Tag

Life History Theory

All articles tagged with #life history theory

mental-health1 month ago•23 min saved

Unstable childhoods linked to a spectrum of borderline traits in adulthood

Three studies across US and Israeli samples (4,993 participants total) found that adults recalling unstable, unpredictable childhood environments report higher levels of neurotic, antagonistic, disinhibited, and dissociative borderline traits. Harshness showed a weaker or more variable link, and unpredictability's association persisted across age groups and contexts. The work suggests early-life environmental stability may shape a range of borderline characteristics beyond the impact of adversity alone, though causality can’t be established and the findings are limited by self-report and nonclinical samples.

via PsyPost|

#borderline-traits #childhood-unpredictability #cross-cultural

psychology2 months ago•29 min saved

Insecure attachment tied to bigger families across cultures, study finds

A cross-cultural study of 15,120 adults across Japan, Canada, and the United States finds that insecure attachment styles (fearful and preoccupied) are linked to having more biological children, while secure attachment is associated with fewer children in Canada and the USA but not in Japan. The researchers used a four-item attachment measure and self-reported fertility, interpreting results through life-history theory and noting culture shapes these patterns. Limitations include a correlational, cross-sectional design and WEIRD samples, so findings can’t establish causation or universal applicability.

via PsyPost|

#attachment-styles #cross-cultural #life-history-theory

evolutionary-psychology4 months ago•29 min saved

Extreme endurance tests reveal immune-first survival strategy in humans

A study of 147 ultra-endurance athletes across ultramarathons and ocean rowing provides experimental evidence for life history trade-offs in humans: under extreme energy deficit, the body prioritizes immune defense while suppressing energy storage and reproductive investment, with leptin and fat mass dropping, testosterone decreasing in men, and markers of tissue maintenance rising. Cortisol spikes and weight loss accompany these shifts, a pattern consistent across sexes and events, suggesting deep evolutionary roots in energy allocation during stress. The findings have implications for athletic training and public health, but may not generalize to non-athletes or chronic stress, and recovery dynamics across populations remain to be explored.

via PsyPost|

#energy-allocation #evolutionary-psychology #human-physiology