The Correlation Between Relatives on the Supposition of Mendelian Inheritance

"The Correlation Between Relatives on the Supposition of Mendelian Inheritance" is a scientific paper by R.A. Fisher which was published in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1918, (volume 52, pages 399–433). In it, Fisher puts forward a genetic model that shows that continuous variation amongst characters could be the result of Mendelian inheritance. The paper also contains the first use of the term variance.

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Background

Mendelian genetics was rediscovered in 1900. However, there were differences of opinion as to the variation that natural selection acted upon. The biometric school, led by Karl Pearson followed Darwin's idea that small differences were important for evolution. The Mendelian school, led by William Bateson, however thought that Mendel's work gave an evolutionary mechanism with large differences.

Joan Box, Fisher's biographer and daughter states in her book that Fisher, then a student, had resolved this problem in 1911.

Fisher had originally submitted his paper (then entitled "The correlation to be expected between relatives on the supposition of Mendelian inheritance") to the Royal Society, to be published in the Transactions of the Royal Society of London. The two referees, the biologist R. C. Punnett and the statistician Karl Pearson, believed that the paper contained areas they were unable to judge, due to lack of expertise, and expressed some reservations. Though the paper was not rejected, Fisher carried a feud with Pearson from 1917 on, and sent the paper instead to the Royal Society of Edinburgh, which published it in its Transactions.

Fisher's model

Fisher defines his new term of variance, as the square of the standard deviation, because of the manner in which variances of independent random variables may be added. He notes the continuous variation in human characters.

References

• Box, Joan Fisher (1978) R. A. Fisher: The Life of a Scientist, New York: Wiley, ISBN 0-471-09300-9.
• Fisher, R.A. Collected Papers of R.A. Fisher (1971-1974). Five Volumes. University of Adelaide.
• Moran, PAP and Smith, C.A.B. (1966) Commentary on R.A. Fisher's paper on the correlation between relatives on the supposition of Mendelian inheritance. Eugenics Laboratory Memoirs XLI pp62 (Cambridge University Press)