Why do we differ in number sense? Evidence from a genetically sensitive investigation

• DOI: 10.1016/j.intell.2013.12.007
• Publication Date: 2014-01-24T13:18:30Z
• Authors: M.G. Tosto; S.A. Petrill; J. Halberda; M. Trzaskowski; T.N. Tikhomirova; O.Y. Bogdanova; R. Ly; J.B. Wilmer; D.Q. Naiman; L. Germine; R. Plomin; Y. Kovas
• Keywords: Number sense

Basic intellectual abilities of quantity and numerosity estimation have been detected across animal species. Such are referred to as 'number sense'. For human species, individual differences in number sense detectable early life, persist later development, relate general intelligence. The origins these unknown. To address this question, we conducted the first large-scale genetically sensitive investigation sense, assessing discrimination 837 pairs monozygotic 1422 dizygotic 16-year-old twin pairs. Univariate genetic analysis data revealed that is modestly heritable (32%), with being largely explained by non-shared environmental influences (68%) no contribution from shared factors. Sex-Limitation model fitting between males females etiology abilities. We also carried out