Genetic and environmental influences on special mental abilities in a sample of twins reared apart. 1990

T J Bouchard, and N L Segal, and D T Lykken
Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

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.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007360 Intelligence The ability to learn and to deal with new situations and to deal effectively with tasks involving abstractions.
D007361 Intelligence Tests Standardized tests that measure the present general ability or aptitude for intellectual performance. Mental Tests,Raven Test,Raven's Progressive Matrices,Intelligence Test,Mental Test,Raven Progressive Matrices,Ravens Progressive Matrices,Test, Intelligence,Test, Mental,Test, Raven
D008297 Male Males
D008957 Models, Genetic Theoretical representations that simulate the behavior or activity of genetic processes or phenomena. They include the use of mathematical equations, computers, and other electronic equipment. Genetic Models,Genetic Model,Model, Genetic
D004777 Environment The external elements and conditions which surround, influence, and affect the life and development of an organism or population. Environmental Impact,Environmental Impacts,Impact, Environmental,Impacts, Environmental,Environments
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001699 Biometry The use of statistical and mathematical methods to analyze biological observations and phenomena. Biometric Analysis,Biometrics,Analyses, Biometric,Analysis, Biometric,Biometric Analyses
D014427 Twins Two individuals derived from two FETUSES that were fertilized at or about the same time, developed in the UTERUS simultaneously, and born to the same mother. Twins are either monozygotic (TWINS, MONOZYGOTIC) or dizygotic (TWINS, DIZYGOTIC). Twin

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