Heritability
Definition
The proportion of variation in a trait within a population that is attributable to genetic differences between individuals. A heritability estimate applies to a specific population in a specific environment; it does not mean a trait is genetically fixed or unresponsive to environmental change.
Related terms
- Atavism
- Lombroso's concept that born criminals were evolutionary throwbacks to a more primitive human type, identifiable by physical stigmata. The concept is scientifically...
- Biosocial criminology
- An approach that treats biological and social factors as mutually constitutive rather than alternative explanations for crime. It holds that genetic or...
- Concordance rate
- In twin studies, the proportion of twin pairs in which both twins share a given trait or behaviour. Higher concordance in monozygotic...
- Gene-environment interaction (GxE)
- The phenomenon where a genetic predisposition is expressed differently depending on environmental context. A classic example is the MAOA-low variant, which correlates...
- Prefrontal cortex (PFC)
- The frontal brain region responsible for impulse control, planning, and decision-making. Reduced grey matter volume and lower activation in the PFC have...
Explained in
- Biological and Biosocial Theories of CrimeThe proportion of variation in a trait within a population that is attributable to genetic differences between individuals. A heritability estimate applies to...