Resolving the Genetic and Environmental Sources of the Correlation Between Height and Intelligence: A Study of Nearly 2600 Norwegian Male Twin Pairs
Open accessAbstract
The main aim of this paper was to resolve the correlation between intelligence test scores and standing height into genetic and environmental components. Data on 1181 identical and 1412 fraternal twin pairs (all males) were retrieved by matching files from the Norwegian Army with twin registries. The data were analyzed by means of a structural equation model comprising latent genetic, shared environmental and nonshared environmental factors and correlations between them. A major part of the height–intelligence correlation was due to correlated shared environments (59% of the phenotypic height–intelligence correlation), but statistically significant effects of correlated genes and nonshared environments were also found (respectively 35% and 6% of the phenotypic correlation).
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Potential perinatal risks not controlled for include inheritable genetic traits, such as a lack of maternal height, that may drive both cesarean birth (due to a relatively small pelvis) and child cognitive outcomes.
“Potential perinatal risks not controlled for include inheritable genetic traits, such as a lack of maternal height, that may drive both cesarean birth (due to a relatively small pelvis (cephalopelvic disproportion))51 and child cognitive outcomes52.”
From The relation between cesarean birth and child cognitive development (2017) · cites this paper as [52]
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The relation between cesarean birth and child cognitive development
Polidano, C., Zhu, A., & Bornstein, J. C. (2017) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-017-10831-y · Cited by 119 · see citing works
- Authors
- Sundet, J. M., Tambs, K., Harris, J. R., Magnus, P., & Torjussen, T. M.
- Affiliations
- University of Oslo (NO)
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NO)
- Norwegian Armed Forces (NO)
- Corresponding author
- Sundet, Jon Martin
- Venue
- Twin Research and Human Genetics
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2005-08-01
- Volume
- 8
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 307-311
- ISSN
- 1832-4274 (ISSN-L)
- 1839-2628
- OpenAlex
- W2111643087
- Cited by
- 107
- References
- 12
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 9
- FWCI
- 7.77
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Twin Research and Human Genetics (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Forsvaret
- 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
- heritability, shared environment, nonshared environment, genetic correlation, twin pairs, intelligence test scores, height, Norwegian Army, twin registry, structural equation modeling
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Body Height, Environment, Humans, Intelligence, Male, Models, Genetic, Norway, Twins, Twins, Dizygotic, Twins, Monozygotic
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