Jason DeCaro (PhD Emory, 2006) is a biological anthropologist with interests in human developmental ecology. He studies the intersection of cultural models, everyday practices, and human physiology in the production of differential well-being across the lifecourse, especially but not exclusively focusing on children. Physiological responses can be used as a “lens” onto the impact of everyday experience. Biomarkers allow Anthropologists to consider the socialization of physiological aspects of arousal and the social contexts of physical health. Questions that motivate Dr. DeCaro include:

• How do the routines and practices of everyday life within key developmental contexts (e.g., families) interact with culture and social structure to shift disease risk?
• What are the mediators of stress in the daily lives of individuals?
• What determines individual and group differences in the response to common challenges, whether normative (like entry into a new school year), chronic (like persistent childhood adversity), or traumatic (like a natural or man-made disaster)?

Information about research projects currently ongoing or in development is available here.

Dr. DeCaro's Developmental Ecology and Human Biology Lab is a biological anthropology wet lab providing a center within the department for biocultural research involving immunological, endocrine, and other biological markers (to reach the lab, call (205) 348-7792).

Click here to see copies of the most recent syllabus for each of Dr. DeCaro's courses.

View Full CV Here

Contact Dr. DeCaro at: jdecaro@bama.ua.edu
Office: 14 ten Hoor Hall, Lab Office: 311 Mary Harmon Bryant Hall
Phone: (205) 348-9061