Familial Studies of Intelligence: A Review
Abstract
A summary of 111 studies identified in a survey of the world literature on familial resemblances in measured intelligence reveals a profile of average correlations consistent with a polygenic mode of inheritance. There is, however, a marked degree of heterogeneity of the correlations within familial groupings, which is not moderated by sex of familial pairing or by type of intelligence test used.
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Heritability estimates from twin and pedigree studies of intelligence are large.
“heritability estimates from twin and pedigree studies of intelligence are large (Bouchard & McGue, 1981)”
From Large Cross-National Differences in Gene × Socioeconomic Status Interaction on Intelligence (2016) · cites this paper as Bouchard & McGue, 1981
The estimated sibling correlation of 0.47 is identical to the weighted average of 69 studies based on a total of 26,473 American sibling pairs.
“The correlation in sibling ability, central to this model, is estimated at 0.47 (95% uncertainty bound: 0.46–0.48; see SI Appendix and SI Appendix, Table S6), identical to the weighted average of 69 studies based on a total of 26,473 American sibling pairs (15).”
From Flynn effect and its reversal are both environmentally caused (2018) · cites this paper as [15]
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“In childhood, they run less than 50% of variance, but they increase to around 70% in adulthood ( Bouchard & McGue,1981; Deary, Spinath, & Bates, 2006; Plomin & Spinath, 2004).”
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- Authors
- Bouchard, T. J., & McGue, M.
- Affiliations
- University of Minnesota (US)
- ORCID
- Bouchard, Thomas J.
- Venue
- Science
- Published
- 1981-05-29
- Volume
- 212
- Issue
- 4498
- Pages
- 1055-1059
- ISSN
- 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
- 1095-9203
- OpenAlex
- W2003117185
- Cited by
- 841
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 18 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 21 · 2014: 23 · 2013: 22 · 2012: 19
- FWCI
- 21.49
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic Associations and Epidemiology
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Intergenerational and Educational Inequality Studies
- Keywords
- intelligence, familial resemblance, heritability, polygenic inheritance, genetic correlation, family studies, intelligence test scores, sex differences
- MeSH terms
- Family, Female, Genetics, Medical, Humans, Intelligence, Intelligence Tests, Male, Pregnancy, Sex Factors, Twins
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