The high heritability of educational achievement reflects many genetically influenced traits, not just intelligence

Eva Krapohl; Kaili Rimfeld; Nicholas G Shakeshaft; Maciej Trzaskowski; Andrew McMillan; Jean-Baptiste Pingault; Kathryn Asbury; Nicole Harlaar; Yulia Kovas; Philip S Dale; Robert Plomin

doi:10.1073/pnas.1408777111

The high heritability of educational achievement reflects many genetically influenced traits, not just intelligence

Eva Krapohl, Kaili Rimfeld, Nicholas G Shakeshaft, Maciej Trzaskowski, Andrew McMillan, Jean-Baptiste Pingault, Kathryn Asbury, Nicole Harlaar, Yulia Kovas, Philip S Dale, Robert Plomin

Education

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

Abstract

Differences among children in educational achievement are highly heritable from the early school years until the end of compulsory education at age 16, when UK students are assessed nationwide with standard achievement tests [General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE)]. Genetic research has shown that intelligence makes a major contribution to the heritability of educational achievement. However, we show that other broad domains of behavior such as personality and psychopathology also account for genetic influence on GCSE scores beyond that predicted by intelligence. Together with intelligence, these domains account for 75% of the heritability of GCSE scores. These results underline the importance of genetics in educational achievement and its correlates. The results also support the trend in education toward personalized learning.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	15273-15278
Number of pages	6
Journal	Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume	111
Issue number	42
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1408777111
Publication status	Published - 6 Oct 2014

Keywords

Academic achievement
Twin studies
Behavioural genetics
General cognitive ability
Personalised learning

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10.1073/pnas.1408777111

Kathryn Asbury
- kathryn.asburyyork.acuk
- Education - Co-Head of Department
Person: Academic

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Krapohl, E., Rimfeld, K., Shakeshaft, N. G., Trzaskowski, M., McMillan, A., Pingault, J.-B., Asbury, K., Harlaar, N., Kovas, Y., Dale, P. S., & Plomin, R. (2014). The high heritability of educational achievement reflects many genetically influenced traits, not just intelligence. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 111(42), 15273-15278. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1408777111

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title = "The high heritability of educational achievement reflects many genetically influenced traits, not just intelligence",

abstract = "Differences among children in educational achievement are highly heritable from the early school years until the end of compulsory education at age 16, when UK students are assessed nationwide with standard achievement tests [General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE)]. Genetic research has shown that intelligence makes a major contribution to the heritability of educational achievement. However, we show that other broad domains of behavior such as personality and psychopathology also account for genetic influence on GCSE scores beyond that predicted by intelligence. Together with intelligence, these domains account for 75% of the heritability of GCSE scores. These results underline the importance of genetics in educational achievement and its correlates. The results also support the trend in education toward personalized learning.",

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Krapohl, E, Rimfeld, K, Shakeshaft, NG, Trzaskowski, M, McMillan, A, Pingault, J-B, Asbury, K, Harlaar, N, Kovas, Y, Dale, PS & Plomin, R 2014, 'The high heritability of educational achievement reflects many genetically influenced traits, not just intelligence', Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, vol. 111, no. 42, pp. 15273-15278. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1408777111

The high heritability of educational achievement reflects many genetically influenced traits, not just intelligence. / Krapohl, Eva; Rimfeld, Kaili; Shakeshaft, Nicholas G et al.
In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Vol. 111, No. 42, 06.10.2014, p. 15273-15278.

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

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T1 - The high heritability of educational achievement reflects many genetically influenced traits, not just intelligence

AU - Krapohl, Eva

AU - Rimfeld, Kaili

AU - Shakeshaft, Nicholas G

AU - Trzaskowski, Maciej

AU - McMillan, Andrew

AU - Pingault, Jean-Baptiste

AU - Asbury, Kathryn

AU - Harlaar, Nicole

AU - Kovas, Yulia

AU - Dale, Philip S

AU - Plomin, Robert

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KW - Twin studies

KW - Behavioural genetics

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KW - Personalised learning

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JO - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

JF - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

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The high heritability of educational achievement reflects many genetically influenced traits, not just intelligence

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Keywords

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