Walter Mischel (1970s)
marshmallow test
Terrie Moffitt (2011)
more self-control = better outcomes
Eric Turkheimer (2000)
Three Laws of Behavioral Genetics.
- All behavioral traits are heritable
- Shared environment is smaller than genetic influence
- Unshared environment explains much of the rest.
Ritchie & Tucker-Drob (2018)
more school = increased IQ
Protzko (2015)
fade-out effect
Sariaslan et al. (2021)
low family income doesn’t change outcomes
Frisell et al. (2012)
lower IQ = more violent crime
Ttofi et al. (2016)
more IQ = less likely to get into crime
Cesarini et al. (2023)
sudden wealth does not reduce crime
Akee et al. (2010)
Cherokee receiving regular casino income payments
Cash support improved schooling and reduced minor trouble
Alesina et al. (2020)
China’s Cultural Revolution
elite’s regained advantage within two generations
Bleakley & Ferrie (2013)
Descendants of Cherokee Land Lottery winners.
no difference in wealth or literacy compared to non-winners.
Jaffee (2003)
antisocial fathers worsen outcomes.
Jay Belsky (1990s)
unpredictable childhoods lead to faster strategy
Alfred Binet (1905)
foundation for IQ tests
Longitudinal
Follow the same people over time
Cross-sectional
Compare different people at one time
Cohort
Track one generation across life
Quasi-experiment
Uses natural cutoffs or policy rules (like age or test scores) to compare groups and estimate causal effects when true random assignment isn’t possible
