Scanning the Horizon of Sociogenomics: an Assessment of the Development and Growth of Polygenic Indices for Social and Behavioral Traits

Authors

Courtney Canter, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Karen M. Meagher, Mayo Clinic, Biomedical Ethics Research, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
R Jean Cadigan, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Amy M. Koopmann, University of Iowa College of Law, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.
Sara Watson, Mayo Clinic, Biomedical Ethics Research, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
Matthew Kucmanic, University of Iowa College of Law, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.
Seung Woo Ban, University of Iowa College of Law, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.
Thanh Tran, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Maria Hromcenco, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Kathleen J. Foley, University of Iowa College of Law, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.
Shawneequa Callier, The George Washington University School of Medicine and the Center for Research on Genomics and Global Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
Jeremy J. Lamb, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Anya E. Prince, University of Iowa College of Law, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

10-30-2025

Journal

AJOB empirical bioethics

DOI

10.1080/23294515.2025.2576839

Keywords

ELSI; Sociogenomics; horizon scanning; polygenic index; polygenic score; social and behavioral trait

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Increasingly, researchers are leveraging social science survey data and genomic samples from millions of biobank participants to develop polygenic indices (PGIs) for social and behavioral traits. METHODS: This article utilizes horizon scanning methodology to track academic and lay literature regarding PGIs. RESULTS: We identified and coded 441 academic and 123 lay literature items, tracking the traits, sources of genetic and health data, and how each item discussed the harms, benefits, and limitations of sociogenomic PGIs. CONCLUSION: This in-depth review highlights variation in the portrayal of PGI research across academic and lay literature. Beyond simply elucidating what is being studied, and in which populations, this research shows how results are communicated, which messages are shown to academic and/or public audiences, and potential disconnects between how sociogenomic researchers and the lay literature describe the values and implications of the research.

APA Citation

Canter, Courtney; Meagher, Karen M.; Cadigan, R Jean; Koopmann, Amy M.; Watson, Sara; Kucmanic, Matthew; Ban, Seung Woo; Tran, Thanh; Hromcenco, Maria; Foley, Kathleen J.; Callier, Shawneequa; Lamb, Jeremy J.; and Prince, Anya E., "Scanning the Horizon of Sociogenomics: an Assessment of the Development and Growth of Polygenic Indices for Social and Behavioral Traits" (2025). GW Authored Works. Paper 8210.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/gwhpubs/8210

Department

Clinical Research and Leadership