Buffering Hypothesis Research Articles

More social species live longer, have longer generation times and longer reproductive windows.

The role of sociality in the demography of animals has become an intense focus of research in recent decades. However, efforts to understand the sociality-demography nexus have hitherto focused on single species or isolated taxonomic groups. Consequently, we lack generality regarding how sociality associates with demographic traits within the Animal Kingdom. Here, I propose a continuum of sociality, from solitary to tightly social, and test whether this continuum correlates with the key demographic properties of 152 species, from jellyfish to humans. After correction for body mass and phylogenetic relationships, I show that the sociality continuum is associated with key life history traits: more social species live longer, postpone maturity, have longer generation time and greater probability of achieving reproduction than solitary, gregarious, communal or colonial species. Contrary to the social buffering hypothesis, sociality does not result in more buffered populations. While more social species have a lower ability to benefit from disturbances, they display greater resistance than more solitary species. Finally, I also show that sociality does not shape reproductive or actuarial senescence rates. This cross-taxonomic examination of sociality across the demography of 13 taxonomic classes highlights key ways in which individual interactions shape most aspects of animal demography.This article is part of the discussion meeting issue 'Understanding age and society using natural populations'.

Age-related differences in delay discounting: Income matters.

Although the authors of a recent meta-analysis concluded there were no age-related differences in the discounting of delayed rewards, they did not examine the effects of income (Seaman et al., 2022). Accordingly, the present study compared discounting by younger and older adults (Ages 35-50 and 65-80) differing in household income. Two procedures were used: the Monetary Choice Questionnaire and the Adjusting-Amount procedure. Whereas no age difference was observed between the higher income (> $80,000) age groups, a significant difference was observed between younger and older adults with lower incomes (< $50,000): The younger adults discounted more steeply than the older adults. These findings, which were observed with both discounting procedures, support our buffering hypothesis, which assumes that the scarcity associated with a lower income is a stressor that can lead to steeper discounting, but that age-related increases in emotional stability can buffer such stressors, leading to age-related differences between lower income age groups. In contrast, no age difference was observed in higher income adults who experience much less scarcity. Further support for the buffering hypothesis comes from the finding that there was no age-related difference in discounting by the lower income groups when distress was statistically controlled. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Heterogeneous coupling of δ13Corg and δ13Ccarb during the Shuram Excursion: Implications for a large dissolved organic carbon reservoir in the Ediacaran ocean

The Ediacaran ocean recorded the largest negative carbonate carbon isotope (δ13Ccarb) excursion in Earth's history, the Shuram Excursion (SE). The relatively invariant character of organic carbon isotope (δ13Corg) profiles during the SE has been attributed to buffering by a large dissolved organic carbon (DOC) reservoir in the ocean. However, recent studies suggest that the DOC buffering may have been highly heterogeneous, a hypothesis that can be tested by assessing variability in the spatial and temporal ranges of δ13Corg buffering during the SE. In this study, we evaluated δ13Corg and δ13Ccarb records from multiple regions globally to test the heterogeneous buffering hypothesis. Making use of a high-precision astrochronological framework, we found that the buffering effect of DOC persisted for ∼2.7 Myr in Oman, ∼4.9 Myr in South China, and ∼5.9 Myr in Australia, demonstrating its temporal heterogeneity. Heterogeneous buffering is also demonstrated at a small spatial scale for South China sections based on a correlation framework subdividing the SE into three intervals: EN3a (δ13Ccarb decline from baseline to nadir), EN3b (δ13Ccarb stabilized at nadir), and EN3c (δ13Ccarb recovery from nadir value). The duration of δ13Corg buffering increased with water depth from shallow neritic to deep pelagic areas. The buffering effect terminated within EN3a in inner-shelf areas, within EN3b in an intra-shelf basin, and within EN3c in slope areas. Spatial variation in the offset between δ13Ccarb and δ13Corg values (Δ13C(carb-org)) is consistent with multiple sources of sedimentary organic matter. An average of ∼26 ‰ in inner-shelf areas implies mainly fresh phytoplankton debris, whereas an average of ∼18 ‰ in slope areas is consistent with dominance of DOC, which is thought to have been present in abundance in deeper anoxic watermasses. Thus, our study supports a large DOC reservoir in the late Ediacaran ocean that led to heterogeneous buffering during the SE at both basinal and global scales. Large shallow-to-deep oceanic δ13Ccarb and δ13Corg gradients of similar magnitude existed both before and during the SE, indicating that the circulation and productivity dynamics of the Ediacaran ocean were not significantly changed by the SE. The downward expansion of oxidant-rich surface watermasses during the SE improved the ventilation of shelf oceans while leaving the deep ocean anoxic, setting the stage for rapid biological evolution on continental shelves during the Cambrian Explosion.

Is unit cohesion a double-edged sword? A moderated mediation model of combat exposure, work stressors, and marital satisfaction

Guided by the stress process perspective, this study examined if combat exposure was indirectly associated with marital satisfaction through work performance stress. Additionally, we tested whether unit cohesion served as a moderator of this indirect effect. Data were drawn from 1,122 married Soldiers who participated in the All-Army Study component of the Army STARRS study, a probabilistic sample of Army Soldiers. Indicative of stress proliferation and spillover, our results showed that combat exposure may negatively impact marital satisfaction through work performance stress, but the pathways of this indirect effect varied as a function of unit cohesion. Consistent with the stress buffering hypothesis, unit cohesion buffered the positive association between combat exposure and work performance stress for Soldiers reporting higher levels unit cohesion, such that this association was no longer statistically significant. However, for Soldiers reporting higher levels of unit cohesion, the negative association between work performance stress and martial satisfaction was exacerbated but was not statistically significant for those reporting lower levels of unit cohesion. The results underscore the importance of understanding the contextual nature of relational resources within the stress process framework.

Do Pre‐merger Loyalties Help or Hinder Post‐merger Retention? A Longitudinal Study

AbstractMergers potentially threaten employees’ organizational identities. For some, a merger could be a trigger to seek employment elsewhere, but the factors associated with increased withdrawal cognitions post‐merger necessitate further research. Using a longitudinal, pre‐ and post‐merger design, we investigated two competing predictions drawing on social identity theory: a vulnerability hypothesis (high identification with the pre‐merger organization will be associated with increased withdrawal cognitions over time) versus a buffer hypothesis (high pre‐merger identification will be associated with decreased withdrawal cognitions over time). Employees from two public sector organizations were surveyed two months before and 22 months after a merger (N = 869). Consistent with the buffer hypothesis, higher pre‐merger identification was associated with lower pre‐to‐post‐merger withdrawal cognitions. We found that this relationship was moderated by both pre‐merger professional and workgroup identification, highlighting the importance of considering multifoci identification patterns in a merger context. Findings indicate that work‐related identification plays a key buffering role through organizational‐level change, with pre‐merger identification potentially helping retain staff through the merger storm. Thus, our study contributes to social identity theory by showing that an abundance of pre‐merger identification forms should help employees navigate the challenges faced during the change experienced with an organizational merger.

Skin in the Game and Credible Signaling in Securitization: Are Fintechs Different?

This study explores the association between risk retention by originators (skin in the game) and the performance of securitized assets. We combine hand-collected and publicly available data on 85 Brazilian receivable funds with a single originator from January 2013 to December 2020. We find that skin in the game is a buffer against observable risks in accordance with the buffer hypothesis, although the reputation of originators that are financial institutions in the loan market can alleviate moral hazard concerns. For funds with fintech originators, the opposite holds: enhancements are indeed a signal against the unobservable quality of receivables.

Examining Organizational Commitment Between Multidimensional Work Stressors and Employees Behavior in Indonesia Through the Conservation of Resources Theory

ABSTRACT Hotel employees experienced a devastating dilemma working under the COVID-19 pandemic circumstances. Multidimensional work stressor has become a common issue for hotel management as a result of the global crisis and uncertainty. The aim of this study is to apply the conservation of resources (COR) theory and the buffering hypothesis as relevant boundary conditions to influence the relationship of multidimensional work stressors, organizational commitment (OC), and employee-related behavior for hotel employees in Indonesia. This study collected 222 data from hotel employees working in Indonesia during the COVID-19 pandemic and used partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze the data. The finding highlights the significant effect of multidimensional work stressors on OC. Employee job performance and subjective well-being were positively affected by OC while showing a negative effect on turnover intention. However, the OC was insignificant as a mediating effect between multidimensional occupational stressors and employee-related behavior. This study constructed a mediation model by introducing the potential mediating effect of OC to reveal the relationship between stressors and behavior variables. Furthermore, implications are provided for both theory and management, and directions for future research are offered.

Brain size predicts bees' tolerance to urban environments.

The rapid conversion of natural habitats to anthropogenic landscapes is threatening insect pollinators worldwide, raising concern regarding the negative consequences on their fundamental role as plant pollinators. However, not all pollinators are negatively affected by habitat conversion, as certain species find appropriate resources in anthropogenic landscapes to persist and proliferate. The reason why some species tolerate anthropogenic environments while most find them inhospitable remains poorly understood. The cognitive buffer hypothesis, widely supported in vertebrates but untested in insects, offers a potential explanation. This theory suggests that species with larger brains have enhanced behavioural plasticity, enabling them to confront and adapt to novel challenges. To investigate this hypothesis in insects, we measured brain size for 89 bee species, and evaluated their association with the degree of habitat occupancy. Our analyses revealed that bee species mainly found in urban habitats had larger brains relative to their body size than those that tend to occur in forested or agricultural habitats. Additionally, urban bees exhibited larger body sizes and, consequently, larger absolute brain sizes. Our results provide the first empirical support for the cognitive buffer hypothesis in invertebrates, suggesting that a large brain in bees could confer behavioural advantages to tolerate urban environments.

Happiness among Nonstandard Employees in Europe: The Role of the Worker’s Value Orientation and Sources of Social Support

This study explored self-reported happiness among nonstandard (part-time, temporary, and no-contract) employees in Europe. Rooted in Theory of basic individual values and the modified Buffer hypothesis, it focused on the role of worker’s value orientation and sources of social support/social buffers. Data stemmed from European Social Survey 2018 and Eurostat datasets, and was analyzed using multilevel modeling. As an introductory insight, “feeling good”, i.e., happiness was found associated with the respondents’ age, sex, and income – in favor of younger employees, women, and those with higher salaries. The value orientation identified as beneficial for happiness included being an “open hedonist” and not caring much about being “powerful”. Related to social buffers, happiness was positively associated with household-provided support, whereas support from welfare state policies, trade unions, and prosperous socio-economic environment had no effect.

Daily stigma and daily emotional well-being among people living with HIV: Testing a buffering hypothesis of social support during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This study examined the relationship between daily perceived stigma and daily emotional well-being among people living with HIV/AIDS during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, a buffering effect of perceived emotional support on this relationship was verified. The participants were 133 patients with a medically confirmed diagnosis of HIV infection. Data were collected using online diaries completed every evening for five consecutive weekdays in three bursts separated by 6months. Dynamic multilevel analyses showed a significant positive autoregressive effect for daily stigma in each burst. Additionally, increased stigma predicts increased negative affect and decreased positive affect the next day. However, these effects differed across bursts. Thus, to some extent, daily HIV/AIDS stigma was found to predict a decrease in affective well-being the next day. The buffering effect of perceived emotional support reduced this decline but was also time-limited, probably because of the later established direction in these relationships at the individual level and/or because of changes in the course of the pandemic. The results provide insights on the role of daily stigma in shaping affective well-being, suggesting that it may be a significant source of short-term negative emotional consequences for PWLH.

Hukou Status and Cognitive Function Among Older Chinese Adults: Does Support from Friends Matter?

This study examined whether older Chinese adults with different types of hukou status (government household registration system) exhibited different cognitive outcomes and whether receiving support from friends, an under-appreciated resource, helped mitigate the negative impacts of agricultural hukou status on cognitive health disparities. Using nationally representative data from the China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey, this study tested these relationships with well-validated measures. Our results showed that older Chinese adults with agricultural hukou were more likely to have worse cognitive function than those with non-agricultural hukou. Further, friend support characteristics moderated the association between hukou status and cognitive function, whereby having better friend support was related to a weaker negative effect of agricultural hukou status on cognitive function. The findings suggested that agricultural hukou status reflects the effects of accumulated disadvantage across the life course with negative consequences for late-life cognition. The cognitive health disparities between agricultural and non-agricultural residents may be reduced in the context of a higher level of friend support, supporting a stress buffering hypothesis.

Half Just or Half Unjust? the Influence of Dispositional Optimism on the Link Between Interpersonal Peer Injustice, Negative Emotions and Sleep Problems

While optimism – a cognitive disposition that involves positive beliefs about the future – is a strong predictor of wellbeing at work, we know little about its role in how people experience and respond to injustice at work. In other words, does optimism mitigate or exacerbate the experience of workplace injustice? This is an important practical question because optimism is a promising avenue for interventions. Taking an affective events perspective, we expect that daily events of peer injustice trigger affective reactions, and that the degree of trait optimism will influence the strength of these affective reactions. Thus, we develop two competing predictions. The reverse buffer hypothesis, which suggests that optimists’ heightened expectations lead to increased disappointment and hence more negative emotions in the face of injustice, and the buffer hypothesis, which suggests that optimists’ better use of coping strategies allows them to experience less negative emotions. In a 10-day diary study with 251 employees, we find support for the buffer hypothesis of optimism on peer injustice experiences: those higher in optimism reported fewer negative emotions and lower levels of sleep problems the night following such experiences. Our findings illustrate how cognitive and emotional mechanisms interact in predicting reactions to injustice, particularly sleep problems.

The longitudinal buffering effects of resilience on alcohol use outcomes.

Traumatic events (TE) are a risk factor for alcohol use disorder (AUD). Resilience may be protective of the effects of TE exposure, but few studies have longitudinally tested the buffering hypothesis. Thus, the present study aimed to fill this gap. Participants (N = 6,015) were from a longitudinal investigation into substance use and health outcomes at a large, urban university. Participants completed self-report measures on precollege internalizing symptoms and lifetime trauma load. Resilience was calculated as a quantitative variable. At each of the follow-up assessments, participants reported on past month consumption, AUD symptoms, and new onset TEs. Longitudinal path modeling was used to test interactions. Higher new onset TE load was associated with greater AUD symptoms, and higher consumption at one time-point. Results demonstrate a significant main effect of resilience at Y1S and Y3S, and a significant interaction between resilience and new onset TE at the last time-point, whereby higher levels of new onset TE were associated with higher levels of AUD symptoms at low (β = .19, p < .001), and average (β = .20, p = .001) levels of resilience. This effect was attenuated at high levels of resilience (β = .07, p = .051). No significant main nor interaction effects of resilience on consumption were found. Findings suggest resilience as an important protective factor in relation to the development of AUD symptoms after exposure to a TE, though perhaps less so in relation to consumption. Findings are consistent with prior work demonstrating that AUD symptoms are more clinically relevant than consumption in this population. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Eternal outgroups: Afterlife beliefs predict prejudice

People express prejudice toward ideologically dissimilar groups. However, little research has explored (a) how specific beliefs, such as afterlife beliefs, relate to prejudice, (b) whether such beliefs can explain the known association between religiosity and prejudice toward value-threatening groups, and (c) the mechanisms through which afterlife beliefs predict prejudice. We addressed these questions by assessing individual differences in religious, spiritual, and secular afterlife beliefs and attitudes toward religious and political groups. Across four studies (N = 3996 U.S. adults), we find evidence supporting a group exclusion hypothesis: religious and secular afterlife beliefs predict prejudice toward value-incongruent groups (even after controlling for religiosity). We also find some evidence that religious afterlife beliefs explain the association between religiosity and prejudice against value-threatening groups. Finally, we find moderate support for an existential anxiety buffer hypothesis, wherein some afterlife beliefs predict increased peace of mind, reduced death anxiety, and in turn, reduced prejudice.

Amorphous Calcium Carbonate Shows Anti-Cancer Properties That are Attributed to Its Buffering Capacity.

Amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) is a non-crystalline form of calcium carbonate, and it is composed of aggregated nano-size primary particles. Here, we evaluated its anti-cancer effect postulated relative to its buffering capabilities in lung cancer. Tumors were evaluated in vivo using the Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) mouse cell line and A549 human lung cancer carcinoma cell line. LLC and A549 cells were injected subcutaneously into the right hind leg of mice. Treatments (ACC, cisplatin, vehicle, and ACC with cisplatin, all given via daily IP injections) started once tumors reached a measurable size. Treatments were carried out for 14 days in the LLC model and for 22 and 24 days in the xenograft model (two experiments). LLC tumors were resected from ACC at the end of the study, and vehicle groups were evaluated for cathepsin B activity. Differential gene expression was carried out on A549 cells following 8 weeks of in vitro culture in the presence or absence of ACC in a culture medium. The ACC treatment decelerated tumor growth rates in both models. When tumor volumes were compared on the last day of each study, the ACC-treated animal tumor volume was reduced by 44.83% compared to vehicle-treated animals in the LLC model. In the xenograft model, the tumor volume was reduced by 51.6% in ACC-treated animals compared to vehicle-treated animals. A more substantial reduction of 74.75% occurred in the combined treatment of ACC and cisplatin compared to the vehicle (carried out only in the LLC model). Cathepsin B activity was significantly reduced in ACC-treated LLC tumors compared to control tumors. Differential gene expression results showed a shift towards anti-tumorigenic pathways in the ACC-treated A549 cells. This study supports the ACC anti-malignant buffering hypothesis by demonstrating decelerated tumor growth, reduced cathepsin B activity, and altered gene expressions to produce anti-cancerous effects.

VITAL RATES, THEIR VARIATION AND NATURAL SELECTION: A CASE FOR AN ATLANTIC FOREST MARSUPIAL

Evolutionary theory predicts that viable wild populations confront environmental variation by maintaining the variance of the most important vital rates low, a phenomenon also known as demographic buffering. However, patterns diverging from the demographic buffering hypothesis have also been reported. Here we used Population Matrix Models to test the hypothesis of buffering in the early survival of an Atlantic Forest marsupial. We used sensitivity analyses, which allow quantifying the effects that perturbations in specific vital rates could have on the population’s growth rate. We obtained the sensitivities, elasticities, and second-order derivatives of the discrete population growth rate with respect to different vital rates for a population of the black-eared opossum ( Didelphis aurita , Marsupialia, Didelphidae) in a preserved Atlantic Forest, the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The second-order derivatives offer an insight into the selection forces occurring during the life cycle, clarifying the processes behind the common pattern of early-survival importance. We found evidence of buffering in early survival, however, in one of the cohorts, early survival displayed evidence of opposed behavior to the expected under demographic buffering, thus revealing that established life-history patterns can be quickly modified by a small change in one vital rate.

0625 Sleep when the baby sleeps? The effect of daytime nap behaviors on postpartum depression severity: a stress buffering hypothesis

Abstract Introduction The early postpartum is a time of expected maternal sleep loss, normalized as part of infant care. While short duration and disrupted nocturnal sleep are posited risk factors for postpartum depression (PPD), the role of daytime sleep remains less understood, despite the widespread recommendation that mothers sleep when their baby is sleeping. This study examined associations between napping, stress, and longitudinal PPD in a sample of in a sample of healthy first-time mothers, using a prospective ambulatory field study design. Methods Fifty primiparous women (62% non-White; mean age=32 years) without a history of sleep disorders or psychopathology completed 10-days (9-nights) of actigraphy and sleep diaries at postpartum week 6. Sleep variables included nighttime duration and efficiency, and daytime nap frequency, timing and duration. Participants completed 3-days of superimposed ecological momentary assessment (EMA) rating naturalistic infant-related stressors (task demand; effort-reward-imbalance) at four daily intervals. Hierarchical mixed models tested whether daytime sleep characteristics predicted lower depression levels (via Edinburgh Postnatal-Depression Scale - EPDS) at 6-weeks, 8-weeks, and 3-months postpartum. Time-varying within-person covariates included time-of-day, baseline depression and anxiety (via Generalized-Anxiety-Disorder-7 scores), and previous night sleep. To test the putative stress-protective role of napping, we examined pre-post nap differences in EMA ratings. Results Sixty percent (n = 30/47) of women napped regularly (&amp;gt;3x/1 week, between 1-5 PM, &amp;lt; 90 min by both diary and actigraphy), rating 80% of these naps “intentional.” Women with greater nap regularity at 6-weeks had lower depression levels at all timepoints (Betas = -2.4(1.6); -1.4(.5), -.5(.01) ps&amp;lt;.001, respectively), and less of an increase in depression symptoms at 3-months postpartum, compared to non-nappers [Beta(SE)=-1.2 (.5); R^2=.21; p&amp;lt;.001]. At 6-weeks, regular nappers reported lower stress post-nap (effort-reward-imbalance; demand) [Beta(SE)=-6.3(1.4); 1.2(.12,), R^2=.27, .32, respectively; ps&amp;lt;.01]. Conclusion This study demonstrates a contemporaneous mood-protective role of daytime sleep in a perinatal sample, using 24-hr objective sleep assessment coupled with daily assessments of naturalistic stressors. Moreover, these results provide support for the protective role of regular daytime sleep on development of PPD over time. Among new mothers who regularly nap, lowered post-nap stress may be one pathway through which daytime sleep buffers against PPD severity. Support (if any) NIMH-1R36MH118000-01, CTSI89431, T32-HL007713

Work Stressors and the Buffering Functions of the Sense of Control in the United States and Japan: A Test of the Diminished Buffering Hypothesis

In the Stress Process Model, the sense of control is situated as a central psychosocial resource that buffers the effect of stressors on psychological distress. Although studies support this proposition, scholars have called for more research on whether buffering effects generalize across social contexts and groups. I address this call by examining cross-cultural differences in the sense of control’s buffering effects. Prior studies suggest that perceived control is a less important resource for well-being among individuals in collectivistic cultures compared with those in individualistic cultures. This has stimulated the diminished buffering hypothesis, which predicts weaker stress-buffering of perceived control among those in collectivistic cultures. This study tests this hypothesis using population-based data of Americans and Japanese, two groups that have been deemed quintessentially individualistic and collectivistic, respectively. Results show that across a set of five prominent work stressors, there are no differences in the stress-buffering functions of the sense of control between Americans and Japanese. These patterns pose questions about the view that sense of control is a less important resource for those in collectivistic cultures. As a stress-buffering resource, the sense of control appears to be just as important for Japanese as it is for Americans.

Relative brain size is associated with natal dispersal rate and species' vulnerability to climate change in seabirds

The cognitive buffer hypothesis proposes that species with larger brains (relative to their body size) exhibit greater behavioural flexibility, conferring an advantage in unpredictable or novel environments. Therefore, behavioural flexibility – and relative brain size – are likely to be important predictors of a species' vulnerability to anthropogenic pressures and, ultimately, extinction risk. However, current evidence linking brain size to species' vulnerability and extinction risk is inconclusive. Furthermore, studies examining the relationship between relative brain size and behavioural flexibility have mainly focused on foraging innovations, whilst other forms of behavioural flexibility remain unexplored. In this study, we collate species‐specific information and examine links between relative brain size, rates of natal and adult dispersal (a measure of flexibility in breeding site fidelity), vulnerability to six anthropogenic threats and extinction risk for 131 species of seabird. We focused our study on seabirds, a highly threatened group that displays large variation in both relative brain size and dispersal behaviour. We found a significant positive relationship between relative brain size and natal dispersal rate, suggesting that relative brain size could enhance flexibility in breeding site choice in seabirds, consistent with the cognitive buffer hypothesis. However, this relationship does not persist when we consider adult dispersal, possibly reflecting constraints imposed by mate selection and knowledge transfer in seabirds. We also show that relative brain size is negatively associated with vulnerability to climate change. These findings have immediate application for predicting interspecific variation in species' vulnerability to climate change and identifying priority species for conservation.

Testing the environmental buffering hypothesis of cooperative breeding in the Seychelles warbler

Species are facing environmental challenges caused by rapidly changing environments. Globally, extreme weather events, like droughts or extreme rainfall, are increasing in frequency. Natural selection usually acts slowly, while adaptations through phenotypic plasticity are limited. Therefore, organisms may utilise other mechanisms to cope with such rapid change. Cooperative breeding is hypothesised to be one such mechanism, as helpers could increase survival probabilities of offspring, especially in harsh years. Rainfall is a cue for onset of breeding in many tropical species, to ensure young are born when food abundance is highest. Using 21 years of data, we investigate the effect of rainfall on social behaviour and life history in the insectivorous Seychelles warbler (Acrocephalus sechellensis), a facultative cooperative breeder. We found that low rainfall is associated with reduced reproductive output and possibly with decreased survival. However, there were no statistical differences in response between groups with helpers, groups with only non-helping subordinates, and breeding pairs without subordinates. With low rainfall, more sons (the sex less likely to help) were produced, and those subordinate males already present were less likely to help. Thus, in contrast to expectations, cooperative breeding does not seem to buffer against harsh environments in Seychelles warblers, indicating that group living may be costly and thus not a mechanism for coping with changing environments. Our study showed that the interaction between the environment and life histories, including social behaviour, is complex, but that this interaction is important to consider when studying the impact of changing environments on species survival.