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What was the mean age of the twins in the Van Leeuwen et al study?

  1. 8.5 years

  2. 9.1 years

  3. 10.2 years

  4. 11.0 years

The correct answer is: 9.1 years

In the Van Leeuwen et al. study, the focus was on analyzing the cognitive abilities of twins, and understanding the mean age of the participants is crucial for contextualizing the research findings. The mean age of 9.1 years indicates that the study was conducted on a population that is still in the developmental stage of childhood, which is particularly relevant when examining how genetic and environmental factors might influence cognitive development. A mean age of 9.1 years suggests that the researchers aimed to explore cognitive processes during a period when significant intellectual growth occurs and where environmental factors can distinctly impact cognitive performance. This age range might allow for a clearer examination of the interplay between heredity and environment, which is a central theme in twin studies.