Two by Two: A Twin Study of Second-Language Acquisition

Philip S. Dale; Nicole Harlaar; Claire M. A. Haworth; Robert Plomin

doi:10.1177/0956797610368060

Two by Two: A Twin Study of Second-Language Acquisition

Philip S. Dale, Nicole Harlaar, Claire M. A. Haworth, Robert Plomin

Social Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

22 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In this report, we provide initial results of the first application of the classic twin design to second-language acquisition. The analysis was conducted on assessments teachers made using United Kingdom National Curriculum standards and included 604 pairs of 14-year-old twins. The results demonstrate substantial heritability (.67) and low influence of shared environment (.13) on this measure of second-language acquisition. The heritability of second-language acquisition at 14 years is comparable to the heritability of the two first-language acquisition measures obtained at 12 and 14 years, respectively, and is higher than heritability estimates previously published for first-language acquisition in early childhood. Multivariate behavior genetic analyses suggest very high, but not complete, overlap of genetic influences on first-and second-language acquisition, and less overlap between shared environmental influences on the two domains.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	635 - 640
Number of pages	6
Journal	Psychological Science
Volume	21
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797610368060
Publication status	Published - 2010

Keywords

Second-language acquisition
Genetics
Twin study

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10.1177/0956797610368060

Origins of learning difficulties and behaviour problems: From behavioural genetics to behavioural genomics
Plomin, R. (Primary Investigator)
MRC Medical Research Council
1/10/2005 → 30/09/2010
Project: Research

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title = "Two by Two: A Twin Study of Second-Language Acquisition",

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AU - Harlaar, Nicole

AU - Haworth, Claire M. A.

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AB - In this report, we provide initial results of the first application of the classic twin design to second-language acquisition. The analysis was conducted on assessments teachers made using United Kingdom National Curriculum standards and included 604 pairs of 14-year-old twins. The results demonstrate substantial heritability (.67) and low influence of shared environment (.13) on this measure of second-language acquisition. The heritability of second-language acquisition at 14 years is comparable to the heritability of the two first-language acquisition measures obtained at 12 and 14 years, respectively, and is higher than heritability estimates previously published for first-language acquisition in early childhood. Multivariate behavior genetic analyses suggest very high, but not complete, overlap of genetic influences on first-and second-language acquisition, and less overlap between shared environmental influences on the two domains.

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KW - Genetics

KW - Twin study

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VL - 21

SP - 635

EP - 640

JO - Psychological Science

JF - Psychological Science

IS - 5

ER -

Two by Two: A Twin Study of Second-Language Acquisition

Abstract

Keywords

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Origins of learning difficulties and behaviour problems: From behavioural genetics to behavioural genomics

Cite this