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Genetic Change and Continuity from Fourteen to Twenty Months: The MacArthur Longitudinal Twin Study
Author(s) -
Plomin Robert,
Kagan Jerome,
Emde Robert N.,
Reznick J. Steven,
Braungart Julia M.,
Robinson JoAnn,
Campos Joseph,
ZahnWaxler Carolyn,
Corley Robin,
Fulker David W.,
DeFries J. C.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
child development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1467-8624
pISSN - 0009-3920
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-8624.1993.tb02957.x
Subject(s) - heritability , psychology , temperament , twin study , developmental psychology , longitudinal study , behavioural genetics , cognition , personality , social psychology , evolutionary biology , biology , statistics , psychiatry , mathematics
Genetic change as well as continuity was investigated within the domains of temperament, emotion, and cognition/language for 200 pairs of twins assessed at 14 and 20 months of age in the laboratory and home. The second year of life is marked by change rather than continuity: correlations from 14 to 20 months averaged about .30 for observational measures of temperament and emotion, about .40 for language measures, and about .50 for mental development. 2 types of genetic change were examined: changes in the magnitude of genetic influence (heritability) and genetic contributions to change from 14 to 20 months. In general, heritability estimates were similar at 14 and 20 months. Evidence for genetic influence on change from 14 to 20 months emerged for several measures, implying that heritability cannot be equated with stability. Analyses of continuity indicated that genetic factors are largely responsible for continuity from 14 to 20 months.