What does heritability refer to in the context of intelligence and traits?

Heritability specifically addresses the extent to which genetic differences among individuals contribute to variations in a particular trait, such as intelligence, within a specific population. It is a statistical estimate reflecting the proportion of variation in intelligence that can be attributed to genetic factors, rather than environmental influences.

This measure does not imply that a specific trait, like intelligence, is determined solely by genetics; rather, it indicates the strength of the genetic contribution relative to other factors in a given population. For instance, a heritability coefficient of 0.5 would suggest that 50% of the variability in intelligence among individuals can be explained by genetic differences, while the remaining 50% may be due to environmental influences.

The other options touch on aspects related to intelligence and its development, but they do not accurately describe the concept of heritability. The first option implies a more direct inheritance link without acknowledging the variability, while the third and fourth options focus on environmental factors and socioeconomic influences, which are separate concepts from heritability.