Research on social media and its effects on people. Covers sleep and mood, body image, self-objectification, and the platforms' wider social impact.
A new study found that scientists who present their own work in science videos are perceived as having more expertise and being more trustworthy than third-party presenters. The study also showed that first-person accounts can humanize the science and make it more relatable to a wider audience.
Researchers found that conservative tweets are more effective at reaching moderates than liberal tweets, thanks to their network connections and linguistic similarities. The study suggests that liberals need to consciously connect with moderates to compete on Twitter.
A systematic review of social media research identified 46 harmful effects, ranging from psychological harms like jealousy and loneliness to security and privacy issues. The study highlights the need for user moderation and software development strategies to mitigate these negative effects.
A study analyzing TikTok videos under the hashtag #preworkout found that dry scooping, where undiluted powder is put in the mouth followed by liquid, amassed over 8 million views. The study suggests physicians should be aware of pre-workout's dangers, especially among teens.
A pilot program providing tailored cervical cancer screening for trans men and nonbinary people was well-received, with 100% satisfaction rates. The program aimed to address barriers such as dysphoria and stigma, and could serve as a model for similar programs.
Researchers identified six major themes associated with smoking risk and protective factors among TGE adults, including experience of stress, gender affirmation, and environmental cues. The study aims to design culturally sensitive messaging for smoking cessation through social media and inform further community-engaged research.
New research from University of Georgia suggests that the no-makeup movement isn't liberating women from cosmetics. Instead, cosmetic sales have increased alongside the rise of the no-makeup trend. The study found that people perceive 'natural' looks with makeup as more attractive than those without.
Research finds that at-risk teen girls who have experienced sexual abuse are more likely to be cyberbullied and experience heightened offline sexual activities. Targeted intervention strategies using algorithm-based approaches could help these teens navigate the Internet safely.
A study published in the Journal of Marketing found that complimenting a competitor can increase a brand's reputation and sales, particularly among skeptical consumers. The tactic is most effective when done strategically and authentically, signaling a brand's warmth and trustworthiness.
Researchers analyzed over 120 million English-language tweets to find a decrease in negative posts about COVID-19, particularly in countries with high vaccination rates. The study suggests that increased vaccination may have contributed to the drop in negativity, but further analysis is needed to fully understand this phenomenon.
A study by University of California, Davis researchers analyzed hundreds of Twitter and Reddit posts after news coverage of sexual assaults. They found that language in news reports can contribute to uncivil social media posts, including blaming victims and defending perpetrators. The study suggests that journalists may need to change ...
A new study of 1328 South Australian high school students aged 13 and 14 found a relatively low proportion admitted to 'sexting' via various electronic mediums. The researchers suggest building a health safety education framework for adolescents to provide skills to navigate pornography as part of sexual education.
A new study found that 98% of popular TikTok '#alcohol' videos have positive portrayals, while only 4% describe negative alcohol-related consequences. The research highlights the need for age verification and responsible content creation on social media platforms.
Rising temperatures are projected to decrease outdoor recreation during summers by 18% over the next 30 years, but increase winter recreation by 12% in mid-century. This shift may lead to a decline in popular winter sports like downhill skiing and an increase in winter mountain biking.
A campaign is being launched to encourage COVID-19 vaccination among people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in New York State. The Einstein-Montefiore team has received grants from the state and federal governments to create tailored messages and content to counter vaccine misinformation and promote vaccination.
Researchers analyzed genome sequences and mobile phone data to track Covid-19 spread in Bangladesh. A three-day window between lockdown announcements and enforcement led to increased infections as citizens traveled to other areas.
A new study in the Journal of Marketing uses big data from over 100 million social media user engagements to derive marketing insights. The research captures latent relationships among thousands of brands and across many categories, revealing a highly precise market structure. This allows product managers to identify potential threats ...
A new study analyzes millions of Twitter posts during three major hurricanes to develop a method for measuring social cohesion. The researchers found that monitoring social media chatter can help decision makers understand how communities communicate during disasters and identify areas for improvement.
Scholars argue that well-done vaccine selfies can encourage others to get vaccinated and share personal stories about the effects of the vaccine. The practice can create a bandwagon effect, highlighting health, joy, and optimism and positively shaping public perception of COVID-19 vaccines.
A study by researchers at Mainz University found that digital presence of service employees improves customer loyalty. The study, published in the Journal of Marketing Research, showed that customers perceive websites with images or videos of service employees as more attractive and memorable, leading to increased customer loyalty.
A University of Massachusetts Amherst scientist suggests that rising social stress may contribute to the projected global population decline starting in 2064. Stress from social media and other social interactions may be leading to changes in reproductive behavior and physiology, resulting in decreased reproduction rates.
A recent NTU Singapore study reveals that individuals experiencing fear, social pressure, and perceived scarcity are more likely to engage in panic buying. The study's findings highlight the importance of addressing the psychological and social components of panic buying to mitigate its detrimental impact on societies.
A recent study of over 700 Peruvian adolescents during the COVID-19 lockdown found that teenagers who interacted positively online reported less loneliness and better well-being. The quality of their online interactions, such as chatting with friends and relatives, was a key factor in reducing loneliness.
A new study by MIT researchers found that crowdsourced accuracy judgments from groups of normal readers can be virtually as effective as the work of professional fact-checkers. The study deployed 1,128 U.S. residents who rated news stories and found that their average ratings correlated with those of professional fact-checkers.
A new study published in American Political Science Review finds that those prone to hostility in offline discussions are also hostile online. The researchers suggest that increasing the visibility of aggressive behavior online can exacerbate online hostility, rather than removing it through education or moderation.
Researchers found a positive link between online influence and geographical proximity, with followers more likely to heed an influencer's recommendation when they live closer. This study suggests that local influencers may have a leg up in the influence game due to their proximal connections.
Researchers analyzed social media connections of over 4 million users across 10 countries, finding common characteristics and behaviors, including follow ratios and profile length. These findings can help tailor data analysis to cultural differences, improving marketing and information sharing.
A study analyzing over 120 million social media posts reveals that tourists focus more on nature in marine protected areas than neighboring coastal zones. The research found that these areas provide more cultural ecosystem services than adjacent coastal areas.
A new method validates up to 70% of diurnal bird image identifications on Flickr. The technique uses image features and machine learning algorithms to identify bird species.
A study of 247 Italian women found that exposure to sexualised imagery on Instagram led to increased body dissatisfaction. The research suggests that the type of comments accompanying the images also played a role, with objectifying features causing more concern among frequent Instagram users.
A new Yale University study reveals that social media platforms like Twitter amplify expressions of moral outrage over time, encouraging users to express more outrage with increased likes and shares. This finding has significant implications for leaders and policymakers who use these platforms.
Researchers from Michigan State University combine social media posts with satellite images to monitor the effects of large-scale infrastructure projects on the environment. By analyzing online discussions and satellite data, scientists can gain insights into how human activities affect ecosystems.
A recent study published by Swansea University found that venomous fish and insects diversified faster than their non-venomous counterparts. This is attributed to the use of venom as a means of repelling predators or catching prey, leading to increased opportunities for species to exploit their environment.
A recent study modelled social, economic, and personal factors influencing voters and parties to identify four key levers that tip the balance towards political extremes. Social contagion and macro-economic factors such as employment and economic growth play a significant role in driving polarization.
A survey-based study found that girls in Iceland reported a higher level of depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic than boys. Key contributors to poor mental health included concerns about others contracting COVID-19 and changes in daily routines.
A study by researchers from Binghamton University found that users banned from social platforms like Twitter and Reddit often migrate to alternative sites like Gab and Parler, where content moderation is less stringent. This leads to an increase in toxicity and activity among these users, even with a reduced audience size.
Lehigh University researcher Roberto Palmieri aims to make RDMA technology even faster by revisiting a long-held theory. His goal is to enable all machines to interact with local memory, reducing latency and improving performance.
A new £40k project at the University of Huddersfield aims to improve diversity in the screen industry by studying social media influencers. The researchers will analyze how these creators use multiple platforms to build their brands and collaborate with legacy media organizations.
A new study found that eating a diet rich in flavonoids may lower the risk of cognitive decline. Flavonoid-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, and spices may have a protective effect on brain health.
A meta-analysis found that people with metabolic syndrome are 46% more likely to have a second stroke than those without, with low HDL cholesterol being an independent risk factor. Additionally, individuals with metabolic syndrome were 27% more likely to die during the study.
A new study found that young soccer players experience more frequent head impacts during practice, while game time may result in greater magnitude impacts. Technical training activities like heading the ball were associated with an average impact rate of 13.7 head impacts per player hour.
Researchers found that people tend to express themselves in terms of support instead of opposition on social media, regardless of the opinion's positivity or negativity. This phenomenon holds true for various topics, including gun control, same-sex marriage, and self-isolation during COVID-19 outbreaks.
A recent study found that controversial posts on Reddit spread faster and reached more people than noncontroversial posts, with over 60,000 comments on the former. The researchers analyzed over 47,000 posts to understand why controversy can make online content more attention-grabbing.
A new study found that one-third of popular cancer treatment articles on social media contain misinformation, which can negatively impact patient outcomes. The vast majority of this misinformation garners more attention and engagement than evidence-based information.
A study published by the American Academy of Neurology found that people with migraines experienced more dizziness and motion sickness during virtual roller coaster rides compared to those without migraines. Brain scans revealed abnormal nerve cell activity in areas responsible for visual processing and motor activity.
Four fake Russian Twitter accounts created to spread disinformation during the 2016 US presidential campaign grew rapidly due to retweets from extreme ideological enclaves. Mainstream and hyperpartisan news media inadvertently amplified IRA messaging, contributing to their follower growth.
A recent study published in the Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness journal explores negative dominance of COVID-19 vaccine-related information online. The researchers found that compared to all other content, posts focused on adverse events pale in comparison to posts promoting positive messages about vaccines.
Researchers developed the Storywrangler, a data-driven tool analyzing over 150 billion tweets, providing insights into global conversations, popularity, and emerging trends. The tool reveals potential predictors of geopolitical risk and demonstrates its potential to index everyday conversations.
A recent study by AAAS found that Democrats used a slightly negative tone compared to Republicans, who employed more positive language on COVID-19 messaging. The analysis also shows that tone plays a crucial role in engaging the public during a crisis.
A new study by USC researchers found that emojis represent universal human emotions across countries and continents, while also reflecting cultural differences. The most widely used emojis, such as the heart, were predominantly used in the English-speaking world, Spanish-speaking nations, and Arabic speakers.
A study of US Congress members' Facebook posts about COVID-19 found that Democrats generally took a more negative tone, while Republicans were more positive. The study suggests that the pandemic highlighted the importance of understanding how rhetoric impacts engagement and sharing of messages.
A recent study found that trust in science significantly increases support for COVID-19 social distancing measures across different US racial groups. The researchers analyzed data from various surveys and found a strong correlation between scientific trust and support for distancing policies.
A recent Penn State study found that women and lower-education users are more likely to tweet personal information, despite higher vulnerability to online privacy threats. Contrary to expectations, socioeconomic status and demographics did not significantly impact the use of account security features.
A modified ketogenic diet was found to be safe and feasible for people with brain tumors called astrocytomas. The diet led to changes in metabolism in the body and brain, including decreased hemoglobin A1c levels, increased lean body mass, and alterations in brain metabolites.
Researchers explore integrating reactive oxygen species generation and prodrug activation to enhance cancer therapy. Stimuli-responsive nanomedicines can target tumors, generating ROS that activate drug release, offering promising synergetic therapy strategies.
A recent study published in the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation found that two-thirds of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) remain married to their spouse 10 years after the injury. The study analyzed data from 1,423 patients and found that marital stability was higher for those who were older, female, and had no problema...
A new national study found that children in the United States with greater screen time usage at ages 9-10 are more likely to gain weight one year later. Each additional hour spent on screen time is associated with a higher body mass index (BMI) one year later.
A study by Brigham Young University found that individuals with dark triad personality traits and schadenfreude are more likely to engage in trolling behaviors. However, the research also suggests that civil online discourse is attainable when users approach online discussions with an open mind and mutual respect.
Researchers at George Mason University are developing an interactive and predictive tool to detect early indicators of malice that lead to policy-failure events. The goal is to empower local government agencies with proactive counter-narrative communication to limit the spread of disinformation narratives.
A new study reveals similarities and differences in online conversation topics between Angelenos and New Yorkers. Online, Angelenos tend to discuss healthcare, jobs, and entertainment, while New Yorkers focus on art, politics, and nightlife.