What does heritability refer to in the context of genetics?

Heritability specifically refers to the proportion of variation in a trait among individuals in a population that can be attributed to genetic differences. Therefore, when discussing heritability in the context of genetics, the focus is on the characteristics that are passed genetically from parents to their offspring. This concept is crucial in understanding how certain traits can persist or change in populations over generations due to genetic inheritance.

In this framework, option B accurately captures the essence of heritability, emphasizing the role of genetics in determining traits that can be transmitted from parents to their offspring. Heritability does not account for learned behaviors or characteristics influenced solely by environmental factors, nor does it encompass the idea of qualities that change over time due to adaptation, or the totality of all inherited traits. Instead, it hones in on the specific genetic contributions to observable traits within a population.