Genetic and Environmental influences on Cognition with age

"Tucker-Drob and his colleagues analyzed data from several studies tracking the cognitive ability and environmental circumstances of twin and sibling pairs.

According to the findings, genetic factors account for 80 percent of cognition for children in economically advantaged households. Yet disadvantaged children -- who rank lower in cognitive performance across the board -- show almost no progress attributable to their genetic makeup.

"Genetic influences on cognitive ability are maximized when people are free to select their own learning experiences," says Tucker-Drob, who is an assistant professor of psychology. "We were born with blueprints; the question is how are we using our experiences to build upon our genetic makeup?"

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131001141218.htm


*Update: A review of 'Genetics and Philosophy: An Introduction'

The concept of 'gene' is a bit more complicated than how most would understand it. Genes have much more complexity than simple phenotype-genotype conceptions. And as the study above indicates, 'epigenetics' raises further issues for genocentric approachs or reductionist approaches to causality - albeit reductionism itself is a term that requires further scrutiny insofar as what it is we're actually talking about. The term is flung around too easily without establishing the sense in which we're using the term e.g. ontological or epistemological.The review of the book, linked above, explicates some of these issues - some of which I will readily admit I don't know enough about.