Twin studies in social science

Until recently, explanations of the origins of social traits relied nearly exclusively on the environment. While early evidence in favor of biologically based accounts received mixed reactions and were slow to gain traction in the social sciences, the 2005 breakthrough study of John Alford and colleagues was followed by an explosion of studies looking into the genetic and environmental bases of interests and attitudes. Twin studies became widely discussed and published in mainstream social science journals, providing an additional explanation for the origins of social traits. Far from the deterministic mechanisms some believed it, genetic influence was shown to be context-dependent and have a less stable effect that initially assumed. This chapter offers an overview of how twin studies and related designs were employed to analyze the heritability of social traits and the reception of their findings, discussing the possibilities they offer for the advancement of the field and the challenges that lie ahead for social-genetic research.