Citation
Shanahan, M. J.; Vaisey, S.; Erickson, L. D.; & Smolen, A. (2008). Environmental contingencies and genetic propensities: Social capital, educational continuation and a dopamine receptor gene DRD2. American Journal of Sociology. vol. 114 (Suppl) pp. S260-S286Abstract
Studies of gene‐environment interplay typically focus on one environmental factor at a time, resulting in a constrained view of social context. The concept of environmental contingency is introduced as a corrective. Drawing on the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health and qualitative comparative analysis, the authors focus on an example involving social capital, a gene associated with a dopamine receptor (DRD2), and educational continuation beyond secondary school. For boys, (1) DRD2 risk is associated with a decreased likelihood of school continuation; (2) one configuration of social capital—high parental socioeconomic status, high parental involvement in school, and a high‐quality school—compensates for this negative relationship, consistent with environmental contingency; but (3) boys with DRD2 risk are less commonly observed in settings that are rich in social capital.URL
http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/592204Keyword(s)
Genetic Genetic Genetic EducationReference Type
Journal ArticleJournal Title
American Journal of SociologyAuthor(s)
Shanahan, M. J.Vaisey, S.
Erickson, L. D.
Smolen, A.