Eurythmics or Xenakis? Cultural Tastes (Are Not Made of Genes): Comment on Jæger and Møllegaard, “Where Do Cultural Tastes Come From? Genes, Environments, or Experiences”

Abstract

A N article recently published in Sociological Science explored cultural tastes and practices in Denmark using a behavioral genetic lens (Jæger and Møllegaard 2022). Using data from monozygotic and dizygotic twins, the authors concluded that shared familial environments mattered less than genetic factors, thus questioning the soundness of established sociological theorizations of cultural inequalities, including Bourdieu’s Distinction (P. 266). After a close methodological and conceptual examination, our main conclusion is that social scientists should lend little credence to the claims put forth by Jæger and Møllegaard, which fall short of the methodological and conceptual standards habitually upheld in both sociology and behavior genetics. This is true whether we selectively focus