The article “The Genetics of Staying in School” from The Atlantic discusses a GWAS study done
on 294,000 individuals from different areas of the world. The study found 74
gene variants that are associated with educational attainment. In other words,
the people who have the variants, on average compete more formal schooling than
individuals who do not have the variants. The Manhattan plot showed that there
were big statistical differences on chromosomes 2, 3, 6, 9, 13, and 15, as well
as some smaller differences on a few others. These kinds of studies can create
a lot of public backlash, which is exactly what happened. Thus, the researchers
also published a “Frequently Asked Questions” article discussing what the GWAS
study really meant. The researchers explained that the 74 gene variants only
accounted for 3 percent of the differences in education levels across the whole
population. Thus, there are many other factors that affect educational
attainment, and that nurture and nature go hand in hand when discussing
educational success. However, this study will be helpful to social scientists
who want to do educational studies about different styles of schooling in
different populations.
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