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The democracy of the genes

Nature volume 388, pages 417–418 (1997)Cite this article

The genetic heritability of IQ remains highly contentious. A new analysis shows that genetic influences may be weaker, and prenatal environmental influences greater, than previously appreciated.

Sir Francis Galton's contributions in 1869 alone were enough to ensure that his scientific legacy would be a lasting one. In that year, he not only helped in founding this journal, but also published the first empirical investigation of the inheritance of human achievement1, a study that is generally credited with framing the modern nature-nurture debate. On page 468of this issue2, Devlin, Daniels and Roeder report a statistical analysis of more than 200 familial IQ correlations, the most recent in a long line of empirical investigations aimed at resolving issues that were raised by Galton.

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References

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  1. the Department of Psychology and the Institute of Human Genetics, 75 East River Road, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 55455, Minnesota, USA

    Matt McGue

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  1. Matt McGue
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McGue, M. The democracy of the genes. Nature 388, 417–418 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1038/41199

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