Understanding how genetic and environmental information shape perceptions of domain-specific abilities.

Introduction: Implicit beliefs regarding abilities’ development (e.g., STEM-related abilities) have important implications in people's perceptions (e.g., influencing how people perceive the likelihood of a person pursuing a STEM career). Such beliefs may be genetic (abilities are innate and unchangeable), environmental (abilities can be modified and developed, e.g., through education), or a combination of both. Objectives and Methods: The present research aims to examine the appraisal of genetic and environmental information on perceptions regarding the development of STEM and humanities (HUM) related abilities and the impact of participants’ essentialist beliefs on these perceptions. In 3 studies (N = 1560) participants were presented with gestational surrogacy scenarios in which information about donors (conveying genetic information) and surrogate parents (conveying environmental information), who may have studied STEM or HUM disciplines, was manipulated. Next, participants were asked to estimate the potential development of STEM and HUM-related abilities in the child born from such a procedure; also, participants' genetic essentialist beliefs were measured. Results: Results indicate that both genetic (e.g., from donors) and environmental (e.g., from surrogate parent) information influenced participants' perceptions of the development of STEM and HUM-related abilities, with a slightly greater effect of environmental (vs. genetic) information. Moreover, participants' genetic essentialist beliefs were found to moderate this effect only in the case of genetic information. Conclusions: The results have important theoretical and practical implications. The results point to the possibility of context-specific activation of individuals' beliefs and emphasize the nuanced interplay between situational factors and cognitive processes. Furthermore, understanding how people perceive the development of such abilities may help promote policies to ensure access and retention of individuals in STEM and HUM fields.