Effects of harsh and unpredictable environments in adolescence on development of life history strategies: A Longitudinal Test of an Evolutionary Model

Barbara Hagenah Brumbach; Aurelio José Figueredo; Bruce J. Ellis

doi:10.1007/s12110-009-9059-3

Effects of harsh and unpredictable environments in adolescence on development of life history strategies: A Longitudinal Test of an Evolutionary Model

Barbara Hagenah Brumbach
, Aurelio José Figueredo
, Bruce J. Ellis

Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

383 Scopus citations

Abstract

The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health data were used to test predictions from life history theory. We hypothesized that (1) in young adulthood an emerging life history strategy would exist as a common factor underlying many life history traits (e.g., health, relationship stability, economic success), (2) both environmental harshness and unpredictability would account for unique variance in expression of adolescent and young adult life history strategies, and (3) adolescent life history traits would predict young adult life history strategy. These predictions were supported. The current findings suggest that the environmental parameters of harshness and unpredictability have concurrent effects on life history development in adolescence, as well as longitudinal effects into young adulthood. In addition, life history traits appear to be stable across developmental time from adolescence into young adulthood.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	25-51
Number of pages	27
Journal	Human Nature
Volume	20
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s12110-009-9059-3
State	Published - Mar 2009

Keywords

Add Health
Adolescent health
Environmental harshness
Environmental unpredictability
Life history theory

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Anthropology
Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)
Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
Sociology and Political Science

Access to Document

10.1007/s12110-009-9059-3

Cite this

@article{30734a09503d4173b7d5db7ee5cabf03,

title = "Effects of harsh and unpredictable environments in adolescence on development of life history strategies: A Longitudinal Test of an Evolutionary Model",

abstract = "The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health data were used to test predictions from life history theory. We hypothesized that (1) in young adulthood an emerging life history strategy would exist as a common factor underlying many life history traits (e.g., health, relationship stability, economic success), (2) both environmental harshness and unpredictability would account for unique variance in expression of adolescent and young adult life history strategies, and (3) adolescent life history traits would predict young adult life history strategy. These predictions were supported. The current findings suggest that the environmental parameters of harshness and unpredictability have concurrent effects on life history development in adolescence, as well as longitudinal effects into young adulthood. In addition, life history traits appear to be stable across developmental time from adolescence into young adulthood.",

keywords = "Add Health, Adolescent health, Environmental harshness, Environmental unpredictability, Life history theory",

author = "Brumbach, \{Barbara Hagenah\} and Figueredo, \{Aurelio Jos{\'e}\} and Ellis, \{Bruce J.\}",

note = "Funding Information: Acknowledgments This research is based on Brumbach{\textquoteright}s dissertation, which was submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a degree at the University of Arizona. The research uses data from Add Health, a program project designed by J. Richard Udry, Peter S. Bearman, and Kathleen Mullan Harris, and funded by a grant P01-HD31921 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, with cooperative funding from 17 other agencies. Special acknowledgment is due Ronald R. Rindfuss and Barbara Entwisle for assistance in the original design. Persons interested in obtaining data files from Add Health should contact the Carolina Population Center, 123 W. Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27516-2524 ([email protected]).",

year = "2009",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1007/s12110-009-9059-3",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "20",

pages = "25--51",

journal = "Human Nature",

issn = "1045-6767",

publisher = "Springer New York",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Effects of harsh and unpredictable environments in adolescence on development of life history strategies

T2 - A Longitudinal Test of an Evolutionary Model

AU - Brumbach, Barbara Hagenah

AU - Figueredo, Aurelio José

AU - Ellis, Bruce J.

N1 - Funding Information: Acknowledgments This research is based on Brumbach’s dissertation, which was submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a degree at the University of Arizona. The research uses data from Add Health, a program project designed by J. Richard Udry, Peter S. Bearman, and Kathleen Mullan Harris, and funded by a grant P01-HD31921 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, with cooperative funding from 17 other agencies. Special acknowledgment is due Ronald R. Rindfuss and Barbara Entwisle for assistance in the original design. Persons interested in obtaining data files from Add Health should contact the Carolina Population Center, 123 W. Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27516-2524 ([email protected]).

PY - 2009/3

Y1 - 2009/3

N2 - The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health data were used to test predictions from life history theory. We hypothesized that (1) in young adulthood an emerging life history strategy would exist as a common factor underlying many life history traits (e.g., health, relationship stability, economic success), (2) both environmental harshness and unpredictability would account for unique variance in expression of adolescent and young adult life history strategies, and (3) adolescent life history traits would predict young adult life history strategy. These predictions were supported. The current findings suggest that the environmental parameters of harshness and unpredictability have concurrent effects on life history development in adolescence, as well as longitudinal effects into young adulthood. In addition, life history traits appear to be stable across developmental time from adolescence into young adulthood.

AB - The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health data were used to test predictions from life history theory. We hypothesized that (1) in young adulthood an emerging life history strategy would exist as a common factor underlying many life history traits (e.g., health, relationship stability, economic success), (2) both environmental harshness and unpredictability would account for unique variance in expression of adolescent and young adult life history strategies, and (3) adolescent life history traits would predict young adult life history strategy. These predictions were supported. The current findings suggest that the environmental parameters of harshness and unpredictability have concurrent effects on life history development in adolescence, as well as longitudinal effects into young adulthood. In addition, life history traits appear to be stable across developmental time from adolescence into young adulthood.

KW - Add Health

KW - Adolescent health

KW - Environmental harshness

KW - Environmental unpredictability

KW - Life history theory

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/69549135421

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/69549135421#tab=citedBy

U2 - 10.1007/s12110-009-9059-3

DO - 10.1007/s12110-009-9059-3

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:69549135421

SN - 1045-6767

VL - 20

SP - 25

EP - 51

JO - Human Nature

JF - Human Nature

IS - 1

ER -

Effects of harsh and unpredictable environments in adolescence on development of life history strategies: A Longitudinal Test of an Evolutionary Model

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this