A Twin Study into the Genetic and Environmental Influences on Academic Performance in Science in nine-year-old Boys and Girls.

International Journal of Science Education
Claire M A HaworthRobert Plomin

Abstract

We investigated for the first time the genetic and environmental aetiology behind scientific achievement in primary school children, with a special focus on possible aetiological differences for boys and girls. For a representative community sample of 2,602 twin pairs assessed at age nine years, scientific achievement in school was rated by teachers based on National Curriculum criteria in three domains: Scientific Enquiry, Life Processes, and Physical Processes. Results indicate that genetic influences account for over 60% of the variance in scientific achievement, with environmental influences accounting for the remaining variance. Environmental influences were mainly of the non-shared variety, suggesting that children from the same family experience school environments differently. An analysis of sex differences considering differences in means, variances, and aetiology of individual differences found only differences in variance between the sexes, with boys showing greater variance in performance than girls.

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Citations

Jul 8, 2011·Psychological Medicine·J JundongPaul Lichtenstein
Mar 1, 2014·Demography·Nicole SchneeweisRudolf Winter-Ebmer
Jan 1, 2010·International Journal of Educational Research·Claire M A HaworthRobert Plomin
Jun 6, 2009·Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines·Claire M A HaworthRobert Plomin
Apr 24, 2014·American Journal of Medical Genetics. Part B, Neuropsychiatric Genetics : the Official Publication of the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics·Clara López-SolàBen J Harrison
Jul 21, 2015·Social Science Research·Artur Pokropek, Joanna Sikora
Aug 26, 2014·International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology·Dylan B Jackson, Kevin M Beaver
Nov 10, 2017·BMJ Open Gastroenterology·Rasmus WaehrensMirNabi Pirouzifard
Jan 18, 2019·JAMA Otolaryngology-- Head & Neck Surgery·Christopher R CederrothBengt Zöller
Sep 6, 2018·Journal of Experimental Neuroscience·Mirjana VucinovicAna Vucinovic
Dec 2, 2020·Journal of Clinical Medicine·Natalia TrpchevskaChristopher R Cederroth
Jan 17, 2021·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·Chisato HayashiKazuo Hayakawa

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