VOLUME LXXVII | MAY 2023

Early adversity and the development of explore–exploit tradeoffs

Life can be like a series of dominos, with each experience chaining to the next. Just as one falling domino sets off a chain reaction, early adversity can set off a cascade of effects that ripple throughout a person’s life. This can manifest in various ways, such as lower school performance, reduced income, and compromised health. While not everyone who faces early adversity succumbs to its negative impact, research shows that it increases the likelihood of later difficulties. But how does this happen? Scientists are exploring the intricate mechanisms behind this phenomenon and discovering the development of explore-exploit tradeoffs. By unraveling these tradeoffs, we can better understand how early adversity shapes our cognitive processes and decision-making strategies. To dive deeper into this fascinating research, check out the full article!

Li Wei Chen

Li Wei is a Chinese-Canadian neuroscientist in Vancouver, studying brain plasticity and lifelong learning. He contributes articles on harnessing neurotechnology to expand human capabilities, drawing from his experiences in cross-cultural innovation hubs.

Early experiences can have broad and lasting effects on later health and thriving [1–3]. These effects are clearly not deterministic; many people are resilient, but early adversity increases the chance of later difficulties. The practical importance of these findings is clear. But they pose a crucial question: how and why does this happen? One possibility is that there is a cascade of causes: childhood adversity tends to lower school performance, which tends to lower incomes, which tends to lower health, and so on.
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