You can thank your parents for your smarts—or at least some
of them. Psychologists have long known that intelligence, like most other
traits, is partly genetic. But a new study led by psychological scientist
Christopher Chabris of Union College reveals the surprising fact that most of
the specific genes long thought to be linked to intelligence probably have no
bearing on one’s IQ. And it may be some time before researchers can identify
intelligence’s specific genetic roots.
Chabris and David Laibson, a Harvard economist, led an
international team of researchers that analyzed a dozen genes using large data
sets that included both intelligence testing and genetic data.