Can environmental unpredictability predict life history strategy of young Brazilian adolescents?

Author / Creator

Cultural Evolution Society 2021 (2021)

Conferences

Cultural Evolution Society 2021 Q&A session 07: Fertility, health and kinship (2021)

Available as

Online

Summary

Based on Life History (LH) Theory exposure to environmental unpredictability/harshness is expected to promote a fast LH strategy, shorted time horizon and high levels of risk behavior. Studies test...

Based on Life History (LH) Theory exposure to environmental unpredictability/harshness is expected to promote a fast LH strategy, shorted time horizon and high levels of risk behavior. Studies testing these predictions mainly evaluated adult samples. We evaluated the predictive power of family unpredictability, harshness and demographic characteristics of low SES Brazilian young adolescents on reproductive milestones, future horizon and risk behavior. Participants (n = 203 M = 12,7 years old) answered to the scales Family Unpredictability during Childhood and Unpredictability Beliefs, questions about the expected age to attain reproductive milestones, time horizon, life expectation, risk behavior and demographics. Results indicated that different dimensions of unpredictability significantly predicted risk behavior, expected age of first sexual intercourse and child, subjective life expectation and future horizon. Demographic characteristics (e.g. mother's age at childbirth) enhanced predictive power in some models. Harshness did not predict any of the criterion variables. Overall, our findings support LH Theory predictions about the role of unpredictability in promoting fast LH strategy, shortened life horizon and risk and demonstrate that the relations among these variables are established and can be accessed from early adolescence. Social and theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.

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