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Genetic and Environmental Influences on Special Mental Abilities in a Sample of Twins Reared Apart

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2014

T.J. Bouchard Jr. ,
N.L. Segal  and
D.T. Lykken
T.J. Bouchard Jr.*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA
N.L. Segal
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA
D.T. Lykken
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA
*
Department of Psychology, Elliott Hall, University of Minnesota, 75 East River Road, Minneapolis MN 55455, USA

Abstract

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The Minnesota Study of Twins Reared Apart has conducted comprehensive medical and psychological assessments of monozygotic (N = 49) and dizygotic (N = 25) twin pairs, separated early in life (average age of separation = 0.3 and 1.1 years, respectively) and reared apart during the formative years (average age of reunion = 30.3 and 37.2 years, respectively). The twins are administered two special mental ability batteries. The Hawaii Battery (H-B), supplemented by several Educational Testing Service tests, is administered toward the beginning of the assessment week. The Comprehensive Ability Battery (CAB) is administered toward the end of the assessment week. All data are age- and sex-corrected. The average MZA and DZA intraclass correlations for the 15 H-B subtests were 0.45 and 0.34, respectively, and the average MZA and DZA intraclass correlations for the 13 subtests of the CAB were 0.48 and 0.35, respectively. Biometric model-fitting of these data indicate an average heritability of about 0.50. Data for groups of subtests in the Verbal, Spatial, Perceptual Speed and Accuracy and Memory domains were compared to a meta-analysis of the special mental ability findings in the ordinary twin literature. The Spatial domain appears to yield the highest and the Memory domain the lowest heritabilities.

Keywords

Twins reared apartSpecial mental abilities
Type
Research Article
Information
Acta geneticae medicae et gemellologiae: twin research , Volume 39 , Issue 2 , April 1990 , pp. 193 - 206
Copyright
Copyright © The International Society for Twin Studies 1990

References

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