Robert Plomin (born February 20, 1948) is an American-British psychologist and geneticist renowned for his research in behavioral genetics, particularly concerning the genetic basis of cognitive abilities, personality, and mental health. Since 1994, he has been a Research Professor at the Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre (SGDP) at King's College London.
Plomin is highly regarded for his leadership in the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS), a longitudinal project that has followed over 10,000 pairs of twins in the UK since 1994. His work aims to integrate genetic and environmental approaches to understand individual differences in behavioral development. He developed the Generalist Genes Hypothesis, suggesting that many of the same genes are involved across a range of cognitive abilities and learning disabilities. Plomin has advocated for incorporating molecular genetics into psychology, utilizing genome-wide association studies to explore the relationship between polygenic scores and behavioral and cognitive differences.
Plomin has published over 800 papers and authored multiple books, including "Blueprint: How DNA Makes Us Who We Are," which discusses the impact of DNA on individual traits. He has received numerous awards, including the Dobzhansky Memorial Award, the William James Fellow Award, and the APA Award for Distinguished Scientific Contributions. He has also been recognized as one of the most eminent psychologists of the 20th century and is a Fellow of the British Academy.