Research on social media and its effects on people. Covers sleep and mood, body image, self-objectification, and the platforms' wider social impact.
Researchers evaluate innovative treatments for common emotional problems after TBI, including videoconferencing technology and web-based interventions. Participants show significant improvements in emotional regulation, positive emotions, and problem-solving skills.
A new study by Dr. Eric Jensen highlights the risks of assuming Twitter accurately reflects real life due to its unique cultural behavior and limited representativeness.
A new study finds that an open gym format for cardiac rehabilitation shortens waiting times by an average of 14.9 days, compared to traditional scheduled appointments. The flexible scheduling model also showed no significant differences in outcomes, including exercise capacity and depressive symptoms.
A Northwestern University study found that most Instagram providers marketing cosmetic surgery are not board-certified plastic surgeons, leading to patient harm and risk. Non-qualified providers include dentists, barbers, and hair salons, confusing patients and putting them at risk.
A new study published in Management Science found that strong professional connections are crucial for securing job interviews and offers. Weaker ties on online networking sites like LinkedIn may provide more job leads but have a negligible effect on actual interviews.
A long-term follow-up study found that many patients who received instructions to stop smoking before cosmetic surgery were more likely to quit or reduce their cigarette use. The study suggests that targeted messaging with specific examples of the negative effects of smoking may be an effective way to encourage smokers to quit.
A new study by University of Missouri researcher Brett Johnson found that while people dislike extreme speech, there is less support for outright censorship, instead advocating for clear policies promoting healthy public discourse.
New research reveals young adults, particularly men, are at higher risk for heart attack and stroke due to inadequate high blood pressure awareness and management. Young adults are more likely to be obese and have lower rates of blood pressure treatment and control compared to middle-aged and older adults.
Researchers found that issue-based tweeting during debates solidifies viewers' beliefs, while social watching enhances learning. Those engaging in issue-based tweeting show higher post-debate knowledge scores, indicating a greater acquisition of political knowledge.
A study found that tweets about opioid misuse on Twitter were strongly correlated with state-by-state information from the National Surveys on Drug Usage and Health. The research used a list of keywords to extract relevant tweets, which were then clustered based on semantic distance and verified by medical toxicologists.
A study of 12,815 U.S. and U.K. Facebook users found that religious affiliation is associated with the use of positive emotion and social words, while non-religious individuals use more negative emotion and cognitive processes. The researchers also discovered that non-religious people make more frequent mention of the body and death th...
Researchers developed neural networks to evaluate short narratives, improving predictions over a baseline system. The AIs classified texts into popular and non-popular categories, highlighting the importance of understanding story structures in narrative evaluation.
Researchers at Penn State's IST developed a system that correlates Twitter posts with power outage reports, showing a moderate-to-strong correlation. The tool could enable real-time monitoring and faster deployment of resources during disasters.
Participants listed keeping in touch and monitoring others' updates as main reasons for using Facebook, while also citing privacy concerns and triviality of posts. The researchers suggest that clear privacy control tools are needed to promote older adults' Facebook use.
A new study by the American Academy of Neurology found that telemedicine is as effective as traditional in-person care for people with Parkinson's disease. Virtual house calls provided convenience and comfort without compromising quality of life.
A recent VA study presents original research and perspectives informing efforts to ensure high-quality patient-centered care for vulnerable veteran populations. The research highlights disparities in healthcare access and outcomes among racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ veterans, homeless veterans, and others.
A study by Justin Knoll found that individuals with a high tolerance for incivility are more likely to engage in online behaviors such as commenting on news stories, participating in discussions, and donating to candidates. In contrast, activities like signing petitions and circulating content were not affected.
A study by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory found that changes in tweet opinion and emotion can signal rising health issues. Researchers analyzed 171 million anonymous tweets to identify patterns that correlate with medical visits for flu-like illnesses.
A new study by University of Arizona sociology doctoral student Morgan Johnstonbaugh found that US lawmakers' tweets are more closely tied to their political party affiliation than their gender. Contrary to expectations, women did not tweet significantly more about stereotypically female issues and men did not tweet more about male-ste...
Research reveals that a minority of users' tweets account for the majority of influence, with opinion leaders forming a virtual community that shapes information spread. The study suggests targeting this community for effective advertising on social media platforms like Twitter.
A new computer program correctly identifies depressed individuals from their social media photos 70% of the time, according to a study. The program uses features such as photo color, comments, and face presence to predict depression. Future research aims to refine the model and address data privacy concerns.
A Colorado State University study shows a strong correlation between Facebook posts about visible smoke and commonly used datasets for estimating smoke exposure. The researchers found that Facebook was a better tool than satellite data in pinpointing smoke exposure, with daily maps of Facebook posts matching standard smoke monitoring s...
Researchers from the University of Cambridge found that celebrity Twitter accounts with over 10 million followers exhibit bot-like behavior, retweeting at similar rates as automated accounts. In contrast, smaller accounts are more likely to be bots, which spend less time engaging with human content.
A new tool from Disney Research enables novices and experts alike to create high-quality motion cycles in a matter of minutes, enhancing the creative process and expanding artist contributions. The tool uses an algorithm to extract the motion cycle from a performance, allowing for editing and customization.
A QUT-led study analyzing the tweets of influential business leaders, including President Trump, reveals a unique 'emotionally unstable innovator' personality. The researchers found that Trump's personality profile is distinct from other superstar entrepreneurs and CEOs, with traits such as high neuroticism and low agreeableness.
The Magic Bench enables users to see, hear, and feel animated characters in a shared 3D space. Researchers have created a platform that combines augmented and mixed reality for a seamless experience.
Researchers analyzed Trump's 3200 tweets to find that he exhibits strong features of a Schumpeterian personality, characteristic of successful entrepreneurs. He shows creative and change-oriented behavior, but also struggles with emotional stability.
Researchers found that people with insecure attachment styles have weaker social networks, struggle to form new relationships, and are more likely to dissolve ties. Primes can improve attachment security and relationship maintenance on social networks.
A recent study published in Nursing Outlook found that home care nurses working in better work environments are less likely to miss required care, report burnout, or intend to leave their jobs. The researchers suggest that improving work environments can lead to improved care quality and reduced turnover.
A new technique called factorized variational autoencoders (FVAEs) uses neural networks to predict a viewer's facial expressions for the remainder of the movie after observing an audience member for just a few minutes. The approach demonstrated impressive accuracy in predicting reactions, outperforming conventional methods.
A new study by LMU assesses the benefits and risks of social media monitoring apps, highlighting their use in verification and tracking individuals across multiple networks. While some see these tools as useful for journalists, others express concerns over personal privacy and potential misuse.
Researchers introduce a new method, 'social triangulation,' to identify local social media users based on their social networks' characteristics. This approach can help officials pinpoint people in a local area and disseminate critical information.
USC researchers found that disinformation campaign on MacronLeaks was mostly consumed by foreigners on social media, with 18% of promoters being bots. The campaign's impact on French voters appeared to be limited despite being tweeted nearly 350,000 times.
A new study by Florida State University researchers found that temperature-related tweets increase on Twitter when temperatures rise. Government officials use the platform to disseminate information about cooling centers and energy assistance, with agencies in several states actively using Twitter for this purpose.
A study found that gun violence prevention groups promote a balance between individual rights and responsibilities, advocating for universal background checks, restrictive firearms policies, and cultural changes. These efforts have led to policy changes, company bans on open carrying, and increased public support.
A study of viral tweets during the final two months of the 2016 election race found that Clinton was heavily criticised on social media compared to Trump. The study, which analysed almost 3,500 posts, revealed a wide disparity between traditional media and social media, where Clinton was worse off.
Low oxygen levels in Chesapeake Bay have significant effects on fish and ecosystem balance, driven by human-induced and natural factors. Forecasting efforts are being made to better understand and plan for the bay's future.
Men feel more distressed by sexual infidelity, while women are upset by emotional messages, with women generally more upset than men regardless of message content. The study supports evolutionarily derived theories that suggest differences in what triggers jealousy among men and women.
A new image-based method reconstructs wiry objects in 3-D with higher resolution and accuracy, benefiting fields like animation, medicine, and topology extraction. The technique uses short connections to assemble wire configurations, exploiting unique characteristics of wiry objects.
The Well-Being Map is an interactive tool that uses over 37 billion publicly shared tweets to analyze and display scores for various characteristics in every US county. It provides valuable insights into community traits such as well-being, personality, government-reported health, and socioeconomic factors.
Researchers at Brigham Young University identify four categories of Facebook users: those who use the platform to build relationships, share information with others, self-promote, and simply observe social media activity. The study sheds light on why people engage with Facebook in different ways.
Researchers matched would-be carpoolers with people driving to work based on social media data and found that compatibility increased satisfaction and reduced car use by 57% in Rome and 40% in San Francisco. This approach could lead to a dent in gridlock, reduce pollution and make commuting more enjoyable.
A new study found that a warming climate is stirring the remaining Arctic sea ice faster, increasing the odds that ice-rafted pollution will foul a neighboring country's waters. This pollution threat is particularly concerning as it can harm marine ecosystems and human health.
The City Health Dashboard is a nationwide expansion of an innovative health data visualization tool, enabling hundreds of US cities to accurately identify their most pressing health needs. The dashboard provides 26 key measures of health and drivers of health status at the neighborhood level.
The number of US hospitalizations for heart failure decreased by 30% from 2002 to 2013, but significant racial and gender disparities remained. Hospitalization rates were higher among men and blacks compared to women and whites.
A Dartmouth study found that adolescents in medical marijuana states with many dispensaries are more likely to try new methods of cannabis use, such as edibles and vaping, at a younger age. The researchers used online surveys distributed through Facebook to collect geographically diverse data on cannabis-related questions.
Researchers found that tweets containing moral and emotional language increase retweets by 20% per word, but only among networks aligned with the sender's ideology.
A study from Cardiff University found that Twitter monitoring systems can detect serious incidents during riots, such as shop break-ins and car fires, several minutes before official reports. The system can also identify potential hotspots and gathering areas for youths.
Researchers found that negative social media comments about a TV show tend to lower enjoyment for other viewers, while positive comments have little impact. The 'bandwagon effect' suggests that people adopt beliefs and ideas because they think others hold similar beliefs, making negative comments more influential.
A recent study by Virginia Tech researchers breaks down the ideas driving pro- and anti-vaccination stances, revealing that both sides focus on different concerns and interests. The study's findings suggest that understanding these core concepts can help address public concerns about vaccination safety.
Researchers analyzed 2.5 million selfies on Instagram to understand how people present themselves online. The study found that appearance-related selfies account for nearly half of all posts, followed by social selfies with friends and pets.
The Nuffield Council on Bioethics recommends banning invasive cosmetic procedures for under 18s, citing social media pressure and lack of regulation. The report calls for improved testing and training for practitioners, as well as public awareness campaigns to ensure safe procedures.
A recent study by Indiana University found that people with the most connections on social media are also happier, but this does not translate to their own happiness. The study revealed that a majority of social media users have fewer friends on average than their friends and are less happy as well.
Douglas Wallace receives the award for his pioneering work in mitochondrial genetics, leading to insights into human genealogy and implications for treating metabolic and degenerative diseases. The recognition acknowledges the crucial role of mitochondrial DNA genetics and bioenergetics in common disease etiology.
A survey of radiologists found that while they agree on the importance of patient-centered care, current practices are hindered by time and workload constraints. Social media and integrating reading rooms into clinics offer opportunities for better communication with patients.
Researchers have developed a new computer model that generates synthetic data for simulating real-world applications using giant graphs. The model, TrillionG, is faster and uses less resources than existing methods, making it ideal for testing giant graph algorithms and systems.
Researchers from Swansea University highlight the need for improved reporting of asthma diagnosis and events in electronic health records. The study found wide variations in methods across studies, compromising validity and reproducibility.
Researchers found that phubbing can lead to increased smartphone use and social media attachment, resulting in higher levels of stress and depression. The study suggests a vicious cycle where individuals turn to technology to regain a sense of belonging after feeling socially excluded.
A UTA-led interdisciplinary team is developing a computer program to detect social bots spreading fake news on Twitter. The project will leverage sophisticated algorithms and data mining techniques to combat the bots and spread of misinformation.
Parents' understanding of antibiotic risks and watchful waiting approaches can significantly impact their adherence to delay antibiotic use for common childhood illnesses. By enhancing physician instruction, compliance rates with this approach could be increased, potentially reducing unnecessary antibiotic overuse.