What does heritability estimate in psychological research?

Heritability is a statistical estimate that quantifies the extent to which genetic differences among individuals in a population contribute to observable traits, such as personality characteristics. When researchers talk about heritability in psychological research, they are specifically looking at how much of the variance in a trait—like intelligence, temperament, or mental health disorders—can be attributed to genetic factors.

This means that a high heritability estimate suggests that genetics play a significant role in determining that trait for people within a specific population, whereas a low heritability would indicate a larger influence from environmental factors. It is important to note that heritability does not imply that traits are fixed; rather, it reflects the potential genetic contribution to differences among individuals. Therefore, the choice correctly identifies heritability as a measure of the genetic influence on individual differences.