On the application of genetic expectancies as age-specific base rates in the study of human behavior disorders.

Abstract

"The long recognized tendency of many abnormal behavior patterns to run in families may prove useful in understanding, predicting, and controlling such behavior, regardless of whether the ultimate cause lies in social heredity or in biological heredity and regardless of the extent to which these are correlated." The writers suggest that it is now possible to determine age-specific statements of probability that various disorders will develop in various subpopulations which should be studied longitudinally to discover the differences between those Ss who develop the disorder and those who do not. Examples of the uses of genetic expectancies are given. 25 references.