The Role of Genetics in Family Resemblance in Mortality Hazards: Moderation by Geography and Cohort

• In Event: 241 - Section on Evolution, Biology and Society Paper Session. Integrating Evolutionary and Biological Thinking into Sociological Inquiry

Abstract

Family members’ mortality hazards resemble one another’s, but it is unknown to what degree this is the result of genetic and environmental mechanisms, or what family characteristics may modify these relationships. This study employs data on biologically-defined kinship networks constructed from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics’ Family Information Mapping System files, which define sibling and parent relationships that permit distinguishing full and half siblings, step-, and adoptive relationships. This means that the genetic relationships between all family members can be calculated. This study also uses restricted PSID data on the National Death Index files and Census tracts of PSID respondents over time. Using this data, we identify a substantial role for genetic relationships in producing family resemblances in mortality hazards, and demonstrate that the proportion of this resemblance that is attributable to genetic relationships is proportional to the family’s mean geographic distance and the coefficient of variation in year of birth, consistent with our theoretical expectations.

Authors

• Jonathan Daw, University of Colorado-Boulder

• Benjamin Domingue, University of Colorado-Boulder

• Guang Guo, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

• Patrick M. Krueger, University of Colorado-Denver

• Rachel Peterson, University of Colorado-Boulder

• Richard G. Rogers, University of Colorado

• Ashton M. Verdery, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

• Jason D. Boardman, University of Colorado