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Staring at seagulls could save your chips

Researchers found that herring gulls take 21 seconds longer to approach food when a human is watching, suggesting that just observing the birds can reduce food-snatching. The study highlights the importance of modifying individual behavior to manage gull-nuisance issues in urban areas.

SourceUniversity of Exeter·JournalBiology Letters·DateAug 6, 2019

Cannabidiol reduces aggressiveness, study concludes

A Brazilian study found that cannabidiol attenuates social isolation-induced aggression in mice by facilitating the activation of serotonin and CB1 receptors. The researchers used a resident-intruder test model to demonstrate that lower doses of cannabidiol inhibit aggressive behavior, while higher doses have little effect.

SourceFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo·JournalProgress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry·DateJul 29, 2019

So cute you could crush it?

A recent study by Katherine Stavropoulos, an assistant professor at the University of California - Riverside, has confirmed a neural basis for cute aggression. The research found that the brain's reward system and emotion system are involved in the phenomenon, with participants experiencing higher levels of cute aggression towards cute...

SourceUniversity of California - Riverside·JournalFrontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience·DateDec 4, 2018

The neurobiology of social aggression

A study by Duke-NUS researchers found that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) affect social dominance in mice. The research sheds light on the neurobiology of aggression and bullying.

SourceDuke-NUS Medical School·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 19, 2018

Team sports have ancient roots

Researchers found evidence of coalitional play fighting among hunter-gatherer societies, suggesting it was a universal feature of human psychology. This type of play involved coordinated action and non-lethal physical force, mirroring skills used in lethal raiding.

SourceSpringer·JournalHuman Nature·DateJun 28, 2018

Inside the brains of killer bees

Researchers examined neuropeptide changes in aggressive and non-aggressive Africanized honeybees, finding that specific peptides can trigger aggression. The study provides new insights into the neurological basis for honeybee behavior, highlighting the complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors.

SourceAmerican Chemical Society·JournalJournal of Proteome Research·DateJun 6, 2018

Hostility towards minorities can be contagious

A recent study found that hostility towards members of other ethnic groups is more often imitated than hostility towards co-ethnics. The study examined adolescents from schools in eastern Slovakia and their behavior towards the Roma minority, finding a significant influence on their choices.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMay 9, 2018

Self-regulation in children, adolescents

A systematic review of 49 randomized trials involving 23,098 participants found that various self-regulation interventions were effective in promoting emotional control, social skills, and learning. The review suggests that these programs can help maintain health and well-being throughout life.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalJAMA Pediatrics·DateApr 16, 2018

Childhood aggression linked to deficits in executive function

Primary school children with lower executive function skills are more likely to show increased aggression in middle childhood, including physical and relational types. The study suggests that improving executive function could reduce aggression, and training programs may be effective in achieving this.

SourceFrontiers·JournalFrontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience·DateMar 15, 2018