DNA Differences and Genetic Propensities
Throughout these articles the use of ‘inherited DNA differences’ and ‘genetic propensities’ can be understood in terms of the following:
According to Robert Plomin, “The ability to measure inherited DNA differences directly has led to polygenic scores and to new methods to estimate heritability and genetic correlations.”1
A polygenic score is constructed by “using inherited DNA differences to predict, from birth, common disorders and complex traits.”2 Aggregated across the genome, that index is then interpreted as a person’s “genetic propensity or likeliness to think, feel, and behave in certain ways.”3
Last edited: 8-10-2026
References
1. Plomin, R., & Viding, E. (2022). Commentary: Will genomics revolutionise research on gene–environment interplay? Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 63(10), 1214–1218.
2. Plomin R, von Stumm S. (2022). Polygenic scores: prediction versus explanation. Mol Psychiatry. Jan;27(1):49-52.
3. Wilding, K., Wright, M., & von Stumm, S. (2024). Using dna to predict education: A meta-analytic review. Educational psychology review, 36(4), 102.