Can Genetic Ancestors Influence Educational Prowess?

As our ancestors migrated throughout the world and established roots wherever they set foot, they left behind more than just genes. We owe nearly everything to them.

Not only did we inherit similar traits, but there is also much more genetic influence to consider. Here is everything you need to know about our genetic ancestors’ influence on educational prowess:

What is Genetics?

Genetics can be defined as the “scientific study of heredity and genes”. These specific genes determine how certain qualities or traits are passed down through reproduction to offspring.

The changes in the DNA sequence are the foundational building blocks that make you, you. Scientists shared that human beings possess around 20,000 genes.

What Can Be Passed Through Genese?

A variety of elements can be passed down through genes from person to person. They include:

·       Personality traits

·       Physical traits

·       Shared genes/relation

·       Preexisting health conditions

·       Allergies

·       Stress and anxiety

·       Genetic mutations such as eye color

·       And much, much more!

Genes are powerful as a plethora of things can be passed from parents and ancestors to their offspring. Additionally, many people wonder whether or not intelligence and educational prowess can be affected by genetic influence.

What is Intelligence?

Intelligence is more than just being smart. In fact, according to Howard Gardner’s 1980 theory of defining multiple intelligences, intelligence can be broken down into multiple parts:

·       Musical ability

·       Linguistics

·       Kinesthetic ability

·       Ability to understand nature

·       Social intelligence

·       Interpersonal intelligence

General intelligence can be defined as a concept that includes all abilities such as memory, verbal, math, and reasoning. In other words, intelligence is the ability to reason, learn, and solve problems. IQ—or intelligence quotient—is the score of determining general intelligence after taking an IQ test.

Intelligence and Genes

According to genealogists and scientists, intelligence and genes are highly interconnected. Approximately 60-70% of intelligence can be considered hereditary. Additionally, intelligence can alter from childhood into adulthood.

Analysts revealed that there is no isolated gene that determines intelligence. Therefore, there are hundreds of genetic combinations that can make up general intelligence.

What Genes Impact Intelligence?

Genome-wide association studies—or GWAS—have discovered around half of the available variants that can effectively explain intelligence. Researchers have used large amounts of data or around 20,000 people to determine the relationship between genes and intelligence.

Although no studies have revealed concrete evidence of a single gene that plays a major role in intelligence, scientists do believe multiple numbers of genes are involved in the passing down of intelligence. Researchers shared that environmental influence is a huge contributor to intelligence. This can also be known as nature versus nurture.

Can Genetics Influence Educational Prowess?

The answer? Yes and no. Since there is no concrete evidence that it is one single gene that determines intelligence, it can be hard to determine. However, researchers have discovered that 60-70% of intelligence can be considered hereditary.

Environmental influence including nature versus nurture may play the remaining percentage of innate and learned intelligence. Parents and ancestors plus the environment of the child is the best way to determine intelligence.