Early life adversity and adult social relationships have independent effects on survival in a wild primate

• DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade7172
• Publication Date: 2023-05-17T17:57:16Z
• Authors: Elizabeth C. Lange; Shuxi Zeng; Fernando A. Campos; Fan Li; Jenny Tung; Elizabeth A. Archie; Susan C. Alberts
• Keywords: Sociality

Adverse conditions in early life can have negative consequences for adult health and survival humans other animals. What variables mediate the relationship between adversity survival? Adult social environments represent one candidate: Early is linked to adulthood, adulthood predicts outcomes. However, no study has prospectively adversity, behavior, measure extent which behavior mediates this relationship. We do so a wild baboon population Amboseli, Kenya. find weak mediation largely independent effects of sociality on survival. Furthermore, strong bonds high status buffer some adversity. These results support idea that affiliative subject natural selection through its positive with survival, they highlight possible targets intervention improve human well-being.