Evan Giangrande
@evangiangrande.bsky.social
Incoming Assistant Professor of Clinical-Community Psychology, University of South Carolina Psychiatric & Behavioral Genetics | Psychotic Disorders | Cog Development | Longitudinal Modeling Chair of Behavior Genetics Association Public Science Committee
#BGA26 was a blast! Happy to have had the opportunity to present my work in Amsterdam and share one of my favorite research topics. Thanks to @lydiarader.bsky.social, @tabeasch.bsky.social, and @evangiangrande.bsky.social for such a great discussion and for their amazing talks!
A highlight from yesterday: The public science committee organized a plenary symposium 'From data to discourse: Behavioral Genetics as a Public Science' chaired by @evangiangrande.bsky.social . During the symposium, we heard from:
Morning. I'm in the Public Science plenary at #BGA2026 @evangiangrande.bsky.social is chairing and introducing the session. First up is Camille Williams and Robbee Wedow discussing the results of the recent public science BGA/ISPG/IBANGS survey
Professor Giangrande at your service! Extremely excited to be joining the University of South Carolina as a tenure track Assistant Professor of Clinical-Community Psychology. Major thanks to the many wonderful folks who’ve supported me in my academic journey. Can’t wait to take this next step!
Necessary research. Ive been watching this phenomenon happen since around 2015 (?) and it has been wild seeing papers that read like longish posts on Der Sturmer (especially shit on race and IQ and race and violence, etc) seek and acquire a simulacrum of legitimacy this way.
Evan Giangrande@evangiangrande.bsky.social · 3mo agoNow out in Behavior Genetics: I track how fringe researchers weaponize preprint servers to disseminate pseudoscientific studies that advance scientific racism and eugenics links.springernature.com/f/a/Y0XN-XcL...
Very useful new paper out on how preprint servers are exploited by race scientists to spread misinformation about race. Discusses some of the topics they frequently cover 👇 and the difficult problem of how to counter this misuse (NOT a criticism of preprint servers which are a boon to science!)
Evan Giangrande@evangiangrande.bsky.social · 3mo agoUsing a conservative definition of “fringe” as having published in Mankind Quarterly, I show how fringe authors use preprints to perpetuate widely debunked theories about group differences in behavior. Preprints offer a superficial appearance of legitimacy without peer review.
This paper is not an attack on preprints. I highlight how fringe scientists have *weaponized* preprinting, just as they have weaponized other foundational tools of mainstream science including journals (see my PoPS paper), software, and public data (e.g., ABCD). journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...
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Philip N Cohen@philipncohen.com · 3mo agoI hope everyone who agrees that "preprint servers... have revolutionized the scientific process" -- but also thinks very racist papers should not be on them -- is planning to join the selfless volunteers who actually make these nonprofit platforms work, to improve their policies and help moderate.
Now out in Behavior Genetics: I track how fringe researchers weaponize preprint servers to disseminate pseudoscientific studies that advance scientific racism and eugenics links.springernature.com/f/a/Y0XN-XcL...
The Preprint Problem: Fringe, Genetically Informed Studies of Group Differences in Behavior Housed on Open Science Platforms - Behavior Genetics
Preprint servers and open science platforms have revolutionized the scientific process. A fundamental feature of these platforms is a lack of peer review—virtually anyone with an internet connection can upload their research in a few clicks. Although this setup has facilitated rapid dissemination of results and open access to research, it has also enabled fringe researchers to post and share pseudoscientific, genetically informed studies of differences in behavior that often advance racial hereditarian and eugenic claims. Because preprint archives are now routinely used by mainstream academics, preprints grant a degree of legitimacy to fringe research that otherwise may have been relegated to a blog post or fringe publication. Previous studies have documented individual examples of pseudoscientific, genetic studies of group differences being posted on preprint archives, but the scope of this problem remains unclear, making it difficult to formulate responses and potential solutions. The present study quantified and characterized pseudoscientific studies of group differences in behavior—including studies that used genetic methods—housed on popular preprint servers and open science collaboration platforms. Dozens of such preprints were identified. Preprinted studies on group differences often analyzed controversial phenotypes, most frequently intelligence and related traits, and furthered classical, widely rejected hereditarian and eugenic theories. Genetically informed analyses rested on fundamentally flawed assumptions about heritability and polygenic scores. The Preprint Problem is indicative of a broader effort to weaponize mainstream academic research and its mechanisms, including Open Science, and a recent resurgence of scientific racism and eugenics. Potential responses to these challenges are introduced.
links.springernature.com
Check out our new paper examining associations of birthweight and cognitive ability across the lifespan! S/O @sophiebell.bsky.social for pushing this across the finish line
Sophie Bell@sophiebell.bsky.social · 7mo ago(1/4) Thrilled to share our new paper out now in @geronsociety.bsky.social Journals of Gerontology. The association between birthweight and cognitive ability declined exponentially across the lifespan. A longitudinal twin study helped us unpack why... academic.oup.com/psychsocgero...
Thanks @margotvdweijer.bsky.social for taking the lead on this!!
Margot van de Weijer@margotvdweijer.bsky.social · 7mo agoThe updated version of this paper is now online: rdcu.be/eX8ck. We wrote this paper as part of the behavior genetics special issue 'Behavioral Genetics as a Public Science: Impacts and Implications' -excited to see it out! @evangiangrande.bsky.social @lucasjmatthews.bsky.social @appelbap.bsky.social
Had lunch with a legend, Francis Collins! Was great to hear his perspective on the state of scientific research and the importance of communication/public engagement. Thanks @broadinstitute.org for facilitating
Last week, I had the pleasure of speaking (virtually) to folks in the @nmsu.edu psychology dept for their Friday Forum. Presented my work on the longitudinal dynamics of G-E interplay across cognitive development. Thanks @jgrabman.bsky.social for the invite!
In 2018, Charles Murray challenged me to a bet: "We will understand IQ genetically—I think most of the picture will have been filled in by 2025—there will still be blanks—but we’ll know basically what’s going on." It's now 2025, and I claim a win. I write about it in The Atlantic.
Your Genes Are Simply Not Enough to Explain How Smart You Are
Seven years ago, I took a bet with Charles Murray about whether we’d basically understand the genetics of intelligence by now.
theatlantic.com
Prepping for @dgps.bsky.social Methods, few recent papers pushing ctsem and dynamic models in interesting directions #1 Developmental changes in twin cognitive correlation (ACE) across age, test instrument, zygosity, with @evangiangrande.bsky.social @ent3c.bsky.social et al osf.io/preprints/ps...
This has become my latest pet peeve. "Causal" is sexy and creates the impression that you're uncovering mechanism(s), but "causal estimates" are often just associational and/or reliant on strong assumptions that are rarely met. E.g., CausalML applied to observational data. Cool, but...
Ewan Birney@ewanbirney.bsky.social · 12mo agoHowever, AI folk, it is going to be far, far better if we collectively call "back in time" or "left" in the normal way to lay out time as "antecedent" and *not* causal.
Check out our preprint on ethical and legal considerations regarding Mendelian Imputation of missing parental genotypes! The method raises tricky questions about informed consent and potential harm. We highlight gaps in current practice and provide recommendations for researchers and IRBs.
Margot van de Weijer@margotvdweijer.bsky.social · last yr.New pre-print online: Imputing parental genotypes through Mendelian Imputation: Ethical and Legal Considerations osf.io/preprints/ps...
I'm happy to share our latest manuscript "Impediments to countering racist pseudoscience", coauthored with @gillianrbrown1.bsky.social @kztwyman.bsky.social & Marcus Feldman.
Dr Sarah Myers@drsarahmyers.bsky.social · last yr.Excited to see 1st of the Evoluionary Human Sciences special issue on scientific racism come out! @kevinlala.bsky.social @gillianrbrown1.bsky.social @kztwyman.bsky.social & Marcus Feldman discuss impediments to countering racist pseudoscience & present 5 solutions www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Combatting harmful misappropriations of behavioral genetics requires response at multiple levels, including organizational. To that end, the BGA Public Science Committee has released a Statement on the Misuse of Genetics
Behavior Genetics Association@behaviorgenetic.bsky.social · last yr.Our public science committee published its first statement, 'against misuse of behavioral genetics research' on the website. Read it now on the website ⬇️ bga.org/content.aspx...
🚨🧬 New preprint! We tested whether PGS predicted global functioning across psychiatric hospitalization among 5991 people with schizophrenia. medrxiv.org/cgi/content/...
Polygenic Scores for Schizophrenia and Educational Attainment Predict Global Functioning Across Psychiatric Hospitalization Among People with Schizophrenia
Question Is variation in global functioning among people with schizophrenia associated with genetic differences? Findings In this genetic association study of 5991 adults with schizophrenia and 59,79...
medrxiv.org
Tomorrow!! Check out a great panel on the communication of polygenic score research
Behavior Genetics Association@behaviorgenetic.bsky.social · last yr.The BGA Public Science Committee will co-host Wednesday, May 14th, 11:00 AM-12:00 PM, US Eastern Time, an online symposium addressing how polygenic scores are communicated to the public, challenges of translating this research, and surrounding ethical & legal issues. Registration: lnkd.in/eGgKgxmT
Deadline tomorrow!! Already shaping up to be a great issue.
Evan Giangrande@evangiangrande.bsky.social · 2y ago🚨 2 weeks left to submit your abstract for our special issue 🚨 "Behavioral Genetics as a Public Science: Impacts and Implications" 🌏🧬 We welcome both empirical and theoretical articles that explore the broader significance of genetic research on human behavior 👇👇 link.springer.com/journal/1051...
🚨 2 weeks left to submit your abstract for our special issue 🚨 "Behavioral Genetics as a Public Science: Impacts and Implications" 🌏🧬 We welcome both empirical and theoretical articles that explore the broader significance of genetic research on human behavior 👇👇 link.springer.com/journal/1051...
Behavior Genetics
link.springer.com
This is the first I've heard of "palliative psychiatry," a concept that strikes me as equal parts inaccurate, unnecessary, and potentially harmful. Worth a read for Paul's insightful comments.
Paul S. Appelbaum, MD@appelbap.bsky.social · 2y agoThis report on the effort to characterize psychiatric treatment of some chronic disorders as "palliative care" includes my thoughts on why that's a really bad idea. psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/...
‼️Call for Submissions‼️ Special Issue in @apajournals.bsky.social @scpdiv12.bsky.social CPSP: "The Role of Non-Clinical Providers in Expanding Equitable Access to Effective Youth Mental Health Care" Email @randimschuster.bsky.social and I with any questions! docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Call for Abstracts: CPSP Special Issue on Nonclinical Providers
Call for Abstracts Special Issue of Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice: The Role of Non-Clinical Providers in Expanding Equitable Access to Effective Youth Mental Health Care Important date...
docs.google.com
What do GWAS and rare variant burden tests discover, and why? Do these studies find the most IMPORTANT genes? If not, how DO they rank genes? Here we present a surprising result: these studies actually test for SPECIFICITY! A 🧵on what this means... (🧪🧬) www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Specificity, length, and luck: How genes are prioritized by rare and common variant association studies
Standard genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and rare variant burden tests are essential tools for identifying trait-relevant genes. Although these methods are conceptually similar, we show by anal...
biorxiv.org
Elsevier is (finally): "reviewing its decision to publish research papers by the late Richard Lynn, an influential figure in the discredited field of “race science” who argued western civilisation was threatened by genetically inferior ethnic groups" www.theguardian.com/science/2024...
Publisher reviews national IQ research by British ‘race scientist’ Richard Lynn
Elsevier investigates journals by scientist who created discredited rankings of countries’ intelligence
theguardian.com
🚨Call for submissions!🚨 We're organizing a special issue on "Behavioral Genetics as a Public Science"🧬🌍 Relevant topics include: -Public outreach and education -(Mis)use and (mis)interpretations of BG research -Ethical, legal, and social issues tinyurl.com/bgpublicscie...
Call for Submissions: Behavior Genetics Special Issue on Public Science
Call for Submissions: Behavioral Genetics as a Public Science: Impacts and Implications Journal: Behavior Genetics Aim and Scope: Genetically informed studies of human behavior captivate a broad a...
tinyurl.com
