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Common beliefs about the heredity of human characteristics
Author(s) -
Terwogt Mark Meerum,
Hoeksma Jan B.,
Koops Willem
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
british journal of psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.536
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 2044-8295
pISSN - 0007-1269
DOI - 10.1111/j.2044-8295.1993.tb02497.x
Subject(s) - heredity , psychology , developmental psychology , social psychology , genetics , biology
Three groups of adult subjects indicated the extent to which they thought a number of human characteristics were affected by environmental as opposed to heredity factors. Regression analyses demonstrated a curvilinear relationship between belief in the influence of heredity and age (the weakest beliefs in heredity were found in subjects around the age of 25) and a negative linear relationship with education (low levels of education corresponded to strong beliefs in heredity). Moreover, it was shown that parents of adopted children and people with incomplete information about their own genetic backgrounds hold relatively strong beliefs in the influence of heredity.