The Economics and Econometrics of Gene-Environment Interplay

• 成果类型: Article; Early Access
• 署名作者: Biroli, Pietro; Galama, Titus; von Hinke, Stephanie; van Kippersluis, Hans; Rietveld, Cornelius A.; Thom, Kevin
• 署名单位: University of Bologna; University of Southern California; Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam; University of Bristol; University of London; London School Economics & Political Science; Erasmus University Rotterdam - Excl Erasmus MC; Erasmus University Rotterdam; University of Wisconsin System; University of Wisconsin Madison
• 刊物名称: REVIEW OF ECONOMIC STUDIES
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0034-6527
• DOI: 10.1093/restud/rdaf034
• 发表日期: 2025
• 关键词: educational-attainment; heritability; TECHNOLOGY; era

摘要

We discuss how to estimate the interplay between genes (nature) and environments (nurture), with an empirical illustration of the moderating effect of school starting age on one's genetic predisposition towards educational attainment. We argue that gene-environment (GxE) studies can be instrumental for (i) assessing treatment effect heterogeneity, (ii) testing theoretical predictions, and (iii) uncovering mechanisms, thereby improving understanding of how (policy) interventions affect population subgroups. Empirically, we find that being old-for-grade and having a higher genetic propensity for education benefits children on assessment tests as they progress through school. In this setting, families appear to increase genetic inequalities while schools seem to reduce them.