Genetic differences in learning motivation are more strongly predictive of math achievement among four-year-olds in higher-SES homes¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · associational r2 · q3
Currency · newest study 2011 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i? In a bivariate twin model, the ab′ parameter linking genes for motivation to math achievement was positive and significant, indicating a stronger genetic motivation-to-math relation at higher SES. → Tucker-Drob 2011

Evidence¶

Tucker-Drob 2011¶

Tucker-Drob, Elliot M., & Harden, K. Paige. (2011). Learning Motivation Mediates Gene-by-Socioeconomic Status Interaction on Mathematics Achievement in Early Childhood. Learning and Individual Differences. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2011.11.015

q3 · i? · associational · r2

Bivariate Cholesky behavioral genetic analysis of approximately 650 four-year-old twin pairs from ECLS-B, fit with full information maximum likelihood in Mplus. The printed ab′ estimate was .135 [.012, .258] in Step 1, described as "positive, indicating that genes for motivation are more strongly predictive of math at higher levels of SES."

"For Step 1, in which all main effects and interaction parameters were estimated, the only interaction parameter that is significant is the ab′ parameter. This parameter is positive, indicating that genes for motivation are more strongly predictive of math at higher levels of SES."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Socioeconomic Status — moderator: an instructional effect differs by group

Related Claims¶

• Genes account for negligible variance in four-year-olds' math scores at very low SES but over 40% at very high SES — related
• Genetic variance in learning motivation fully mediates the gene-by-SES interaction on four-year-olds' math achievement — related
• The reverse math-to-motivation genetic pathway is not moderated by SES, supporting a directional motivation-to-achievement relation — related
• SES accounts for a modest 9% of variance in learning motivation but a larger 28% of variance in math achievement among four-year-olds — related
• SES does not moderate genetic, shared, or nonshared environmental variance in four-year-olds' learning motivation — related
• Belongingness is among the factors that most strongly and reliably affect learners' academic motivation and achievement — related