BEHAVIOR GENETIC-DIFFERENCES WITHIN AND BETWEEN DEFINED HUMAN-POPULATIONS

The small populations of the Caucasus offer a unique opportunity to co nsider concepts, such as heritability, which are often considered prop erties of a trait but which are really properties of a population. A c omprehensive strategy is outlined for studying intra- and interpopulat ion genetic structure across a wide range of traits and environments. A three-way association is demonstrated between 12 of 16 psychophysiol ogical traits, attitude, and the t allele for PTC sensitivity. Differe nces between populations and traits are evaluated in theoretical terms for morphological, physiological, and psychological measures. While d ecreases in performance with inbreeding are often predicted, in these small, isolated populations the effects are minimal.