Turkheimer's Projects: Genetics and Human Agency | Turkheimer's Projects: Genetics and Human Agency

In addition to managing the Genetics and Human Agency project, the Turkheimer lab conducts ongoing empirical and philosophical investigations of the role of genetics in the development of complex human behavior.  We are especially interested in understanding differences in cognitive ability.  We are always following up on one aspect or another of our (2003) report that the heritability of intelligence is attenuated at low levels of socioeconomic status.  Current investigations of this phenomenon use data from the Louisville Twin Study, the TwinLife project in Germany, and conscript data from Norway.

Philosophically, we are interested in understanding how basic knowledge about the heritability of human behavior should change humans’ understanding of themselves.  We are currently working on developing a scientifically grounded, socially progressive attitude toward research on genetics and race.  We are also working on a deeper philosophical understanding of human intelligence.

Other topics we are currently working on include the genetics of BMI and the multivariate representation of highly complex individual differences like personality.

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