Individual Differences, Ethnicity, and Aging: What Can Gero-genetic Studies Contribute?

The purpose of this article is to present the value of using quantitative genetic approaches to understanding individual differences and ethnic diversity in aging. There are three major points to be discussed: 1) the difference between race and ethnicity, 2) inter-versus intra-group differences, and 3) the contribution of quantitative genetics methods to understanding individual variation within ethnic groups and differences and similarities between ethnic groups. This paper also includes a discussion of several twin studies of older African Americans.