Author Interviews, Genetic Research, Social Issues / 15.03.2017
Genotypes Can Increase or Decrease Young Adult Financial Outcomes, Depending on Parental Income
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Emily Rauscher PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Sociology
University of Kansas
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: A lot of previous research has identified genotypes that increase sensitivity to context. Much of this research, however, looks at particular aspects of health and is not able to address the methodological challenges of investigating gene-environment interactions. To gain a better sense of the potential outcomes that may be susceptible to gene-environment interactions, I examine financial standing in young adulthood. Testing this type of interaction is challenging because genotype and social environment are not randomly distributed throughout the population. Given this non-random distribution, unobserved confounders (such as parental behaviors, education, ethnicity, or social capital) could influence both parent and child financial standing.
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