Genetic Interactions with Prenatal Social Environment: Effects on Academic and Behavioral Outcomes
Issue Date
2013-02-21Author
Conley, Dalton
Rauscher, Emily
Publisher
American Sociological Association
Type
Article
Article Version
Scholarly/refereed, author accepted manuscript
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Numerous studies report gene-environment interactions, suggesting that specific alleles have different effects on social outcomes depending on environment. In all these studies, however, environmental conditions are potentially endogenous to unmeasured genetic characteristics. That is, it could be that the observed interaction effects actually reflect underlying genetic tendencies that lead individuals into certain environments. What is critical to move this literature forward is random environmental variation that we know is not correlated with innate characteristics of subjects. We exploit a natural experiment that randomizes a particular stressor—birth weight discordance within twin pairs—to address this challenge and ask: Do random differences in early environment (prenatal nutrition) moderate genetic effects on depression, delinquency, or GPA? Using Add Health data, the only consistently significant allele–birth weight interaction we reveal works in the opposite direction of Caspi et al.’s classic finding regarding the interaction of maltreatment with genetic variation in the serotonin transporter promoter. Less robust interactions found for DRD2 and MAOA are consistent with this pattern that reverses prior findings. These results do not necessarily overturn existing research but support our methodological point that gene-environment research must address endogeneity.
Collections
Citation
Conley, Dalton and Emily
Rauscher
.
2013
.
“Genetic Interactions with Prenatal
Social
Environment: Effects on Academic and Behavioral Outcomes
.
”
Journal of Health and
Social Behavior
54(1):109
-
27
.
Items in KU ScholarWorks are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.
We want to hear from you! Please share your stories about how Open Access to this item benefits YOU.