Matching Items (3)
Description
The current study examined the unique influence of emotional childhood abuse on positive and negative aspects of different types of social relationships (e.g., family, spouse/partner, and friends) in midlife and whether genetic variations of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) moderated these associations. Genetic variations in OXTR are measured by single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which have been the most substantially studied prospects for explaining individual differences in socio-behavioral phenotypes. Specifically, an SNP, rs53576, involving a guanine (G) to adenine (A) substitution located in the third intron of the OXTR has been associated with fundamental aspects of social processes and behaviors. Compared to A carriers, individuals homozygous for the G allele have enhanced social competencies and tend to elicit more positive responses from social partners, consequently increasing the overall quality of social relationships across the lifespan. However, the G allele of the OXTR has also been associated with greater social sensitivity. In the current study, conducted among a sample of 614 adults in midlife, it was shown that emotional childhood abuse was significantly associated with having less supportive and more strained relationships in midlife. Regarding supportive family relationships, the effect of emotional childhood abuse was moderated by the OXTR rs53576 polymorphism. Specifically, under conditions of more emotional abuse in childhood, individuals homozygous for the G allele had more supportive family relationships in midlife compared to A carriers. Overall, the findings suggest that genetic variations of OXTR rs53576 may be an important candidate in understanding the development of social relationship functioning within the context of negative early life experiences.
ContributorsEbbert, Ashley Marie (Author) / Infurna, Frank (Thesis advisor) / Corbin, William (Committee member) / Lemery, Kathryn (Committee member) / Luthar, Suniya (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2018
Description
Understanding the evolution of cooperation is a central goal in animal behavior research. In several animal taxa, socioecological environments that promote frequent interaction and social tolerance have favored the evolution of strong, equitable, and enduring social bonds, which facilitate cooperation and confer fitness benefits. Among males, strong bonds are believed to have evolved in the context of long-term alliances that help individuals compete for dominance status and mating access, but it remains unclear in some species what factors predict the strength and quality of bonds and how sociality relates to adaptive outcomes. To fill these gaps, this dissertation presents three studies of male chimpanzees at Gombe National Park, Tanzania, addressing the form, function, and development of male social relationships. Maternal brothers who were close in age formed the strongest bonds, strong bonds were associated with more reciprocal grooming relationships, and the strength of bonds were stable for an average of two years, while lasting up to 13 years. For other males, similarity in age and rank had negligible effects on bond strength, suggesting that bond strength results from a more complex process than a simple accounting of basic characteristics. Additionally, these social bonds, identified using both association in small groups and grooming activity, showed positive relationships with changes in dominance. In combination with prior studies, these results suggest that having strong bonds is a valuable strategy for achieving higher rank and, ultimately, increased reproductive success. Lastly, immature males who associated more with particular adult males while growing up were more likely to both associate and groom with those same males after entering adulthood. By contrast, association rates among immature male peers were not correlated with bond strength as adults. These findings suggest that the persistence of social relationships beyond those between mothers and offspring are more likely to evolve in long-lived species where young males enter adult hierarchies comprised of stronger or more socially experienced competitors. Overall, these studies reinforce the notion that social bonds are a chimpanzee universal, fill in gaps about the relationship between sociality and fitness, and emphasize the utility of a prolonged immature period.
ContributorsBray, Joel (Author) / Gilby, Ian C (Thesis advisor) / Silk, Joan B (Committee member) / Langergraber, Kevin E (Committee member) / Machanda, Zarin P (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021
Description
Children’s language proficiency, teacher’s language ideologies, and language practices such as code-switching have been previously investigated, but almost no research has explored young children’s understandings about language(s) nor their impact on social relationships. Researchers have not investigated children’s reflection of their own language use and identity. I conducted an ethnography regarding language practices, knowledge, and identity construction, supplemented by semi-structured interviews with students and teachers in a Montessori preschool classroom. I decided to focus upon a few specific students in the class because of their varying linguistic backgrounds. Linguistic identity formation occurs mainly through self-assessment and language practices and processes (such as authentication vs. denaturalization, adequation vs. distinction, and authorization vs. illegitimation) (Bucholtz & Hall, 2005). Understanding and knowledge about language(s) displayed by students allowed for nuanced identity construction through conversation with teachers and peers. The language ideologies and practices by teachers in this classroom contrast that of the broader social and cultural systems in place, and also support children’s language knowledge and social development.
ContributorsHait, Ryleigh (Author) / O'Connor, Brendan (Thesis director) / Berstein, Katie (Committee member) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05