Overreaching on Genes
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Abstract
Gregory Clark's To Have and Have Not offers new evidence and his reading of the literature on genetic effects on social status, covering the classical twin and adoption designs, surname-based and extended-kin approaches, and recent work on polygenic scores and genetic nurture. The claim that genes may matter more for socioeconomic outcomes than most social scientists assume deserves to be taken seriously, and the book does point to weaknesses in standard designs that may understate genetic effects. But the book overreaches: its presentation is one-sided, its reading of the literature is selective, and its interpretations are far stronger than the evidence supports. While the patterns Clark documents are intriguing, they merit a more balanced treatment than they receive here.
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| Keywords | intergenerational mobility, social status, assortative mating, extended family |
| Volume Number | 23 |
| Issue Number | 2 |
| Pages | 562–572 |
| File URL | Overreaching on Genes |
| File Format | |
| Access | |
| Publication year | 2026 |
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