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Where not to look for targets of social reforms and interventions, according to behavioral genetics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 September 2023

Nikolai Haahjem Eftedal
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Forskningsveien 3A, Oslo, Norway n.h.eftedal@psykologi.uio.no lotte.thomsen@psykologi.uio.no PROMENTA Research Center, University of Oslo, Forskningsveien 3A, Oslo, Norway
Lotte Thomsen
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Forskningsveien 3A, Oslo, Norway n.h.eftedal@psykologi.uio.no lotte.thomsen@psykologi.uio.no Department of Political Science, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 7, Aarhus, Denmark Center for the Experimental Philosophical Investigation of Discrimination, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 7, Aarhus, Denmark

Abstract

Behavioral genetics typically finds that the so-called shared environment contributes little or nothing to explaining within-population variation on most traits. If true, this has important implications for where not to look for good targets of interventions: Namely all things that are within the normal range of variation from one rearing environment to the next in that population.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press

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