TY - JOUR
T1 - Beyond genetic explanations for leadership
T2 - The moderating role of the social environment
AU - Zhang, Zhen
AU - Ilies, Remus
AU - Arvey, Richard D.
PY - 2009/11
Y1 - 2009/11
N2 - Leadership role occupancy has recently been shown to have a genetic basis. We extend prior research by examining the moderating effects of the social environment during adolescence on the genetic influences on leadership role occupancy at work. Utilizing a sample of male twins (89 pairs of identical and 54 pairs of fraternal twins, with a mean age of 36.5 years), we found that genetic influences are weaker for those reared in enriched environments (i.e., higher family socioeconomic status, higher perceived parental support, and lower perceived conflict with parents). For those twins who had relatively poorer social environments, genetic influences on leadership role occupancy are significantly greater. These results have important implications for early interventions on leadership development inside and outside organizations.
AB - Leadership role occupancy has recently been shown to have a genetic basis. We extend prior research by examining the moderating effects of the social environment during adolescence on the genetic influences on leadership role occupancy at work. Utilizing a sample of male twins (89 pairs of identical and 54 pairs of fraternal twins, with a mean age of 36.5 years), we found that genetic influences are weaker for those reared in enriched environments (i.e., higher family socioeconomic status, higher perceived parental support, and lower perceived conflict with parents). For those twins who had relatively poorer social environments, genetic influences on leadership role occupancy are significantly greater. These results have important implications for early interventions on leadership development inside and outside organizations.
KW - Gene-environment interaction (G × E)
KW - Leadership role occupancy
KW - Nature versus nurture
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=70350263218&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=70350263218&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.obhdp.2009.06.004
DO - 10.1016/j.obhdp.2009.06.004
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:70350263218
SN - 0749-5978
VL - 110
SP - 118
EP - 128
JO - Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes
JF - Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes
IS - 2
ER -