Change in Association Between Parasite-Stress and Regional Social Capital After Controlling for Competing Ecological Evolutionary Explanations: Two Demonstrations of a Flipped-Sign Suppression Effect

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Abstract

This research assessed the relationship between parasite-stress and regional social capital while controlling for competing ecological evolutionary explanations, including climate-economic theory and life-history theory. Using two USA datasets at the state (N = 48) and county (N = 3,144) levels, consistent evidence emerged of a suppression effect that lead to a change in sign (i.e., a negative to positive multivariate association) between parasite-stress and social capital after other explanations are accounted for. These results suggest that parasite-stress may contribute to more rather than less democratic and civic participation, a finding that contradicts both theory and previous empirical research.

Author

• Adam S. Richards, Texas Christian University