Researchers are reporting that preference for spicy food is

Researchers are reporting that preference for spicy food is a highly heritable trail and have based their conclusions on observations that parents and offspring have very similar preferences. What important assumption are the researchers making in concluding that this similarity between parents and offspring is the result of high heritability? Is it more likely that they are overestimating heritability or that they are underestimating heritability for this trail? Why?

Solution

By comparing the phenotypes between the parents and the offsprings finally the researchers came to an assumption that the parents and the offspring does not share the common environments. However it may not be real. It is typical for parents and the offspring to grow with similar cuisine. So more likely the researchers are overestimating heritability or understanding heritability because some of the similarity between parents and offspring may be attributable to a common environment.