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by mrunkel 2751 days ago
I would be enormously surprised if genetic factors were the primary driver in this. I would think cultural norms and socio-economic factors would be the greatest predictors of the number of offsprings.

I could easily envision that those same factors could contribute to a rise in intermarriages between 3rd and 4th cousins. For example, in small communities like "hill people" in the Appalachians, or the Hasidic community in NY.

1 comments

The study is specifically of native Icelander's, between 1800 and 1965.