A twin study into the genetic and environmental influences on academic performance in science in nine-year-old boys and girls

TY - JOUR

T1 - A twin study into the genetic and environmental influences on academic performance in science in nine-year-old boys and girls

AU - Haworth, C M A

AU - Dale, P

AU - Plomin, R

PY - 2008/6/25

Y1 - 2008/6/25

N2 - 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

AB - 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

U2 - 10.1080/09500690701324190

DO - 10.1080/09500690701324190

M3 - Article

SN - 1464-5289

VL - 30

SP - 1003

EP - 1025

JO - International Journal of Science Education

JF - International Journal of Science Education

IS - 8

ER -