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Multivariate path analysis of specific cognitive abilities in the Colorado Adoption Project: Conditional path model of assortative mating

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Abstract

A multivariate path model of genetic and environmental transmission employing a conditional path representation of assortative mating was fitted to specific cognitive abilities data from the Colorado Adoption Project and evaluated using a maximum-likelihood estimation procedure. In agreement with results obtained from a previous analysis of a smaller data set, significant genetic covariation among the cognitive variables was indicated and evidence for a general genetic factor was found. However, cultural transmission parameters are nonsignificant and environmental correlations among the measures are relatively small.

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This work was supported in part by grants from the NSF (BNS-7826204 and BNS-8200310) and from the NICHD (HD-10333, HD-18426, and HD-19802). Preparation of the paper was facilitated by Grant RR-007013-20 awarded to the University of Colorado by the Biomedical Research Support Grant Program, Division of Research Resources, National Institutes of Health.

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Rice, T., Carey, G., Fulker, D.W. et al. Multivariate path analysis of specific cognitive abilities in the Colorado Adoption Project: Conditional path model of assortative mating. Behav Genet 19, 195–207 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01065904

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