Theories in sociology argue that family background and individual experiences shape cultural tastes and participation. Yet, we do not know the relative importance of each explanation or the extent to which family background operates via shared genes or shared environments. In this article, we use new data on same-sex monozygotic and dizygotic twins from Denmark to estimate the total impact of family background (genetic and environmental) and individual experiences on highbrow and lowbrow tastes and participation and on omnivorousness in music and reading. We find that family background explains more than half of the total variance in cultural tastes and participation and in omnivorousness. Moreover, family background operates mainly via shared genes, with shared environments shaping cultural tastes to some extent, but not cultural participation. Our findings support theories claiming that family background is instrumental in shaping cultural tastes and participation but highlight the relevance of distinguishing genetic and environmental aspects of family background.

中文翻译：

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文化品味从何而来？基因、环境或经验

社会学理论认为，家庭背景和个人经历塑造了文化品味和参与。然而，我们不知道每种解释的相对重要性，也不知道家庭背景在多大程度上通过共享基因或共享环境发挥作用。在本文中，我们使用来自丹麦的同性同卵双胞胎和异卵双胞胎的新数据来估计家庭背景（遗传和环境）和个人经历对高雅和低俗品味和参与以及对音乐和阅读杂食性的总体影响。我们发现家庭背景解释了文化品味和参与以及杂食性的总差异的一半以上。此外，家庭背景主要通过共享基因运作，共享环境在一定程度上塑造了文化品味，而不是文化参与。