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Using genetics for social science

Author

Listed:
  • K. Paige Harden

    (University of Texas at Austin)

  • Philipp D. Koellinger

    (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)

Abstract

Social science genetics is concerned with understanding whether, how and why genetic differences between human beings are linked to differences in behaviours and socioeconomic outcomes. Our review discusses the goals, methods, challenges and implications of this research endeavour. We survey how the recent developments in genetics are beginning to provide social scientists with a powerful new toolbox they can use to better understand environmental effects, and we illustrate this with several substantive examples. Furthermore, we examine how medical research can benefit from genetic insights into social-scientific outcomes and vice versa. Finally, we discuss the ethical challenges of this work and clarify several common misunderstandings and misinterpretations of genetic research on individual differences.

Suggested Citation

  • K. Paige Harden & Philipp D. Koellinger, 2020. "Using genetics for social science," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 4(6), pages 567-576, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nathum:v:4:y:2020:i:6:d:10.1038_s41562-020-0862-5
    DOI: 10.1038/s41562-020-0862-5
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Thomas Buser & Rafael Ahlskog & Magnus Johannesson & Sven Oskarsson, 2022. "Occupational sorting on genes," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 22-062/I, Tinbergen Institute, revised 29 Mar 2023.
    2. Menta, Giorgia & Lepinteur, Anthony & Clark, Andrew E. & Ghislandi, Simone & D'Ambrosio, Conchita, 2023. "Maternal genetic risk for depression and child human capital," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    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. Thomas Buser & Rafael Ahlskog & Magnus Johannesson & Philipp Koellinger & Sven Oskarsson, 2021. "Using Genes to Explore the Effects of Cognitive and Non-cognitive Skills on Education and Labor Market Outcomes," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 21-088/I, Tinbergen Institute, revised 29 Mar 2023.
    5. Andrea Pogliano, 2024. "Born That Way: Beliefs about Genetics’ Importance and Redistribution Preferences," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 24-017/I, Tinbergen Institute.
    6. Hyeokmoon Kweon & Casper A.P. Burik & Richard Karlsson Linner & Ronald de Vlaming & Aysu Okbay & Daphne Martschenko & Kathryn Paige Harden & Thomas A. DiPrete & Philipp D. Koellinger, 2020. "Genetic Fortune: Winning or Losing Education, Income, and Health," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 20-053/V, Tinbergen Institute, revised 01 Dec 2020.

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