Genetic Epidemiology, Translational Neurogenomics, Psychiatric Genetics and Statistical Genetics Laboratories investigate the pattern of disease in families, particularly identical and non-identical twins, to assess the relative importance of genes and environment in a variety of important health problems.
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PMID
18347968
TITLE
Genetic and environmental influences on individual differences in attitudes toward homosexuality: an Australian twin study.
ABSTRACT
Previous research has shown that many heterosexuals hold negative attitudes toward homosexuals and homosexuality (homophobia). Although a great deal of research has focused on the profile of homophobic individuals, this research provides little theoretical insight into the aetiology of homophobia. To examine genetic and environmental influences on variation in attitudes toward homophobia, we analysed data from 4,688 twins who completed a questionnaire concerning sexual behaviour and attitudes, including attitudes toward homosexuality. Results show that, in accordance with literature, males have significantly more negative attitudes toward homosexuality than females and non-heterosexuals are less homophobic than heterosexuals. In contrast with some earlier findings, age had no significant effect on the homophobia scores in this study. Genetic modelling showed that variation in homophobia scores could be explained by additive genetic (36%), shared environmental (18%) and unique environmental factors (46%). However, corrections based on previous findings show that the shared environmental estimate may be almost entirely accounted for as extra additive genetic variance arising from assortative mating for homophobic attitudes. The results suggest that variation in attitudes toward homosexuality is substantially inherited, and that social environmental influences are relatively minor.
DATE PUBLISHED
2008 May
HISTORY
PUBSTATUS PUBSTATUSDATE
received 2007/06/21
accepted 2008/02/28
aheadofprint 2008/03/18
pubmed 2008/03/19 09:00
medline 2008/07/10 09:00
entrez 2008/03/19 09:00
AUTHORS
NAME COLLECTIVENAME LASTNAME FORENAME INITIALS AFFILIATION AFFILIATIONINFO
Verweij KJ Verweij Karin J H KJ Genetic Epidemiology Laboratory, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, 300 Herston Road, Brisbane 4029, QLD, Australia. karinverweij@hotmail.com
Shekar SN Shekar Sri N SN
Zietsch BP Zietsch Brendan P BP
Eaves LJ Eaves Lindon J LJ
Bailey JM Bailey J Michael JM
Boomsma DI Boomsma Dorret I DI
Martin NG Martin Nicholas G NG
INVESTIGATORS
JOURNAL
VOLUME: 38
ISSUE: 3
TITLE: Behavior genetics
ISOABBREVIATION: Behav. Genet.
YEAR: 2008
MONTH: May
DAY:
MEDLINEDATE:
SEASON:
CITEDMEDIUM: Print
ISSN: 0001-8244
ISSNTYPE: Print
MEDLINE JOURNAL
MEDLINETA: Behav Genet
COUNTRY: United States
ISSNLINKING: 0001-8244
NLMUNIQUEID: 0251711
PUBLICATION TYPE
PUBLICATIONTYPE TEXT
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Twin Study
COMMENTS AND CORRECTIONS
REFTYPE REFSOURCE REFPMID NOTE
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GRANTS
GENERAL NOTE
KEYWORDS
MESH HEADINGS
DESCRIPTORNAME QUALIFIERNAME
Adolescent
Adult
Attitude
Cohort Studies
Environment
Female
Homosexuality
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Models, Genetic
Prejudice
Questionnaires
Social Environment
SUPPLEMENTARY MESH
GENE SYMBOLS
CHEMICALS
OTHER ID's
OTHERID SOURCE
PMC2292426 NLM