2005/12/01 by Albert Rothenberg · 1 citation
Psychology · #Creativity in Education and Neuroscience #Cognitive Abilities and Testing #Education, Achievement, and Giftedness #Genius #Galton's problem #Creativity #Psychology #Inheritance (genetic algorithm) #Developmental psychology #Social psychology #Genetics #Biology
paper · doi:10.1177/070674370505001406
openalex publication_date 2005/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/21
OBJECTIVE: In a previous study of literary creative achievement, we presented evidence refuting the still-influential statistical studies of Frances Galton on the inheritance of genius and also described a family background constellation of creativity. This study aims to assess empirically the hereditary transmission hypothesis with respect to creative achievement in the natural sciences. METHODS: Family background data were collected on 435 of all 488 Nobel laureates in chemistry, physics, and medicine and physiology, from 1901 through 2003. These were compared with a matching group of 548 eminent nonscientists for incidence of occupational inheritance (that is, same parent-offspring occupations) and with 560 high-IQ nonprizewinners for predominant type of occupation. RESULTS: The incidence of one or both parents having the same occupation was only 2% for science Nobel laureates but 20% for eminent nonscientists (P < 0.001). The predominant family background constellation (63%) for science Nobel laureates consisted of the same-sex parent either having a performance-equivalent occupation involving applied science, technology, or a natural-world focus and skills (P < 0.001, compared with the matching group) or having an unrelated occupation with unfulfilled scientific interests and wishes for creative expression. CONCLUSIONS: Nobel laureates in the natural sciences do not manifest direct inheritance of creativity from their parents; instead, congruent-sex parents are predominantly in applied or performance-equivalent occupations, with unfulfilled creative and scientific wishes. Early developmental influences on motivation involving identification and competition with the congruent-sex parent are suggested.