Genes influence every aspect of our lives. Parents create the environment that their children grow up in but also pass on genes to their biological children. Twin study represents a natural quasi-experiment with the capacity to disentangle genetic effects from otherwise confounded environmental effects by comparing similarity in various traits between identical twins and fraternal twins. However, extant twin studies are primarily based on Western twin samples from developed countries and of Caucasian ethnicity. This project followed approximately 600 pairs of Chinese adolescent twins three times over three years, and assessed various measures in their social, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral development. We are currently examining cross-cultural similarities and differences in genetic and environmental influences on various traits.
Interested in getting involved in this research project as a graduate student? Please contact Dr. Zheng (yao.zheng@ualberta.ca)!