Behavioral genetics is destroying what we’ve been told about parenting, school “quality,” and personality. Robert Plomin explains why “parents don’t matter (in the way you think)” and why school quality can explain as little as 1% of SAT/GCSE variation after correcting for socioeconomic status.

Robert Plomin, leading behavioural geneticist at King’s College London with 50 years in psychology/genetics research (from the pre-DNA era to today’s polygenic scores)

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Expect to learn:

–Why the “shared family environment” (nurture) often explains surprisingly little—so siblings can be wildly different.

–The school shocker: why “great schools” may explain ~4% of GCSE variance, and ~1% after adjusting for socioeconomic sorting.

00:00 Behavioral genetics: "We got it wrong for 50 years" (nature vs nurture flips)

00:36 "Everything is heritable": what psychology missed (and why DNA changed the game)

01:46 The DNA revolution in behavioral genetics (from twin studies to genome sequencing)

02:32 "Nurture" isn't what you think: why shared family environment explains little

07:13 Genetics and personal preferences: where you live, who you are, and free will

13:35 What heritability means (and the #1 misunderstanding about the 80% figure)

13:35 Twin studies vs adoption studies: why identical twins reared apart matter

20:05 If it's not family, what is it? Non-shared environment and "stochastic" life outcomes

30:27 Polygenic scores: predicting education, schizophrenia risk, and massive effect sizes

30:27 The "School Scam": why school quality can explain ~1% of GCSE variance (after SES)

38:59 Ethical implications of genetic testing: Gattaca, prevention, and the totalitarian fear

51:05 The power of genetics in shaping personality: why siblings differ so dramatically

51:52 The dark side of genetic experiments: Three Identical Strangers and the wicked psychiatrist

53:21 Identical twins reared apart: astonishing similarities in behavior, jobs, and even hobbies

59:29 "Parents matter, but don't make a difference": what parenting can't change (and what it can)

01:04:12 Understanding and accepting individual differences (shyness, confidence, going with the flow)

01:04:12 Attachment theory vs evidence: relationships as descriptions, not destiny

01:18:53 The role of DNA testing in modern life: prevention, couples screening, and Nucleus Genomics

01:18:53 DNA testing for couples + recessive disorders (the prevention case that eliminates diseases)

01:32:34 Meditation, self-knowledge, and "becoming who you are" over time (final advice)

FREE Podcast Tips (2nd Channel): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUp5S7ZIZtjA8PMgXJMwppA

Podcast blueprint (Skool): https://www.skool.com/remote-pro-podcast-blueprint-8385

Robert Plomin book mentioned: Blueprint — https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39074555-blueprint

Company mentioned for consumer DNA testing: Nucleus Genomics — https://nucleusgenomics.com

Jacob’s Work Website: https://www.jacobjwatsonhowland.com