The etiology of science performance: decreasing heritability and increasing importance of the shared environment from 9 to 12 years of age.
During childhood and adolescence, increases in heritability and decreases in shared environmental influences have typically been found for cognitive abilities. A sample of more than 2,500 pairs of twins from the Twins Early Development Study was used to investigate whether a similar pattern would be found for science performance from 9 to 12 years. Science performance was based on teacher-assessed U.K. National Curriculum standards. Science at 9 years showed high heritability (64%) and modest shared environmental (16%) estimates. In contrast to the expected developmental pattern, heritability was significantly lower at 12 years (47%) and shared environmental influences were significantly higher (32%). Understanding what these increasingly important shared environmental influences are could lead to interventions that encourage engagement in science throughout the lifespan.
Haworth
Claire M A
CM
SGDP Centre P080, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, United Kingdom. Claire.Haworth@iop.kcl.ac.uk
Dale
Philip S
PS
Plomin
Robert
R
D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010552:Personality Assessment; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D012931:Social Environment; D018433:Twin Studies as Topic; D014427:Twins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology*; D014429:Twins, Dizygotic / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D006113:United Kingdom