The impact of stress on the life history strategies of African American adolescents

Cognitions, genetic moderation, and the role of discrimination

Bibliographic Data

ID9789945
AuthorsFrederick X Gibbons (0000-0003-1205-1481, Dartmouth College, corresponding author), Megan E Roberts (0000-0003-4743-2145, Dartmouth College), Meg Gerrard (Dartmouth College), Zhigang Li (0000-0002-4679-4622, Dartmouth College), Steven R Beach (0000-0001-8053-7761, University of Georgia), Steven R H Beach, R L Simons (0000-0002-4902-0462, University of Georgia), Chih-Yuan Weng, Chih‐Yuan Weng (Fu Jen Catholic University), Robert A Philibert (0000-0001-7822-4977, University of Iowa)
Year2012
Volume48
Issue3
Pages722-739
Publication date2012-05-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueDevelopmental Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0012-1649 • E-ISSN: 1939-0599
PublisherAmerican Psychological Association (APA) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1037/a0026599
PMID22251000
PMCIDPMC4324554
OpenAlexW2089850821
LanguageEN
Citations received28
References cited42

The impact of 3 different sources of stress--environmental, familial (e.g., low parental investment), and interpersonal (i.e., racial discrimination)--on the life history strategies (LHS) and associated cognitions of African American adolescents were examined over an 11-year period (5 waves, from age 10.5 to 21.5). Analyses indicated that each one of the sources of stress was associated with faster LHS cognitions (e.g., tolerance of deviance, willingness to engage in risky sex), which, in turn, predicted faster LHS behaviors (e.g., frequent sexual behavior). LHS, then, negatively predicted outcome (resilience) at age 21.5 (i.e., faster LHS → less resilience). In addition, presence of the risk ("sensitivity") alleles of 2 monoamine-regulating genes, the serotonin transporter gene (5HTTLPR) and the dopamine D4 receptor gene (DRD4), moderated the impact of perceived racial discrimination on LHS cognitions: Participants with more risk alleles (higher "sensitivity") reported faster LHS cognitions at age 18 and less resilience at age 21 if they had experienced higher amounts of discrimination and slower LHS and more resilience if they had experienced smaller amounts of discrimination. Implications for LHS theories are discussed

Cognition · Developmental psychology · Deviance (statistics · Interpersonal communication · Moderation · Psychiatry · Psychological resilience · Clinical Psychology · Cognitive Abilities and Testing · Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior · Psychology · Racial and Ethnic Identity Research · Social Psychology

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