Story highlights Male children with older fathers are more likely to be geeky, according to a new study

The study found that being geeky is 57% inherited from the parents

(CNN) If you think of yourself as a geeky boy, you may want to thank your old man, according to a study published Tuesday in Translational Psychiatry.

The study surveyed 7,781 twins and found that being geeky was 57% inherited from the parents, particularly in male children with older fathers. The children were assessed at the age of 12 on their nonverbal intelligence, restrictive and repetitive behaviors, and social aloofness.

Their scores were put together to form a "geek index," and those who ranked the highest had higher IQs, stronger focus levels and less concern about fitting in with others.

"Geek" is typically an umbrella term for people who tend to be socially awkward and overly intellectual, the study said.

The geek index started visibly rising in those with fathers who were older than 35 at the child's conception. Males with fathers who were older than 50 at conception were 32% more likely to score higher on exams in STEM subjects than the offspring of fathers who were under 25, according to the study.

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