Genetic stability of educational achievement persists after controlling for general cognitive ability (g), with genetic factors explaining about 60% of stability¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (3 entries) · associational r3 · q3
Currency · newest study 2018 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i? Controlling for g only slightly reduces phenotypic stability (0.50–0.78) and genetic stability (0.53–0.82), with genetics still explaining 52–72% of phenotypic correlations. → Rimfeld 2018 q3 i? In the common pathway model controlling for g, genetic factors explain 59% of the stability of achievement. → Rimfeld 2018 (2) q3 i? In the g-controlled simplex model, genetic paths remain high (0.75, 0.76, 0.79). → Rimfeld 2018 (3)

Evidence¶

Rimfeld 2018¶

Rimfeld, K., Malanchini, M., Krapohl, E., Hannigan, L. J., Dale, P. S. & Plomin, R. (2018). The stability of educational achievement across school years is largely explained by genetic factors. npj Science of Learning 3:16. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-018-0030-0

q3 · i? · associational · r3

Bivariate twin analyses repeated with a longitudinal composite of g (six assessments, ages 7–16) controlled by linear regression; printed ranges are 0.50–0.78 phenotypic, 0.53–0.82 genetic, 52–72% genetic contribution. Proportions, not standardised effect sizes.

"Controlling for g only slightly reduced the phenotypic stability (range = 0.50–0.78) and genetic stability (range = 0.53–0.82) of the correlations (Fig. 2b). The phenotypic stability from age to age was still mostly accounted for by genetic factors, even after controlling for g (52–72%; Fig. 2b)."

Rimfeld 2018 (2)¶

Rimfeld, K., Malanchini, M., Krapohl, E., Hannigan, L. J., Dale, P. S. & Plomin, R. (2018). The stability of educational achievement across school years is largely explained by genetic factors. npj Science of Learning 3:16. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-018-0030-0

q3 · i? · associational · r3

Common pathway model re-fitted controlling for g; the article prints genetic factors explaining "59%" and shared environment "21%" of latent achievement stability. Variance components, not effect sizes.

"The results were similar when we controlled for g—genetic factors explained 59% of the stability in core educational achievement after controlling for intelli- gence, 21% of the stability was explained by shared environ- mental factors (Fig. 4b)."

Rimfeld 2018 (3)¶

Rimfeld, K., Malanchini, M., Krapohl, E., Hannigan, L. J., Dale, P. S. & Plomin, R. (2018). The stability of educational achievement across school years is largely explained by genetic factors. npj Science of Learning 3:16. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-018-0030-0

q3 · i? · associational · r3

Simplex model repeated controlling for g; heritability was somewhat lower but the printed genetic transmission paths remain high (0.75, 0.76, 0.79). Path estimates, not standardised effect sizes.

"educational achievement continued to be highly stable and its stability was still largely accounted for by genetic factors; genetic paths from age to age are 0.75, 0.76, and 0.79."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Educational achievement is highly stable from age 7 to 16, with age-to-age phenotypic correlations ranging from 0.66 to 0.85 — related
• Genetic factors account for most of the longitudinal stability of educational achievement (70% in the common pathway model; 63–79% of bivariate phenotypic correlations) — related
• A Classical Twin Design model of educational attainment in the TwinLife sample estimates shared environmental influence at 43% and additive genetic influence at 34% — related
• GPAΔ is strikingly highly heritable (85%), exceeding the heritability of achievement itself (67%) — related
• Genetic influences drive the phenotypic correlations between cognitive skills and reading components — related
• Literacy, phonological awareness, oral language and PWM abilities share a large proportion of underlying genetic variation in unrelated youth — related
• Age-to-age change in achievement is largely explained by non-shared environmental factors, while genetic and shared environmental influences are stable — related