Heritability estimates in behavior genetics: wasn't that station passed long ago?

Behav Brain Sci. 2012 Oct;35(5):361-2. doi: 10.1017/S0140525X12000970.

Abstract

Charney describes several mechanisms that will bias estimates of heritability in unpredictable directions. In addition, the mechanisms described by Charney explain the puzzling fact that research in human-behavior genetics routinely reports higher heritabilities than animal studies do. However, I argue that the concept of heritability has no real place in human research anyway.

Publication types

  • Comment

MeSH terms

  • Female
  • Genetics, Behavioral*
  • Genomics*
  • Humans
  • Pregnancy