Articles tagged with Field Studies
Researchers aim to develop an intervention to reduce alcohol-related violence in intimate relationships. The five-year study will examine the underlying factors behind alcohol intoxication and violence, a risk factor for intimate partner violence affecting nearly 40% of US adults.
A new study finds that humanitarian aid workers are at significant risk for mental health problems in the field and after returning home. The risk factors include a history of mental illness, weak social support, and continual exposure to a challenging work environment, rather than experiencing particular dangerous situations.
Researchers used ArcGIS to analyze a human foot bone, revealing patterns of tension and compression that reveal how the bones were used during life. The study provides a proof of concept for using geographic software to study internal bone structure.
A new validated method for analyzing flavanols and procyanidins in cocoa products could help establish a causal relationship between the intake of these compounds and their health benefits. The method, developed by Mars Incorporated and recently validated through a multi-laboratory study, provides specific compositional information on ...
A recent field study in California cities found black carbon absorption enhancements of just 6 percent, suggesting that climate models may be overestimating warming by black carbon. The researchers' findings highlight the complexity of airborne particles and challenge existing projections about their impact on global and regional climate.
Coral scientists have developed a simplified method for measuring coral reef resilience, prioritizing heat-resistant coral species and background temperature variability. The new model offers a cost-effective tool for conservation planning, but further research is needed to evaluate its priority and types of corals required.
A laboratory study conducted by Duke University psychologists found that the brains of humans, including radiologists and baggage screeners, evolved to solve foraging problems in similar ways. The researchers discovered that people with fewer targets to find gave up on a given screen sooner compared to those with more targets.
A study by Clara Xiaoling Chen and Tatiana Sandino found that higher wages are associated with lower levels of employee theft, even after controlling for other factors. The researchers suggest that paying relatively higher wages discourages employee theft as employees wish to retain their job or exhibit positive reciprocity.
A team of Harvard and Nanjing University scientists has developed a new method for estimating China's CO2 emissions, combining field studies, satellite data, and provincial-level energy statistics. The resulting estimates offer an unbiased basis for measuring China's progress toward its climate change goals.
Researchers found that consumers choose brands to identify with their in-group but differentiate by selecting unique features, such as colors or styles. This balance between assimilation and differentiation is key to understanding consumer behavior.
A recent study found that plant species living in urban backyards are closer related to each other and live shorter than those in rural areas. The study, conducted by Jeannine Cavender-Bares and Sonja Knapp, analyzed the diversity of plant species in private yards in Minneapolis and compared it to nearby natural ecosystems.
A recent study from UC Berkeley found that individuals from the upper class are more likely to exhibit unethical behavior, including cutting off others on the road and deceiving job candidates. The researchers attribute this tendency to a positive attitude towards greed, which primes participants to engage in self-serving behaviors.
Researchers analyzed how name pronunciation affects impression formation and decision-making, finding that people with easy-to-pronounce names are more likely to be favored for promotions and jobs. The study's results have important implications for understanding and managing bias in society.
A NASA expert has developed a method to detect detrimental changes in coral reefs using Landsat data, allowing for targeted conservation efforts. The 'temporal texture' approach analyzes reflectance information over time to identify areas of significant change, enabling scientists to pinpoint 'hotspots' for intervention.
Researchers found that using high-contrast colors on plates reduced serving sizes by 21%, while changing tablecloth color had a smaller impact. The 'Delboeuf illusion' plays a role in this phenomenon, where people perceive larger portions when served on larger plates.
A team of scientists, led by Syracuse University chemist Robert Doyle, has successfully delivered the appetite-suppressing hormone PYY into the bloodstream orally using a vitamin B12 vehicle. The study demonstrates the potential for a natural weight loss supplement in the form of chewing gum.
Researchers found that subordinate males in cichlids increase defense against predators when they sire offspring. Cooperative breeding behavior is affected by direct fitness benefits and indirect benefits like safety.
A UBC study reveals that envious employees are more likely to undermine peers if they feel disconnected from others. The researchers found that moral disengagement is a key factor in sabotaging behavior, occurring when employees experience weak relationships with colleagues.
The Pacific leaping blenny, a marine fish living on land, has a complex social life that thrives during the brief mid-tide period. The study found males use visual displays to warn off rivals and attract mates, while females defend feeding territories.
Researchers found that hyenas can count individual voices and assess their numerical advantage, supporting the concept of complex social groups leading to big brain evolution. Hyenas were more cautious when outnumbered and took risks with a numerical advantage.
Egyptian fruit bats use an internal map to locate individual trees based on visual landmarks like lights or hills. The bats can bypass familiar trees to reach their favorite feeding site, suggesting a large-scale navigational mechanism beyond simple visual cues.
A field study found that diners with large forks ate less than those with small forks due to the need to visually track their progress. The authors suggest consumers learn to better understand hunger cues to avoid overeating.
Researchers discovered herbicide volatilization consistently results in losses exceeding those from surface runoff, with a significant impact on groundwater contamination. The study highlights the importance of considering soil moisture levels and air temperatures in models of pesticide volatilization.
A new study reveals that jellyfish blooms drastically alter marine food webs by shunting food energy toward bacteria. This shift can lead to a detour of energy away from higher trophic levels and towards bacteria, altering the microbial community composition.
A new study reveals that jellyfish blooms drastically alter marine food webs by shunting food energy from fish toward bacteria. The researchers found that jellyfish produce organic matter rich in carbon, which is rapidly metabolized by bacteria, reducing its potential to assimilate into the food web.
A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research reveals that people often misjudge how experience duration affects emotional responses. Unlike good experiences where knowing the end date enhances enjoyment, bad experiences become more aversive when their duration is anticipated.
Scientists from Brookhaven National Laboratory are heading to Oklahoma to take atmospheric measurements and improve global climate models. The six-week study will provide the most complete characterization of convective cloud systems ever obtained, enabling more accurate representation of these processes in climate models.
New research reveals that climate change impacts penguins more severely due to declining krill supplies. Two penguin species are particularly vulnerable, with krill populations shrinking by up to 80% since the 1970s.
A new study from the University of Gothenburg challenges popular psychology theories on self-esteem, finding that it is closely linked to people's perceived competence in areas they consider important. The researchers discovered that self-perception of the body is also a key factor in overall self-esteem.
A study published in Psychological Science suggests that acknowledging group-based differences fosters cooperation among coworkers from different backgrounds. Recognizing expatriates as foreigners can lead to sharing work-related and cultural information, promoting collaboration.
A study evaluated four turfgrass management approaches to determine their aesthetic and economic impacts. Organic alternatives were found to be effective in improving lawn quality without increasing costs.
Consumers who purchase luxury items with unique design elements are more likely to experience aesthetic incongruity resolution, where they make additional purchases to match the item. This can lead to a larger financial expenditure than initially anticipated.
Researchers, like Virginia Tech's Russell A. Green, focus on paleoseismology and soil liquefaction to calculate annual probability of specific losses due to seismic events. This work aims to implement performance-based earthquake engineering (PBEE) concepts to reduce seismic risk.
Researchers found that local populations of Joshua trees and their pollinating moths are not as biologically diverse as expected, contradicting previous theories. The study suggests that co-evolution between the species can actually decrease diversity within each species.
A Tel Aviv University researcher discovered that a consumer's religiosity has a significant impact on their likelihood of choosing particular brands. Secular populations are more prone to defining their self-worth through loyalty to corporate brands, while religious consumers are less likely to display explicit brand preference.
Researchers analyzed a major forest commons management program in Ethiopia, finding that groups with higher shares of conditional cooperators were more successful in managing their forests. These groups also spent more time monitoring their forest to deter free riding.
A new study confirms medusahead has growth advantages over most other grass species, suggesting it will spread across the West, disrupt native ecosystems, and make millions of acres worthless. Researchers identify potential competing species to reduce its spread and preserve grazing lands.
The Noices were recognized for their groundbreaking work on the connections between art, science, and human cognition in older adults. Their research has produced numerous peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.
A new NASA study shows that increased dust in the Colorado River basin is causing snowmelt to occur earlier, reducing runoff and available water downstream. This results in a 35-billion cubic feet annual loss of water, enough to supply Los Angeles for 18 months.
A new NASA-funded study reveals that increased desert dust caused by human activities is cutting Colorado River flow, resulting in reduced water availability. The study shows peak spring runoff now comes three weeks earlier than before, with annual runoff lower by more than 5 percent.
Native submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) cover increased tenfold and diversity of plant species rose as nutrients declined and water clarity improved. Improved restoration efforts have boosted SAV abundance, benefiting ecosystem health.
Researchers found that environmental factors like temperature and light are equally important to the Azara's owl monkeys' natural rhythms as their internal biological clock. The study suggests that moonlight is a key adaptation for primates to exploit the nocturnal niche, with activity patterns changing in response to lunar cycles.
Young salmon and trout seek refuge in shallow waters due to competition from older fish, which can be mitigated by preserving such habitats. The study suggests that restoring shallow parts of watercourses with low-velocity flow is essential for the survival of young fish.
A new device can transmit American Sign Language over US cellular networks, allowing for fast and reliable communication. The tool has been tested by deaf and hard-of-hearing students, who found it to be a game-changer for their daily lives.
A new study examining the effects of drought in the Amazon found that relatively undisturbed forests are tolerant of seasonal drought. The research used remote sensing and field-based studies to demonstrate this resilience and identified potential mechanisms controlling vegetation productivity across the Amazon Basin.
Research at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Lighting Research Center finds that extended daylight hours in spring delay melatonin onset, leading to teen sleep deprivation. Teenagers should increase morning daylight exposure year-round and decrease evening daylight exposure to ensure sufficient sleep before school.
Vegetation around the world is shifting towards poles and equator due to climate change, altering ecosystems and reducing habitat for endangered species. An estimated one-tenth to half of the land mass will be highly vulnerable to vegetation shifts by the end of this century.
Researchers will collect data on aerosol particles in the Sacramento Valley from June 2-28, using airplanes, ground instruments, and weather balloons. The goal is to improve computer models simulating climate change by understanding aerosols' role in scattering and absorbing sunlight.
Researchers present new slip rate estimates for the Alpine fault near Inchbonnie, New Zealand, yielding dextral, vertical, and reverse-slip rates of ~13.6, ~3, and ~3.4 mm/yr. These values have important implications for understanding plate boundary kinematics and comparing short-term strain with medium-term geologic rates.
A five-year study in Bangladesh found that women's use of sari cloth to filter household water reduced cholera incidence by 48% in their own households. Neighboring households not filtering water also saw a lower incidence of disease, highlighting the indirect benefit of the practice.
Kudzu's chemical reaction contributes to surface ozone pollution, causing 50% more unhealthy ozone days. The invasive vine's production of isoprene and nitric oxide exacerbates air quality issues.
Professor Dentcheva's $350,000 grant will focus on multistage stochastic optimization problems and Markov decision processes. The project aims to develop modeling and algorithmic tools for formalizing and solving long-term planning problems with risk as a key issue.
A study found that shoppers frequently estimate how much they'll spend on unplanned items and are remarkably accurate. In-store slack refers to the mental budgeting strategy used by consumers to accommodate unforeseen purchases.
A new study found that grocery shoppers who try harder to track costs tend to over spend, with the hardest hit being low-income households who may struggle financially. The researchers suggest retailers help consumers estimate costs with cart scanners and provide shopper trainings.
A new study by University of California, Berkeley biologists found that pesticide atrazine can turn three-quarters of adult male frogs into females, leading to a significant decline in reproduction. The study also showed that the altered sex ratios can have devastating effects on frog populations.
Researchers at Georgia Tech studied sea turtle hatchlings' movement on sand, revealing they adapt by digging into the ground with their flippers. The turtles can reach high speeds on both hard and loose sand, with their movements controlled by balancing speed with stability.
A study found that shoppers often expect to buy unplanned items and have a mental budget that leaves room for unexpected expenses. The researchers discovered that consumers with high impulsivity tend to overspend when they shop in aisles with little in-store slack.
A field study by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Lighting Research Center found that teenagers who missed morning light exposure experienced a 30-minute delay in sleep onset. The researchers believe that schools can be designed to provide adequate daylight to stimulate the body's natural sleep/wake cycle.
Epigenetics is recognized as a key factor in understanding complex biological variations. The February 1 GEN issue provides coverage of the latest research on histone modification, DNA methylation, and imprinting.
A new $1.3 million study aims to understand and simulate 'cold-air pools' that trap pollutants in the Salt Lake Valley, causing poor air quality. The research will utilize models and instruments to analyze temperature and wind patterns, shedding light on the challenges of simulating these events.