilities (Spatial, Verbal, Perceptual Speed, Memory, and general intelligence 'g').
  • Multiple regression models were used to examine phenotypic convergence and the relationship between cognitive resemblance and fertility, controlling for age, sex, marriage duration, and number of children.

    • Main Results:

    • Partialing out age and sex explained some of the spouse correlations for spatial and verbal abilities, and the general factor.
    • Cognitive abilities related to perceptual speed and memory showed little change after controlling for demographic variables.
    • No significant evidence for phenotypic convergence in cognitive abilities over the duration of marriage was found.
    • No relationship was identified between the degree of cognitive resemblance between spouses and their fertility.

    Conclusions:

    • Spousal resemblance in cognitive abilities is partially explained by shared demographics like age and sex, rather than solely by shared genes or environmental convergence.
    • The study did not find evidence that couples become more cognitively similar over time.
    • Cognitive resemblance between spouses does not appear to be a significant factor influencing fertility.