<p>It seems likely that some percentage of twin studies would fail to account for all the systematic environmental variables that connect their twins. In this case, the effects of these variables would still cause a correlation, which would be attributed to heritability. "<a href="https://www.apa.org/monitor/apr04/second.aspx" rel="nofollow noreferrer">A second look at twin studies</a>" by Lea Winerman discusses examples of these types of variables.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-19T04:08:19.400Z
2018-02-19T16:28:39.467Z
2018-02-19T16:28:39.467Z
John Yetter
<p>Do twin studies overestimate heritability (for instance by putting the interaction between environment and genome under the label "heritable")? If so why? Would you have any research papers to point me to?</p>

<behavior><genetics><twin-study>
Do twin studies overestimate heritability?
L. M. 
# Do twin studies overestimate heritability?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-02-17)

Do twin studies overestimate heritability (for instance by putting the interaction between environment and genome under the label "heritable")? If so why? Would you have any research papers to point me to?

**Tags:** behavior, genetics, twin-study


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2018-02-19. Score: 2

It seems likely that some percentage of twin studies would fail to account for all the systematic environmental variables that connect their twins. In this case, the effects of these variables would still cause a correlation, which would be attributed to heritability. "[A second look at twin studies](https://www.apa.org/monitor/apr04/second.aspx)" by Lea Winerman discusses examples of these types of variables.


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