Genetics and Psychology: Beyond Heritability

TY - JOUR

T1 - Genetics and Psychology

T2 - Beyond Heritability

AU - Plomin, Robert

AU - Colledge, Essi

PY - 2006/9/1

Y1 - 2006/9/1

N2 - The questions whether and how much genetic factors affect psychological dimensions and disorders represent important first steps in understanding the origins of individual differences. Because it is now widely accepted that genetic influences contribute importantly to individual differences throughout psychology, genetic research is moving beyond merely estimating heritability to asking questions about how genetic mechanisms work. We focus on two examples of ways in which genetic research is going beyond heritability. The first is to use genetically sensitive designs to identify specific environmental influences, taking into account two of the most important findings from behavioral genetics: nonshared environment and genotype-environment correlation. The second is to use the new tools of molecular genetics to identify specific genes responsible for the substantial heritability of a variety of behavioral traits.

AB - The questions whether and how much genetic factors affect psychological dimensions and disorders represent important first steps in understanding the origins of individual differences. Because it is now widely accepted that genetic influences contribute importantly to individual differences throughout psychology, genetic research is moving beyond merely estimating heritability to asking questions about how genetic mechanisms work. We focus on two examples of ways in which genetic research is going beyond heritability. The first is to use genetically sensitive designs to identify specific environmental influences, taking into account two of the most important findings from behavioral genetics: nonshared environment and genotype-environment correlation. The second is to use the new tools of molecular genetics to identify specific genes responsible for the substantial heritability of a variety of behavioral traits.

U2 - 10.1027//1016-9040.6.4.229

DO - 10.1027//1016-9040.6.4.229

M3 - Article

SN - 1016-9040

VL - 6

SP - 229

EP - 240

JO - EUROPEAN PSYCHOLOGIST

JF - EUROPEAN PSYCHOLOGIST

IS - 4

ER -