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Peer Network Overlap in Twin, Sibling, and Friend Dyads
Author(s) -
McGuire Shirley,
Segal Nancy L.
Publication year - 2012
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.1467-8624.2012.01855.x
Subject(s) - dyad , sibling , psychology , developmental psychology , dizygotic twin , twin study , dizygotic twins , heritability , genetics , biology , medicine , obstetrics
Research suggests that sibling–peer connections are important for understanding adolescent problem behaviors. Using a novel behavioral genetic design, the current study investigated peer network overlap in 300 child–child pairs (aged 7–13 years) in 5 dyad types: monozygotic ( MZ ), dizygotic twins, full siblings ( FSs ), friend pairs, and virtual twins (i.e., same‐aged, genetically unrelated siblings). Genetic relatedness, sex composition, and age differences contributed to peer overlap in sibling dyads. MZ twins showed the highest overlap (82%), opposite‐sex FS pairs showed the lowest overlap (27%), and friend pairs (48%) were close to the mean (53%). Social contact variables and self‐reported relationship intimacy predicted additional variance in peer overlap. The roles of genotype–environment correlational and shared environmental processes in the sibling–peer connections are discussed.