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From the paper: > Finding 2. No traits are 100% heritable Although heritability estimates are significantly greater than 0%, they are also significantly less t

From the paper: > Finding 2. No traits are 100% heritable Although heritability estimates are significantly greater than 0%, they are also significantly less than 100%. As noted earlier, heritability estimates are substantial, typically between 30% and 50%, but this range of estimates is a long way from 100%. Besides, some of the findings look significantly over generalized, and the ones that aren't don't seem very revolutionary or intetesting.

danieltillett 9y ago
You are not going to be able to put this nuance in a tweet, but the major problem with estimating the heritability of phycological factors is the error bars are massive. You can’t even get near the same results when you measure the same person on different days. While there is obviously a non-shared environmental component, it is really noise. The only factors that people care about are the factors that can be studied; shared environment (that is all the environmental factors that can in theory be measured) and genes. Non-shared environment is just what is left over once you account for measurable environmental factors and genes.
- new299 9y ago
  If I've understood correctly, what you're saying is that there's really too much noise is the results which can neither be explained by shared environment, or genetics? I've browsed the paper, but must of missed it. How big are the error bars? Is it possible to get a sense of how much variation is explained by genetics alone?
  - danieltillett 9y ago
    There are three components to the variance: genetics, shared environment, and non-shared environment (noise basically). Shared environment is almost immeasurable for most of these traits (under 10%) while most is the variance is due to genetics or non-shared environment. The way non-shared environment is determined is by subtracting genetics and shared environment from the total varience. The worse the test the bigger the component that ends up in the non-shared environment factor. The error bars depend on the trait being measured. Some are relatively small (like g), while others like "agreeableness" (just choosing a random trait) will be quite large as it is hard to measure this accurately and consistently.
- jnordwick 9y ago
  Are you saying that patents don't matter any more than their genetic contribution? I would have a very difficult time believing that.
  - danieltillett 9y ago
    I think you might mean parents, but for most of the measurable general psychological traits then yes. As a parent it is in somewhat depressing, but on the other hand liberating. Provided you provide a basic level of love and support then your contribution to the basic personality of your children ends at conception.
couctto 9y ago
The "environment depends on genes" part was pretty interesting.

danieltillett 9y ago

You are not going to be able to put this nuance in a tweet, but the major problem with estimating the heritability of phycological factors is the error bars are massive. You can’t even get near the same results when you measure the same person on different days. While there is obviously a non-shared environmental component, it is really noise. The only factors that people care about are the factors that can be studied; shared environment (that is all the environmental factors that can in theory be measured) and genes. Non-shared environment is just what is left over once you account for measurable environmental factors and genes.

new299 9y ago
If I've understood correctly, what you're saying is that there's really too much noise is the results which can neither be explained by shared environment, or genetics? I've browsed the paper, but must of missed it. How big are the error bars? Is it possible to get a sense of how much variation is explained by genetics alone?
- danieltillett 9y ago
  There are three components to the variance: genetics, shared environment, and non-shared environment (noise basically). Shared environment is almost immeasurable for most of these traits (under 10%) while most is the variance is due to genetics or non-shared environment. The way non-shared environment is determined is by subtracting genetics and shared environment from the total varience. The worse the test the bigger the component that ends up in the non-shared environment factor. The error bars depend on the trait being measured. Some are relatively small (like g), while others like "agreeableness" (just choosing a random trait) will be quite large as it is hard to measure this accurately and consistently.
jnordwick 9y ago
Are you saying that patents don't matter any more than their genetic contribution? I would have a very difficult time believing that.
- danieltillett 9y ago
  I think you might mean parents, but for most of the measurable general psychological traits then yes. As a parent it is in somewhat depressing, but on the other hand liberating. Provided you provide a basic level of love and support then your contribution to the basic personality of your children ends at conception.

couctto 9y ago

The "environment depends on genes" part was pretty interesting.