Definition
Broad-sense heritability, H2, measures the proportion of a trait’s variance within a population attributable to all genetic differences, relative to the total variance of the trait. Narrow-sense heritability, h2, specifically quantifies the proportion of trait variance due to additive genetic factors, again in relation to the trait’s total variance.
Synonyms
Heritability, as a technical term, does not have direct synonyms. However, closely associated terms include “transmissibility” and “inherited variance,” both of which relate to aspects of heritability.
Introduction to Heritability
Heritability is a fundamental metric in genetics and most branches of evolutionary biology. It estimates the proportion of variance in a particular trait within a population attributable to genetic differences. Typically expressed as a percentage, it illuminates the genetic underpinnings of traits and their inheritance mechanisms.
The primary objective of heritability studies is to assess the...
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Flegr, J. (2024). Heritability. In: Shackelford, T.K. (eds) Encyclopedia of Sexual Psychology and Behavior. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-08956-5_2415-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-08956-5_2415-1
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