Whereas many other disciplines tend to overlook the role of context—that is, the environment—from its earliest days, the field of psychoneuroendocrinology has appreciated the connection between context and neurobiological functioning. Context shapes neurobiological systems in development, evokes neurobiological responses, and moderates the magnitude and even the directionality of those neurobiological responses. In the present symposium, four speakers will present talks that use samples and environmental measures spanning from early life to adulthood to: demonstrate a central role for the environment, point us toward which environments matter most in the prediction of health and well-being, and yield new insights about the functioning of neuroendocrine systems. First, Dr. Catherine B. Stroud will present novel evidence that the impact of threat adversity (e.g., assault) on latent trait cortisol (LTC) is modified by co-occurring adversities, including deprivation (e.g., neglect) and other non-threat adversities. Though prior work has linked threat adversity to hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis activity, it remains to be examined whether threat adversity is related to trait cortisol and whether this effect is modified by co-occurring adversities. Emerging adults (n=90) provided 36 saliva samples over 13 weeks, and early adversity was assessed with contextual stress interviews. Results showed that greater frequency of threat adversity was related to lower LTC, regardless of level of co-occurring deprivation. Further, greater severity of threat adversity was negatively associated with LTC, but only when co-occurring deprivation was low in severity. Finally, the effect of threat adversity on LTC was stronger when co-occurring non-threat adversity was lower in severity and frequency. Findings provide novel evidence that the effect threat adversity on LTC depends upon the context in which it occurs. Such results underscore the importance of simultaneously examining multiple co-occurring dimensions of early adversity to elucidate their unique and interactive effects on HPA axis regulation. Second, Dr. Suzanne Vrshek-Schallhorn will present a newly developed objective measure of performance, the Behavioral Indicators of Trier Engagement (BITE) scale for use during the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), to reveal relationships with biomarkers. The authors report good psychometric properties for the BITE, then report how it related to affect and salivary cortisol and alpha amylase (AA). Emerging adults (n=109) completed one of three versions of the TSST that manipulated the context level of negative evaluation—a non-evaluative Control Condition, an ambiguously evaluative Intermediate Condition similar to the original TSST, and an explicitly negative evaluative Challenge Condition. The BITE was not related to negative affect, but as condition intensified, the BITE increasingly predicted positive affect preservation. More importantly, for both biomarkers, the relationship between baseline levels and behavioral engagement on the BITE varied significantly by condition: under milder conditions, elevated biomarkers predicted greater engagement, but under explicit negative evaluation, they predicted behavioral withdrawal. Results (a) provide a new measure of behavioral engagement, (b) show that two biomarkers are involved in heightened behavioral engagement under less threatening contexts but in behavioral withdrawal under more threatening contexts, and (c) highlight the importance of utilizing a full range of negative evaluation. Third, Ms. Jeri Sasser will present a study examining the role of environmental factors (e.g., stress) in predicting “wear and tear” on HPA-axis functioning in daily life in an understudied cultural context. The college transition is a time of socio-contextual change, and may be especially stressful for Latino students, who often experience both minority-specific and general life stress. Despite this, little is known regarding the cumulative impact of multiple contextual stressors on Latino students’ HPA-axis functioning. This study utilized rigorous methodological (e.g., naturalistic assessment of cortisol, ecological momentary assessment) and analytical approaches (e.g., multi-risk model, multilevel growth curve modeling) to examine the additive, common, and cumulative effects of multiple stressors (e.g., general, college, minority-specific) on diurnal cortisol in a sample of first-year Latino college students (N=180; 64.4% female; Mage=18.95). Results indicated that general stress was linked to a flatter diurnal cortisol slope (DCS) whereas bicultural stress was linked to a steeper DCS. College stress and cumulative risk were both associated with lower cortisol awakening response (CAR). Findings highlight the physiological correlates of various stressors experienced by Latino college students, emphasizing the importance of not only an array of forms of stress, but also culture, as context. Fourth, Dr. Frances Chen will present a study of the cross-system coordination of the HPA axis and the autonomic nervous system (ANS) in response to stress. Cross-system coordination captures the degree of co-changing between systems within a person and has implications for behavior problems. One prior study showed that greater HPA axis-ANS coordination (indexed by cortisol and AA, respectively) is linked to more behavior problems in youth. This study aimed to extend these findings to adults and a new context—disadvantageous urban neighborhoods—and tested whether cortisol-AA coordination was associated with negative urgency and antisocial behavior. An urban sample of 124 adults (college students, active offenders, and matched controls) completed a modified Trier Social Stress Test (mTSST). Results showed that antisocial behavior and negative urgency were each associated with greater cortisol-AA stress coordination. Further, cortisol-AA stress coordination was stronger among offenders than other groups. Findings (a) support the interpretation that high cortisol-AA coordination may indicate an overshooting of the ANS response in response to distress, (b) highlight the importance of the multisystem approach, and (c) extend prior work to a new context, disadvantageous urban neighborhoods. Taken together, these four talks will highlight how context—the environment—both shapes and reveals the functioning of neuroendocrine stress-response systems across early life, emerging adulthood, and adulthood. Findings emphasize the importance of co-occurring adversities, negative evaluation, daily cultural proximal processes, and disadvantageous urban neighborhoods as critical contexts in revealing the role of neuroendocrine systems in behavior. The speakers will provide suggestions for future research examining how context shapes the impact of stressful experiences on neuroendocrine stress-response systems.