INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL-CLASS ON THE CORRELATION OF STATURE OF ADULT CHILDREN WITH THAT OF THEIR MOTHERS AND FATHERS

Studies of parent-child correlations in stature require data which can be viewed as random samples of some general population and which are large enough to allow partition of the variable and evaluation of non- genetic and genetic influences. In a sample of 4336 individuals drawn from a cohort of all persons born in England, Scotland and Wales in 1 week in 1958, the correlation of statures of the males with their fath ers, the females with their fathers, the males with their mothers and the females with their mothers were 0.36, 0.43, 0.41 and 0.47 respecti vely at age 16 of the offspring and 0.41, 0.41, 0.47 and 0.46 respecti vely at age 23. Allowance for the occupational social class of the fat hers lowers the correlations, but in no case by more than 5%. Allowanc e for the occupational class achieved by the offspring by age 23 has l ittle effect on the correlations.