Individual Differences in Executive Function are 99% genetic in origin

[Flannel Boy]

I would read the article myself, but I can't resist the urge to masturbate, eat, and drink beer. I'll read it tomorrow. . . or next week . . . who can keep track of time anyway. I wouldn't be able to organize the information I read in the article anyway.

Damn genes.

Your ability to control thought and behavior relative to your peers - a set of capacities known as "executive functions" - is almost entirely genetic in origin, according to a newly in-press paper from Friedman et al. Over 560 twins completed tests to measure fundamental components of these executive functions, and the results were analyzed in terms of how similar identical twins performed to one another relative to fraternal twins (all twins in the study were reared together). Astonishingly, the results show that the variance common to all executive functions is correlated roughly twice as much between identical twins as between fraternal twins, and that individual variance in executive function falls directly in line with what would be expected from a perfectly heritable trait.

The components of executive function (as determined through previous latent variable analyses) can be loosely described as inhibition (the ability to resist habit), updating (the ability to quickly change the focus of attention or the contents of working memory), and shifting (the ability to quickly change goals and respond appropriately).

The authors conclude that environmental influences can not be "substantial contributors to the unity and diversity of executive functions" (i.e., the apparent structure of executive functions is due to different patterns of genetic contribution). In fact, this study shows that executive functions are among the most heritable cognitive traits ever discovered - nearly completely genetic in origin.

http://scienceblogs.com/developingintelligence/2008/05/99_genetic_individual_differen.php

[Eric P]

fascinating.

i know it was a bit of populist thought (found a wide audience in the "not my fault" american culture) but this is both enlightening and devastating.

how much of what we consider to be "free will" is mere genetic disposition?

[Eric P]

i think i'm looking at it from the wrong way for what i was trying to express.

unfortunately my sleeping pills are kicking in so i can't continue this conversation further.  :|

[Flannel Boy]

It is difficult for me to believe in free will; I would need the ability to freely shape what I am in order to freely determine what I do. My genetic and environmental influences, along with my past choices, circumscribe what I might possibly choose in the future. And among my possible choices of action, I am heavily inclined to pick some over others.

[recursivelyenumerable]

this explains me and my entire family