Social Safety Theory: A Biologically Based Evolutionary Perspective on Life Stress, Health, and Behavior

May combine two claims.

Greater social safety is associated with better outcomes in acute myocardial infarction, amputation, acquired brain injury, substance dependence treatment, HIV/AIDS, stroke, heart disease, and cancer.

“individuals with greater social safety exhibit better outcomes in the context of acute myocardial infarction (Mookadam & Arthur 2004), amputation (Hawkins et al. 2016), acquired brain injury (Jones et al. 2011), substance dependence treatment (Haslam et al. 2019), HIV/AIDS (van Luenen et al. 2018), stroke (Haslam et al. 2008), and heart disease and cancer (Valtorta et al. 2016).”

• cites Mookadam & Arthur 2004Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

• cites Hawkins et al. 2016Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

• cites Jones et al. 2011Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

May combine two claims.

In 420 adolescents, OPRM1 rs1799971 moderated likelihood of developing depression after a severe targeted rejection event; G allele carriers were twice as likely to meet MDD criteria, while A/A homozygotes were unaffected.

“Whereas G allele carriers were twice as likely to meet criteria for major depressive disorder following a recent severe targeted rejection life event (e.g., because they exhibit less opioid receptor expression and signaling efficiency), A/A homozygotes were completely unaffected by such stress.”

• cites Slavich et al. 2014Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

Sleep disturbance is relatively common, with up to 48% of adults reporting some sleep complaints, and is especially prevalent among persons exposed to social safety stressors such as interpersonal violence and aggression.

“with up to 48% of adults reporting at least some sleep complaints, it is especially prevalent among persons exposed to stressors that threaten social safety, such as interpersonal violence and aggression (Gallegos et al. 2019).”

• cites Gallegos et al. 2019Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

May combine two claims.

Social safety is associated with greater occupational and scholastic achievement, perseverance, productivity, more volunteering, and fewer sick days.

“social safety is associated with greater occupational and scholastic achievement, perseverance, and productivity (Holt-Lunstad 2018, Strayhorn 2018) as well as with more volunteering and fewer sick days (Babey et al. 2019).”

• cites Holt-Lunstad 2018Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

• cites Strayhorn 2018Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

• cites Babey et al. 2019Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

May combine two claims. The quote only partly states this claim.

In 87 adolescents, greater daily social threat interacted with shorter sleep duration to predict reduced expression of 511 genes and increased expression of 1,894 genes, including inflammatory genes, with changes structured by increased NF-κB activity.

“greater daily experiences of social threat (e.g., arguments with parents, family members, teachers, or friends; punishment; being insulted or threatened) interacted with shorter sleep duration to predict reduced expression of 511 genes and increased expression of 1,894 genes including several that promote inflammatory activity, such as TNF, IL1RAP, IL2RB, and IL15RA.”

• cites Chiang et al. 2019Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

May combine two claims.

Social-environmental effects translate into reduced life expectancy of about 2.1 years by age 40, exceeding mortality risk of high alcohol intake, obesity, and hypertension.

“These social-environmental effects translate into a rather striking reduced life expectancy of around 2.1 years by age 40, thus exceeding the mortality risk associated with high alcohol intake, obesity, and hypertension (Stringhini et al. 2017).”

• cites Stringhini et al. 2017Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

May combine two claims.

Social safety is related to better health behaviors, which predict outcomes including longevity.

“Social safety is also related to practicing better health behaviors, which in turn predicts numerous behavioral and health-related outcomes including longevity (Umberson et al. 2010).”

• cites Umberson et al. 2010Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

May combine two claims. The quote only partly states this claim.

In 1,622 young adults in the Philippines, parental absence during childhood was associated with 47% higher CRP in young adulthood for those with low infant animal feces exposure, and 17% lower CRP for those with high feces exposure; social threat predicted greater inflammation only in hygienic microbial environments.

“For individuals exposed to low levels of animal feces during infancy, those who experienced a core threat to social safety in the form of prolonged parental absence during childhood (e.g., resulting from divorce, separation, or death) exhibited 47% higher CRP levels in young adulthood relative to their no-stress counterparts.”

• cites McDade et al. 2013Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

May combine two claims.

Social threat can increase gut permeability, enabling bacteria to cross the epithelial barrier and activate a mucosal immune response that changes the microbiome, upregulates HPA axis and inflammatory activity, and heightens social threat.

“experiences of social threat can increase gut permeability, which enables bacteria to cross the epithelial barrier and activate a mucosal immune response that changes the microbiome, upregulates HPA axis and inflammatory activity, and heightens experiences of social threat”

• cites Dinan & Cryan 2012Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

May combine two claims.

High-fat diets cause microbiome changes that heighten neuroendocrine reactivity and inflammatory activity, inducing anxiety, hypervigilance, and social threat experiences.

“high-fat diets cause compositional changes in the microbiome that heighten neuroendocrine reactivity and inflammatory activity, which in turn induce anxiety, hypervigilance, and experiences of social threat.”

• cites Dinan & Cryan 2012Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

Approximately 33% of women report lifetime partner or nonpartner physical violence, or nonpartner sexual violence.

“approximately 33% of women report having experienced lifetime partner or nonpartner physical violence, or nonpartner sexual violence (OECD 2011).”

• cites OECD 2011Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

May combine two claims.

NSSI is more common in people who have experienced major threats to social safety, such as emotional, physical, or sexual abuse, making social threat a key risk factor for NSSI.

“NSSI is more common in people who have experienced major threats to social safety, such as emotional, physical, or sexual abuse, thus making social threat a key risk factor for NSSI (Nock 2009, Stewart et al. 2019).”

• cites Nock 2009Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

• cites Stewart et al. 2019Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

May combine two claims.

Diet affects bacterial composition of microbiota, which shapes social safety and threat via the brain-gut-microbiome axis.

“Diet strongly affects the bacterial composition of the microbiota that can in turn shape experiences of social safety and threat by influencing the brain–gut–microbiome axis, which includes the CNS, neuroendocrine and neuroimmune systems, autonomic nervous system, enteric nervous system, and intestinal microbiota (Dinan & Cryan 2012).”

• cites Dinan & Cryan 2012Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

May combine two claims. The quote only partly states this claim.

In 40 young adults, urban upbringing was associated with greater TSST-induced IL-6 increases and poorer anti-inflammatory capability compared to rural upbringing.

“it was the participants who grew up in an urban environment who exhibited the greatest TSST-induced increases in IL-6.”

• cites Böbel et al. 2018Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

May combine two claims.

Exposure to PM2.5 is especially harmful because particles can be inhaled, enter circulation, reach the brain, influence serotonergic and dopaminergic activity, and affect brain structure, function, and plasticity.

“Exposure to fine PM ≤2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter (i.e., PM2.5) is especially harmful because these particles can be inhaled, enter the circulation, and reach the brain, where they influence serotonergic and dopaminergic activity and affect brain structure, function, and plasticity.”

• cites Olvera Alvarez et al. 2018Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

May combine two claims.

Across 35 countries, total fertility rates dropped from 2.7 children/woman in 1970 to 1.7 in 2009, leading to declines in average household size and fewer available familial bonds.

“Across 35 countries, total fertility rates have dropped from an average of 2.7 children/woman in 1970 to 1.7 children/woman in 2009, leading to a corresponding decline in average household size and fewer available familial bonds.”

• cites OECD 2011Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

May combine two claims.

Obesity shifts adipose immunologic stance from type 2/T helper 2 to type 1/T helper 1, with proinflammatory M1 macrophages accumulating and secreting IL-1β and TNF-α under psychological stress.

“obesity shifts this immunologic stance toward a type 1 or T helper 1 state in which proinflammatory (i.e., M1-polarized) macrophages accumulate and secrete large amounts of different cytokines, including IL-1β and TNF-α, under conditions of psychological stress (Reilly & Saltiel 2017).”

• cites Reilly & Saltiel 2017Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

NSSI has lifetime prevalence up to 23% in adolescents and 4% in adults.

“NSSI has a lifetime prevalence of up to 23% in adolescents and 4% in adults”

• cites Nock 2009Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

May combine two claims.

Across 62 countries, approximately 70% of children 2-14 have experienced psychological threats to social safety, and approximately 60% have experienced physical threats.

“UNICEF (2014) estimated that across 62 countries, approximately 70% of children 2–14 years old have experienced psychological threats to social safety, such as verbal aggression, intimidation, humiliation, or ridicule.”

• cites UNICEF 2014Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

May combine two claims.

Birth month independently predicts longevity in several studies, attributed to seasonal differences in healthy food availability during pregnancy and infant exposure to inflammation-promoting pathogens.

“birth month has been found to independently predict longevity in several studies, with such effects being attributed to seasonal differences in the availability of healthy foods during pregnancy (which is generally better during spring and summer months) and to differences in infants’ likelihood of exposure to inflammation-promoting pathogens (which is generally worse in autumn and winter months)”

• cites Doblhammer & Vaupel 2001Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

The quote only partly states this claim.

Threats to social safety are a key feature of psychological stressors that most strongly affect health and behavior.

“threats to social safety are a critical feature of psychological stressors that increase risk for disease”

May combine two claims.

DAMPs are key promoters of systemic chronic inflammation and may be relevant for how life stress exerts persistent effects on health, behavior, and age-related disease risk.

“DAMPs are now recognized as a key promoter of systemic chronic inflammation, meaning that they may be especially relevant for understanding how life stress exerts persistent effects on human health, behavior, and age-related disease risk (i.e., in the absence of infection) (see Furman et al. 2019)”

• cites Furman et al. 2019Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

Antigen-presenting cells differentiate self from nonself, migrate to lymph nodes, present antigen to T helper cells, and cause release of cytokines.

“APCs migrate from the infection site to local lymph nodes where they present antigen peptides to T helper cells, resulting in the release of several cytokines including IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) (Slavich 2020)”

• cites Slavich 2020Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

May combine two claims.

Sterile inflammation occurs without infection and helps recovery from tissue damage.

“This type of innate immune response can occur in the absence of a pathogenic infection, which is why some have called it sterile inflammation, and it plays a critical role in helping individuals recover from tissue damage sustained during physical injury or bodily trauma (Crişan et al. 2016)”

• cites Crişan et al. 2016Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

May combine two claims.

There is little agreement about which social-environmental adversities are most deleterious and no consensus about what makes stressors stressful.

“there is little agreement about the types of social-environmental adversity that are most deleterious and no consensus regarding the social-psychological characteristics that make particular stressors stressful (Cohen et al. 2019, Epel et al. 2018)”

• cites Cohen et al. 2019Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

• cites Epel et al. 2018Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

The primary goal of the immune system is to keep the body biologically safe and protected from foreign invaders and physical injuries.

“The primary goal of the immune system, in turn, is to keep the body biologically safe and protected from these foreign invaders and from physical injuries that could cause illness or death if left unaddressed (Slavich & Irwin 2014)”

• cites Slavich & Irwin 2014Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

Social Safety Theory proposes that forming and maintaining friendly social bonds is a fundamental organizing principle of human behavior.

“Social Safety Theory hypothesizes that developing and maintaining friendly social bonds is a fundamental organizing principle of human behavior”

May combine two claims.

DAMPs activate PRRs, especially TLR2 and TLR4, causing rapid NF-κB-mediated inflammation.

“DAMPs can bind to and activate PRRs, especially TLR2 and TLR4, and in turn initiate a very rapid inflammatory response that is characterized by NF-κB-mediated increases in several inflammatory cytokines, especially IL-1β (Schaefer 2014)”

• cites Schaefer 2014Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

May combine two claims.

The adaptive immune system is evolutionarily younger and develops over several days via microbial-specific lymphocytes and immunological memory.

“the body engages the evolutionarily younger, 450-million-year-old adaptive immune system (Travis 2009). Compared with the innate immune response, which is nonspecific and occurs quickly, adaptive immunity develops over several days and involves the proliferation of microbial-specific lymphocytes that neutralize or eliminate microbes based on an immunological memory”

• cites Travis 2009Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

May combine two claims.

These stress theories are largely based on behavioral and clinical data, with researchers assuming how stressors affect underlying biological processes.

“these theories are largely based on behavioral and clinical data, with researchers in turn assuming how different stressors might affect underlying biological processes”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

Existing alternative stress theories provide very different, largely nonoverlapping explanations for why certain stressors are most impactful.

“these formulations provide very different, largely nonoverlapping explanations for why certain stressors are most impactful”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

Intracellular pathogen detection via TLRs activates antiviral type I interferon genes.

“if the immunologic threat involves an intracellular pathogen (e.g., virus), then TLRs activate the transcription factors NF-κB, ATF2–c-Jun, interferon-regulatory factor 3, and interferon-regulatory factor 7, which induce antiviral immune response genes, particularly type I interferon genes”

• cites Kawai & Akira 2006Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

The innate immune system provides a rapid, highly conserved defense response activated under microbial infection and tissue damage.

“The innate immune system dates back to the origin of multicellularity and provides humans with an extremely rapid, highly conserved immunologic defense response that gets activated under conditions of microbial infection and tissue damage (Travis 2009)”

• cites Travis 2009Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

May combine two claims.

Meningeal lymphatic vessels drain macromolecules and excess fluid from the CNS and provide a path for immune cells to travel from the CNS to the periphery.

“These vessels help drain macromolecules and excess fluid from the central nervous system (CNS). However, they also represent a physical path along which immune cells can travel from the CNS to the periphery”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

Multiple bidirectional pathways-SNS, HPA axis, vagus nerve, and meningeal lymphatic vessels-enable the brain to signal the peripheral immune system and vice versa during social threat.

“Multiple bidirectional pathways enable the brain to signal the peripheral immune system and vice versa during times of social threat. These pathways include the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, vagus nerve, and meningeal lymphatic vessels”

May combine two claims.

Adversity can trigger increased arborization of SNS fibers in the lymph node, expanding the neural-immune regulatory pipeline and potentially promoting neuro-inflammatory sensitization that sustains perceptions of social threat for months or years after a triggering event.

“adversity can trigger increased arborization of SNS fibers in the lymph node, which expands the neural–immune regulatory pipeline and may promote neuro-inflammatory sensitization to adversity that sustains perceptions of social threat for months or years after an initial triggering event has passed (see Slavich & Irwin 2014)”

• cites Slavich & Irwin 2014Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

May combine two claims.

Cytokines can affect threat and pain sensitivity, exploratory and pleasure-seeking behavior, ingestive behavior, sleep, learning, attention, memory, impulsivity, temporal focus, emotion regulation, executive function, and cognitive control.

“cytokines can affect threat and pain sensitivity, exploratory and pleasure-seeking behavior, ingestive behavior, sleep, learning, attention, memory, impulsivity, temporal focus, emotion regulation, executive function, and cognitive control (Larson & Dunn 2001, Shields et al. 2017)”

• cites Larson & Dunn 2001Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

• cites Shields et al. 2017Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

May combine two claims.

Adversity can lead to epigenetic reprogramming of innate immune cells and alter hematopoietic output from the bone marrow, skewing them toward a more proinflammatory state.

“adversity can lead to epigenetic reprogramming of innate immune cells (Crişan et al. 2016) and alter the hematopoietic output of these cells from the bone marrow (Hanke et al. 2012), skewing them toward a more proinflammatory state”

• cites Crişan et al. 2016Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

• cites Hanke et al. 2012Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

May combine two claims.

Cortisol can also increase inflammatory activity by priming heightened inflammatory reactivity, stimulating immune cell trafficking, and promoting glucocorticoid insensitivity or resistance.

“cortisol can also lead to increased inflammatory activity by priming heightened inflammatory reactivity, stimulating immune cell trafficking, and promoting glucocorticoid insensitivity/resistance (Sorrells et al. 2009)”

• cites Sorrells et al. 2009Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

May combine two claims.

Each of these experiences threatens social safety differently and can engage social signal transduction pathways, leading to changes in disease risk, cognition, and behavior.

“Each of these experiences threatens social safety in a different way and can therefore engage the social signal transduction pathways described above, leading to substantial changes in disease risk, cognition, and behavior”

May combine two claims.

Actual physical danger is at the top of the severity gradient, while social conflict, aggression, devaluation, discrimination, isolation, rejection, and exclusion are lower but relevant.

“Atop this list would be actual physical danger, such as being physically attacked, abused, or neglected. However, there are many other social circumstances a bit lower on the severity gradient that are also relevant, including social conflict, aggression, devaluation, discrimination, isolation, rejection, and exclusion (Slavich & Irwin 2014, Slavich et al. 2010a)”

• cites Slavich & Irwin 2014Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

• cites Slavich et al. 2010aNot checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

May combine two claims.

Mounting an anticipatory inflammatory response to potential physical danger requires continually monitoring whether the body is in a socially safe environment, supported by four neural networks.

“Mounting an anticipatory inflammatory response to potential physical danger requires continually monitoring the extent to which the body is in a socially safe environment, and four neural networks support this capacity: the amygdala network, mentalizing network, empathy network, and mirror neuron system (Kennedy & Adolphs 2012)”

• cites Kennedy & Adolphs 2012Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

Social threat is harmful for human health and behavior.

“Social threat is harmful for human health and behavior”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

Current broad support for Social Safety Theory comes from anthropology, psychology, sociology, epidemiology, and public health.

“Current broad support for Social Safety Theory comes from several fields, including anthropology, psychology, sociology, epidemiology, and public health”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

Humans have long inhabited a world filled with physical and microbial threats that can cause death and reduce reproductive success if not avoided or dealt with effectively.

“humans have long inhabited a world filled with physical and microbial threats—including dangerous conspecifics, viruses, and bacteria—that can cause death and reduce reproductive success if not avoided or dealt with effectively”

May combine two claims.

Physical wounding threatens survival directly through injury-induced bleeding and indirectly by enabling pathogens to enter through wounds created during social conflict.

“Physical wounding threatens survival directly (e.g., through injury-induced bleeding) but also indirectly by enabling pathogens to enter the body through wounds created during social conflict”

May combine two claims.

The immune system cannot directly detect social circumstances that may increase risk for physical conflict or injury, so it relies on the brain.

“Because the immune system cannot directly detect social circumstances that may increase risk for physical conflict or injury, it relies on the brain”

May combine two claims.

These activations can occur intermittently or become prolonged, mediated by social safety schemas about the self, social world, and future.

“These activations can occur intermittently—for example, when engaged by occasional negative automatic thoughts about a potential threat in the environment—but they can also become prolonged, mediated by one’s social safety schemas about the self, social world, and future”

May combine two claims.

Immune cells care about physical and social safety, not about a person's financial resources or the size of his or her social network.

“immune cells care about physical and social safety, not about a person’s financial resources or the size of his or her social network”

May combine two claims.

A fundamental drive to develop friendly social bonds, and to mount a systemic inflammatory response to social cues historically associated with increased physical danger, was likely highly conserved.

“a fundamental drive to develop friendly social bonds, and to mount a systemic inflammatory response to social cues historically associated with increased physical danger, was likely highly conserved”

May combine two claims.

Humans have an affinity for similar others and hostility toward strangers, which historically increased reproductive success and survival.

“humans have a well-known affinity for those most like themselves and a tendency to be hostile toward strangers (Bloom 2013), which historically enhanced their reproductive success and helped ensure their survival (Silk 2007).”

• cites Bloom 2013Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

• cites Silk 2007Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

May combine two claims.

Release of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α heightens threat sensitivity, degrading experiences of social safety and increasing perceptions of social threat.

“The resulting release of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α heightens threat sensitivity that can degrade experiences of social safety and increase perceptions of social threat.”

May combine two claims.

The survival benefit of social integration is similar in magnitude to quitting smoking and exceeds that of obesity and physical inactivity.

“These beneficial effects are similar in magnitude to quitting smoking and exceed those associated with traditional risk factors for mortality, such as obesity and physical inactivity.”

May combine two claims.

Evidence of natural selection for prosociality first emerged about 2.6 million years ago in the Paleolithic period and drove human self-domestication, enabling people to live, hunt, and gather together in small bands.

“Evidence of natural selection for prosociality first emerged about 2.6 million years ago in the Paleolithic period and it drove human self-domestication, enabling people to live, hunt, and gather together in small bands (Henrich 2015)”

• cites Henrich 2015Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

May combine two claims.

Social safety confers numerous benefits, while social threat can degrade mental and physical health, lead to negative behaviors, and increase risk for biological aging and early mortality.

“whereas social safety confers numerous benefits, social threat can degrade mental and physical health, lead to a variety of negative behaviors, and increase risk for biological aging and early mortality”

May combine two claims.

Relative to rural upbringing, urban upbringing is associated with greater inflammatory responses to acute social threat and poorer immunoregulatory/anti-inflammatory capability following such threat.

“Together, these data provide strong converging evidence that relative to individuals who are raised in rural environments, those who grow up in urban environments exhibit greater inflammatory responses to acute social threat in addition to poorer immunoregulatory/anti-inflammatory capability following such threat”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

Historically, social threats raised the risk of isolation, conflict, or wounding.

“Physical threats are the most impactful types of stressors from this evolutionary perspective, but such experiences are followed closely by social threats that historically increased risk for possible isolation, conflict, or wounding.”

• AssumptionRests on an assumption: Over millennia, the cellular self evolved to monitor its surroundings, detect threats, and produce anticipatory biobehavioral responses that gave the greatest adaptive advantage.

May combine two claims.

NSSI may induce neuroinflammation that exacerbates perceptions of social conflict, criticism, or exclusion, leading to emotional distress and greater propensity for NSSI.

“NSSI may thus represent a behavioral trigger that induces neuroinflammation, which exacerbates a person’s perceptions of social conflict, criticism, or exclusion, in turn leading to heightened emotional distress and an even greater propensity to engage in NSSI”

May combine two claims.

Bodily injury releases mitochondrial DAMPs, which initiate immune responses and produce inflammatory cytokines that increase neural threat sensitivity and degrade social safety.

“The resulting production of inflammatory cytokines increases neural threat sensitivity that can degrade perceptions of social safety and promote experiences of social threat (Zhang et al. 2010).”

• cites Zhang et al. 2010Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

The construct of life stress has been notoriously messy, with little consensus on what actually matters.

“Life stress has been a notoriously messy construct with little agreement about what actually matters (Cohen et al. 2019, Malat et al. 2017, Monroe & Slavich 2020).”

• cites Cohen et al. 2019Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

• cites Malat et al. 2017Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

• cites Monroe & Slavich 2020Not checked yet

  Not checked in the free run.

May combine two claims.

Social safety and social threat are central to life's most impactful experiences.

“If we ask the human brain and immune system, though, they will tell us that social safety and social threat lie at the heart of life’s most impactful experiences.”

• AssumptionRests on an assumption: Over millennia, the cellular self evolved to monitor its surroundings, detect threats, and produce anticipatory biobehavioral responses that gave the greatest adaptive advantage.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

Understanding the true underlying structure of life stress requires examining the cellular self.

“To address these problems and begin to understand the true underlying structure of life stress, I propose that we need only look to our cellular selves, which evolved over millennia to monitor the surrounding environment, detect potential threats, and mount anticipatory biobehavioral responses that conferred the greatest adaptive advantage.”

• AssumptionRests on an assumption: Over millennia, the cellular self evolved to monitor its surroundings, detect threats, and produce anticipatory biobehavioral responses that gave the greatest adaptive advantage.