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Genetic influence on social outcomes during and after the Soviet era in Estonia

Author

Listed:
  • Kaili Rimfeld

    (King’s College London)

  • Eva Krapohl

    (King’s College London)

  • Maciej Trzaskowski

    (The University of Queensland)

  • Jonathan R. I. Coleman

    (King’s College London
    South London and Maudsley National Health Service Trust)

  • Saskia Selzam

    (King’s College London)

  • Philip S. Dale

    (University of New Mexico)

  • Tonu Esko

    (University of Tartu)

  • Andres Metspalu

    (University of Tartu)

  • Robert Plomin

    (King’s College London)

Abstract

The aetiology of individual differences in educational attainment and occupational status includes genetic as well as environmental factors1–5 and can change as societies change3,6,7. The extent of genetic influence on these social outcomes can be viewed as an index of success in achieving meritocratic values of equality of opportunity by rewarding talent and hard work, which are to a large extent influenced by genetic factors, rather than rewarding environmentally driven privilege. To the extent that the end of the Soviet Union and the independence of Estonia led to an increase in meritocratic selection of individuals in education and occupation, genetic influence should be higher in the post-Soviet era than in the Soviet era. Here we confirmed this hypothesis: DNA differences (single-nucleotide polymorphisms) explained twice as much variance in educational attainment and occupational status in the post-Soviet era compared with the Soviet era in both polygenic score analyses and single-nucleotide polymorphism heritability analyses of 12,500 Estonians. Our results demonstrate a change in the extent of genetic influence in the same population following a massive and abrupt social change—in this case, the shift from a communist to a capitalist society.

Suggested Citation

  • Kaili Rimfeld & Eva Krapohl & Maciej Trzaskowski & Jonathan R. I. Coleman & Saskia Selzam & Philip S. Dale & Tonu Esko & Andres Metspalu & Robert Plomin, 2018. "Genetic influence on social outcomes during and after the Soviet era in Estonia," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 2(4), pages 269-275, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nathum:v:2:y:2018:i:4:d:10.1038_s41562-018-0332-5
    DOI: 10.1038/s41562-018-0332-5
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. von Stumm, Sophie & Plomin, Robert, 2021. "Using DNA to predict intelligence," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    2. Pietro Biroli & Titus Galama & Stephanie von Hinke & Hans van Kippersluis & Cornelius Rietveld & Kevin Thom, 2022. "The Economics and Econometrics of Gene-Environment Interplay," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 22-019/V, Tinbergen Institute.
    3. Rita Dias Pereira & Pietro Biroli & Titus Galama & Stephanie von Hinke & Hans van Kippersluis & Cornelius A. Rietveld & Kevin Thom, 2022. "Gene-Environment Interplay in the Social Sciences," Papers 2203.02198, arXiv.org, revised Aug 2022.
    4. Paul Minard, 2022. "Molecular genetics and mid-career economic mobility," Papers 2209.00057, arXiv.org.
    5. Nicola Barban & Elisabetta De Cao & Marco Francesconi, 2021. "Gene-Environment Effects on Female Fertility," CESifo Working Paper Series 9337, CESifo.
    6. Jonathan Beauchamp & Lauren Schmitz & Matthew McGue & James Lee, 2023. "Nature-Nurture Interplay: Evidence from Molecular Genetic and Pedigree Data in Korean American Adoptees," Working Papers 2023-030, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    7. Pesta, Bryan J. & Kirkegaard, Emil O.W. & te Nijenhuis, Jan & Lasker, Jordan & Fuerst, John G.R., 2020. "Racial and ethnic group differences in the heritability of intelligence: A systematic review and meta-analysis," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).

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