A longitudinal behavioral genetic analysis of task persistence

Change in task persistence was assessed in two annual assessments using teachers', testers', and observers' ratings. Participants included 79 monozygotic and 116 same-sex dizygotic twin pairs who were in Kindergarten or 1st grade (4.3 to 7.9 years old) at the initial assessment. Task persistence was widely distributed and higher among older children and girls. Overall, there was modest growth in persistence over time, and moderate stability of individual differences. Most of the stability was accounted for by genetic influences, whereas most of the change was accounted for by nonshared environment, including an association with observed differential maternal warm supportive behavior.     

Effects of task difficulty on sibling teaching in middle childhood

Teaching styles were investigated in 28 middle‐class sibling dyads (older sibling M age = 8.2 yrs; younger sibling M age =5.11 yrs) using two sets of block design tasks (five easy; five hard). Older siblings employed a greater number of strategies (i.e. physical demonstrations, scaffolding, corrective feedback) in the hard than in the easy tasks, thus demonstrating the ability to adjust teaching strategies according to task difficulty. Teachers also employed more frequent strategies when learners were younger indicating that they may be sensitive to developmental differences. In the hard tasks, learners responded positively to teacher guidance, but were also more likely to reject the teacher's help, perhaps demonstrating responsibility for their own learning. Findings are discussed in light of current social‐cognitive approaches highlighting the important roles of both teacher and learner during episodes of sibling teaching in middle childhood. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evidence for a gene-environment interaction in predicting behavioral inhibition in middle childhood

Gene-environment interactions are presumed to shape human behavior during early development. However, no human research has demonstrated that such interactions lead to stable individual differences in fear responses. We tested this possibility by focusing on a polymorphism in the promoter region of the gene for the serotonin transporter (5-HTT). This polymorphism has been linked to many indices of serotonin activity. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that an interaction between children's 5-HTT status and maternal reports of social support predicts inhibited behavior with unfamiliar peers in middle childhood. Results were consistent with this hypothesis: Children with the combination of the short 5-HTT allele and low social support had increased risk for behavioral inhibition in middle childhood.     

Parent-child mutuality in early childhood: two behavioral genetic studies

Parent-child dyadic mutuality (shared positive affect, responsiveness, and cooperation) is an important component of family socialization processes. This study sought to extend previous research on mutuality by using a quantitative genetic design to examine between- and within-family variations (e.g., sibling differences) and gene-environment processes. The first study included 125 pairs of identical and same-sex fraternal 3-year-old twins. Observations of mutuality and parents' and observers' ratings of family environment and child behavior were gathered. Greater mutuality was associated with higher socioeconomic status. Moderate sibling similarity in parent-child mutuality was accounted for by child genetic similarity, suggesting evocative gene-environment correlation and nonshared environmental processes. These findings were replicated in a 2nd study of 102 pairs of adoptive and biological siblings.     

The role of task persistence in young adolescence for successful educational and occupational attainment in middle adulthood

The main purpose of the present study was to investigate the importance of task persistence in young adolescence for successful educational and occupational attainment in middle adulthood. Data from age 13 (N = 1,092) and adult age (age 43 for women, N = 569 and age 47 for men, N = 393) were taken from the Swedish longitudinal research program entitled "Individual Development and Adaptation." In line with previous research, task persistence was found to be related to changes in grades between age 13 and age 16, over and above other childhood factors. Task persistence at age 13 was also a significant predictor of both income and occupational level in middle adulthood for the men, controlling for a number of childhood factors (including intelligence), and even when educational attainment in adulthood was taken into account. Finally, task persistence was related to educational attainment in adulthood. The authors suggest that task persistence is a second fundamental factor besides general mental ability, influencing attainment within the area of working life and education. The influence of task persistence is discussed in form of personality-environment selection mechanisms.     

Liking for name predicts happiness: A behavioral genetic analysis

Research has established that humans tend to view their names in a positive light and liking for one’s name is positively associated with subjective well-being. In this study, the genetic basis of individual difference in liking for one’s name was examined in a survey of 304 pairs of twins from Beijing, China. Results showed that (1) liking for name was heritable (47%), while unique environment also played a role (53%); (2) the positive association between name-liking and subjective well-being is driven by common genetic (r_g: .21–.41) and non-shared environmental (r_e: .14–.22) influences. These findings have provided novel evidence that liking for one’s name is a fundamentally important trait and further shed light on the understanding of implicit self-esteem.     

The transition from middle childhood to early adolescence: Sex differences in the social network and perceived self-competence

This study concerns the development of social networks from middle childhood to early adolescence. On a longitudinal sample of 100 children seen at 9 and 13 years of age, three basic questions were addressed: 1) age changes, 2) sex differences, and 3) the relation between network characteristics and self-perceived competence in early adolescence. The number of and frequency of contact with kin, adults and friends for each subject were assessed at 9 and 13 years using maternal report. Teenager report of academic, social, athletic and behavioral conduct was also collected. The transition to early adolescence was marked by several changes in the social network. At 13 years networks become more age segregated. Both opposite and same sex friends show an increase. Sex differences were also evident. For example, adolescent girls had a larger network of friends than boys. Adolescent boys had less segregated adult networks. For adolescent girls but not boys, the friendship network was related to specific types of competence.The preparation of this paper was made possible by the support of the William T. Grant Foundation.     

A behavioral genetic analysis of the relationship between the socialization scale and self-reported delinquency

This investigation examined the genetic (A), and shared (C) and nonshared (E) environmental variance contributions to the relationship of self-reported delinquency (as measured by the "Delinquent Behavior Inventory" [DBI; Gibson, 1967]) to the Socialization (So) scale of the California Psychological Inventory using univariate and bivariate structural equation models. The scales were administered to 222 male (145 monozygotic; 77 dizygotic) and 159 female (107 monozygotic; 52 dizygotic) 16- to 18-year-old same-sex twin pairs. Principal components analysis with varimax rotation revealed three interpretable So factors representing family/home environment, self-concept, and behavioral control. Univariate modeling suggested sex differences in etiological influences associated with individual differences in most scales. The bivariate ACE model fit the data, suggesting that the covariance between the So scale and self-reported delinquency owes in part to shared etiological factors.     

Paths from socioemotional behavior in middle childhood to personality in middle adulthood

Continuity in individual differences from socioemotional behavior in middle childhood to personality characteristics in middle adulthood was examined on the assumption that they share certain temperament-related elements. Socioemotional characteristics were measured using teacher ratings at ages 8 (N = 369; 53% males) and 14 (95% of the initial sample). Personality was assessed at age 42 (63% of the initial sample; 50% males) using a shortened version of the NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI); the Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP); and the Adult Temperament Questionnaire (ATQ). Three models were tested using structural equation modeling. The results confirmed paths (a) from behavioral activity to adult Extraversion and Openness (NEO-PI), sociability (KSP), and surgency (ATQ); (b) from well-controlled behavior to adult conformity (KSP) and Conscientiousness (NEO-PI); and (c) from negative emotionality to adult aggression (KSP). The paths were significant only for one gender, and more frequently for males than for females. The significant male paths from behavioral activity to all indicators of adult activity and from well-controlled behavior to adult conformity started at age 8, whereas significant female paths from behavioral activity to adult sociability and from well-controlled behavior to adult Conscientiousness started at age 14. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).     

The persistence of dichotomies in the study of behavioral development

The inadequacies of dichotomous views of behavioral development that oppose learned and innate behavior, or genetic and environmental determinants of behavior, have long been recognized. However, they continue to exert a powerful influence on current thinking about development, often by way of metaphors that simply recast these old ideas in a more modern technical vocabulary. The idea that the information for behavior can be attributed to either genetic or environmental sources was originated by Lorenz and provides the basis for many current dichotomous accounts of behavioral development. Lorenz's “sources of information” metaphor for development is fundamentally flawed, however, as are those more recent accounts that are based on it. The alternative interactionist account of development, most clearly articulated by Lehrman, is a far more powerful and coherent theoretical framework for development, but it has not been broadly assimilated into psychology and continues to be widely misunderstood. In particular, the interactionist account does not involve a radical environmentalism, does not attribute all behavior to the effects of learning, and does not interpret development as a gene-environment interaction. The attractive simplicity of dichotomous thinking encourages its continued application to the study of development despite the fact that it is clearly inadequate to the complexities of developmental analysis.     

A behavioral task for the validation of a gaze-contingent simulated scotoma

Gaze-contingent displays provide a valuable method in visual research for controlling visual input and investigating its visual and cognitive processing. Although the body of research using gaze-contingent retinal stabilization techniques has grown considerably during the last decade, only few studies have been concerned with the reliability of the specific real-time simulations applied. Using a Landolt ring discrimination task, we present a behavioral validation of gaze-contingent central scotoma simulation in healthy observers. Importantly, behavioral testing is necessary to show whether the simulation impairs foveal processing of visual information. This test becomes even more crucial when researchers are faced with null results in a task performed with the scotoma, as compared with a control condition. It must be ruled out that the lack of behavioral effects results from a type II error caused by improper implementation before conclusions about foveal contributions to the given task may be drawn. In our experiment, the scotoma effectively prevented foveal processing of the visual stimuli, leading to significantly reduced response accuracies, as compared with unimpaired vision. Moreover, the final fixation at the time of the participants’ responses was placed close to the target position in the unimpaired condition, whereas the distance to the target was enhanced with the scotoma, indicating that the observers were not able to discriminate visual target stimuli from distractors, due to the scotoma. The present work presents a validated behavioral testing method for the efficiency of gaze-contingent scotoma simulations, including code for implementation. In addition, solutions for common methodological problems are discussed.     

A circumplex model of interpersonal attributes in middle childhood

This article presents evidence for the validity of the circumplex model to represent how parents and teachers organize interpersonal attributes in children. Study 1 showed that the ratings of adults using interpersonal adjectives to describe 4- to 10-year-old children conformed to a circumplex structure. Eight scales-labeled Interpersonal Adjective Scales for Children (IAS-C)-were developed to represent the circular sequence of children's interpersonal attributes, as ordered around the reference axes of Extraversion and Social Appropriateness. The continuum of interpersonal variables substantially corresponded to Schaefer's model for social and emotional behavior, as follows: Warm-Agreeable, Sociable-Cheerful, Exuberant-Dominant, Impulsive-Aggressive, Egocentric-Irritable, Fearful-Insecure, Shy-Silent, and Mild-Placid. Study 2 demonstrated cross-validity for the IAS-C and how they are related to Big Five measures. Study 3 used data from Studies 1 and 2 in a confirmatory approach to test the circumplex IAS-C structure. Findings are discussed in relation to the adult circumplex model and suggest that the child circumplex has distinctive features that must be kept in due consideration when attempting to assess interpersonal qualities in children validly.     

A longitudinal examination of factors predicting anxiety during the transition to middle school

Abstract

The transition from elementary to middle or junior high school is commonly regarded as a period of stress and turmoil for young adolescents, and has been associated with changes in anxiety and other psychological problems. However, less is known about risk and resilience factors that may predict these changes. This study examined changes in anxiety, as well as predictors of these changes among 77, predominantly Caucasian (88%), male and female (52%) adolescents from Grades 6 to 8. Repeated measures analysis of variance was conducted to examine the predicted grade and gender differences. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the prediction of eighth grade anxiety symptoms by sixth grade self-worth, perceived social acceptance, and social support, as well as the potential moderating role of gender in these relations. Results suggested a significant decrease in anxiety, particularly social anxiety, over this period for boys but not girls. Examination of predictors of changes in anxiety suggested that, in general, global self-worth, social acceptance, and gender were each associated with overall and social anxiety. Findings are integrated with extant literature on developmental changes associated with anxiety and school transitions and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.     

Prosocial behavior from early to middle childhood: genetic and environmental influences on stability and change

Prosocial behavior is important for the functioning of society. This study investigates the extent to which environment shared by family members, nonshared environment, and genetics account for children's prosocial behavior. The prosocial behavior of twins (9,424 pairs) was rated by their parents at the ages of 2, 3, 4, and 7 and by their teachers at age 7. For parent ratings, shared environmental effects decreased from .47 on average at age 2 to .03 at age 7, and genetic effects increased from .32 on average to .61. The finding of weak shared environmental effects and large heritability at age 7 was largely confirmed through the use of teacher ratings. Using longitudinal genetic analyses, the authors conclude that genetic effects account for both change and continuity in prosocial behavior and nonshared environment contributes mainly to change.     

Some methodological considerations for the behavioral genetic analysis of work attitudes

In a recent article, Arvey, Bouchard, Segal, and Abraham (1989) argued that about 30% of the variance in job satisfaction was accounted for by workers' genetic make-ups. To demonstrate this, they examined a group of monozygotic twins who had been reared apart. Although this method has been used widely in behavioral genetic research, it contains many hidden threats to validity, which could render suspect numerical estimates of either environmental or genetic effects. We examine some of the threats associated with this type of twin research, emphasizing the problems involved in quantifying the heritability of job satisfaction.     

Personality stability in late adulthood: a behavioral genetic analysis

A sample of 833 twins from the Minnesota Twin Study of Adult Development and Aging completed the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire (MPQ; Tellegen, 1982) twice, averaging 59.4 (sd=9.7) years of age at first and 64.4 (sd=10.2) years of age at second testing (average retest interval 5.0 years, sd=2.36, range 1.0-10.4 years). Both means and standard deviations of scale scores were extremely stable from first to second testing. In addition, sample participants tended to retain their rank order on the scales (average r=.76 across scales). Bivariate biometric analyses showed that the genetic influences on most of the scale scores were almost perfectly correlated across the two waves (range .95 to 1.00). The nonshared environmental influences were also highly correlated across the two waves (range .53 to .73). Models specifying identical variance components at the two time points and fixing the genetic correlation to 1.00 provided improved fit. The results suggest that the high stability of personality in later adulthood has a strong genetic foundation, supplemented by stability of environmental effects.     

Continuity of temperament from infancy to middle childhood

Continuity of temperament from 6 months (the IBQ) to 5.5 years (the CBQ) was explored in Finnish children (n = 231) within the theoretical framework deviced by Rothbart. Activity level, smiling and laughter, distress to limitations and fear showed significant differential homotypic and heterotypic continuity, while soothability and duration of orienting showed significant differential heterotypic continuity. On the level of latent superconstructs, infant positive and negative affectivity accounted for 4.6, 22.3, and 6.0% of the variance in childhood extraversion, effortful control and negative affectivity, respectively. Infant and childhood temperament clustered into profile types named “resilient”, “undercontrolled”, and “overcontrolled” mirroring ipsative continuity. These findings give empirical credence to Rothbart's theory by replicating and extending previous findings in significant ways.     

A behavioral genetic study of trait emotional intelligence

Numerous models of emotional intelligence (EI) have proposed the existence of hitherto undiscovered mental abilities, competencies, and skills. The theory of trait emotional intelligence suggests that the content domains of these models invariably contain permutations of personality traits. The two studies in this article examine the heritability of trait EI scores with a view to demonstrating empirically that the construct has a similar level of genetic influence as other personality traits. Study 1 was a family design of 133 high-school students and their parents. Regressions of offspring on midparent scores suggested median upper-limit heritability estimates of .18 at facet level, .25 at factor level, and .32 at the global trait EI level. Study 2 was a twin design (213 pairs of monozygotic [MZ] twins and 103 pairs of dizygotic [DZ] twins). It yielded median heritabilities of .42 for the facets, .44 for the factors, and .42 for global trait EI. Overall, our findings are in accordance with studies of the major personality dimensions and provide further empirical support for the conceptualization of EI as a personality trait.