Articles tagged with Human Social Behavior
The Great Recession's lingering effects on children of unemployed parents can be seen in lower academic achievement, increased problem behavior in classrooms, and more suspensions. Research by the University of Chicago found that maternal job loss is associated with a 40% increase in problem behavior among young children.
Denis Gerstorf, PhD, receives the award for his research on heterogeneity and differential development in old and advanced old age. His studies show that major life events affect well-being and aging outcomes.
The LSUHSC is conducting a five-year study on the health consequences of oil exposure in women and their families. The study aims to monitor physical, behavioral, social, and mental health effects over time.
Researchers investigated how dogs respond to human attention, finding that both domestic dogs and wolves can beg for food based on a human's attentiveness. Dogs' ability to follow human actions stems from their willingness to accept humans as social companions and conditioning to follow human movements.
A new HIV investment model is proposed to achieve a more targeted and strategic approach to HIV/AIDS funding. The model would require 30% more funding, estimated at $22 billion annually by 2015, to avoid 12.2 million new infections and 7.4 million deaths between 2011 and 2020.
A new study by the American Sociological Association finds that racial-ethnic differences in exercise type do not narrow with increasing education, but rather expand. More educated blacks and Mexican Americans are less likely to participate in 'high-status' sports like golf or tennis.
Researchers at the Salk Institute will investigate the connection between genetics and social behavior using Williams syndrome as a model. They hope to gain insight into other neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism.
Researchers found that the amygdala is active when listening to improvised melodies and sensitive to fluctuations in loudness and timing. A network of areas also shows increased activity when detecting spontaneous behavior.
A UCSF study reveals a possible early sign of dementia: the inability to detect sarcasm and lies. Researchers mapped brain activity in older adults with neurodegenerative diseases and found associations between deteriorating brain regions and this ability. This finding could help diagnose dementia earlier, enabling timely intervention.
A study found that cultural differences in spontaneous trait inference, or inferring personality traits from behavior, are present in both behavioral and neural responses. This suggests that cultural influences shape our immediate responses to others' behaviors, rather than just intentional deliberate effort.
Researchers followed 350 students in seven at-risk schools over a 5-year period, finding that well-behaved students were more likely to achieve academically. However, teachers' expectations and perceptions of student behavior played a significant role in determining academic outcomes.
A new study by the American Sociological Association reveals that classrooms with inadequate material resources and teachers feeling undervalued lead to worse mental health outcomes in first-grade children. The research emphasizes the importance of considering mental health as a crucial educational outcome.
A new study finds that frequent work-related contact at home takes a greater toll on women, who feel guilty about dealing with work issues even when they don't interfere with their family lives. This guilt is linked to the emotional consequences of blurred boundaries between work and family life.
Research at the University of Gothenburg reveals that most lottery winners maintain their normal lives with prudent consumption. Winners value work and leisure equally, and only a minority use their prize money to devote less time to work. Despite cautious spending, they experience increased happiness, security, and freedom.
A study published in Psychological Science found that poor adolescents living in communities with high social capital are less likely to smoke and be obese. Strong social connections can help offset the disadvantage of poverty, according to Cornell researcher Gary W. Evans.
A new study published in Psychological Science found that poor adolescents living in communities with high social cohesiveness are less likely to smoke and have lower body mass indexes. This suggests that social capital may help mitigate the negative effects of childhood poverty on health outcomes.
A new study by Michigan State University finds that residents of larger cities in China exhibit more environmentally friendly behavior than those in smaller cities. The study suggests that employment and leadership opportunities play a key role in promoting pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors.
A new study published in British Environmental Conservation journal found that people with good jobs in large cities are more likely to engage in pro-environmental activities. The researchers analyzed data from China's General Social Survey, which showed employees who work for companies in big cities and hold leadership positions repor...
A study by Columbia University researchers found dramatic spatial and environmental variation in social behavior among birds globally. Environmental factors like temperature and rainfall influenced the incidence and distribution of family-living species.
A new analysis in PLoS Medicine prioritizes research questions for scaling up community-based interventions addressing prematurity and stillbirths. The top five priorities focus on equity, behavioral practices, and quality of care provided by community health workers.
Researchers found that young female chimpanzees carry and play with sticks, suggesting a biological basis for sex-specific play in humans. This behavior is linked to adult behavior, as females carry infants more than males, indicating a possible influence of biology on toy selection.
Researchers Francisco Úbeda and Edgar Duéñez found that moral corruption and power asymmetries are necessary for overall societal cooperation. Without law enforcers, individuals have less incentive to cooperate, while without power and corruption, law enforcers lose their motivation to do their job.
A study by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that Indonesian children who watched Jalan Sesama, a local version of Sesame Street, showed significant improvement in literacy, math skills, safety knowledge, and social awareness compared to those with low exposure.
Yerkes researchers are presenting various studies on neuroscience topics including social bonding, addiction, neurodegenerative diseases and memory. Researchers like Larry Young, Leonard Howell and Yoland Smith are sharing their findings on oxytocin, stimulant addiction and cell death in neurodegenerative diseases.
Researchers at Concordia University discovered a link between the length of the second and fourth fingers and risk-taking behavior in men. The study found that alpha males with shorter ratios were more likely to engage in recreational, social, and financial risk-taking.
The authors highlight the importance of mental health care providers in addressing eating and weight-related problems in young people. Family-based behavioral interventions are considered the first-line treatment for pediatric overweight, promoting small changes in dietary and physical activity behaviors.
Research suggests that economic systems influence cooperation and trust, with societies prioritizing cooperation experiencing higher levels of trust and cooperation. Climate also impacts behavior, with violent-crime rates increasing during warmer months and prosocial behaviors enhanced by sunny weather.
A study published in Social Psychological and Personality Science reveals that childhood personality traits are a strong predictor of adult behavior. Researchers found consistent patterns across four decades, with verbally fluent children displaying interest in intellectual matters and adaptable children behaving cheerfully.
A new study from the University of Sheffield found that social and psychological factors have a bigger impact on women's sex lives during menopause than previously thought. The research suggests that individual experiences vary greatly, with external factors like relationships and care-giving playing a significant role.
A study by Ohio State University found that youth club participation improves children's sense of self, reducing vulnerability to problem behaviors. Daily attendance is less important than feeling attached to the organization and having a good relationship with staff.
Researchers analyzed office referrals across over 1,500 US schools to identify patterns of student discipline for different behaviors. Elementary, middle, and high school students are disciplined differently, with fighting, defiance, and tardiness being common reasons.
A study found significant geographic variation in childhood obesity rates across the US, with Southern states having higher rates than Western states. Obesity rates varied by state, with Mississippi and Arizona having the highest rates and Oregon and Utah having the lowest.
A new study published in Early Child Development and Care reveals that fathers tend to give toddlers more leeway, allowing them to actively explore their environments. This 'activation theory' suggests that father-child interaction plays a crucial role in shaping a child's development.
A new study has found that autism symptoms do not appear abruptly at 6 months, but rather emerge gradually and become apparent during the latter part of the first year of life. By 12 months, children with autism showed significant declines in social communication and eye contact compared to typically developing children.
Babies as young as six months old can comprehend adults' intentions, according to a York University study. Infants detected and accepted when an experimenter was unable to share for reasons beyond her control, but became agitated when it was clear she simply wouldn't share.
A new study found that increased social status and support correlate with higher dopamine D2/D3 receptor density in the brain's striatum. This suggests people with greater social status experience life as more rewarding and stimulating due to more targets for dopamine action.
Researchers found that infants as young as five months old engage in joint attention with adults, activating the left prefrontal cortex, a region involved in complex cognitive and social behaviors. This suggests that the human brain develops this important social skill surprisingly early in infancy.
Researchers have successfully created the first transgenic prairie voles, allowing them to investigate the genetic mechanisms of social bonding and its impact on psychiatric disorders. This advancement may lead to new treatments for impairments in social behavior.
Research on 800 college students found that those with smaller drinking problem chances were more likely to experience problems, contrary to the idea that optimism motivates health care. The study suggests that unrealistic optimism may actually curb risky health behaviors.
Professor Derek M. Isaacowitz, a Brandeis University psychologist, has received the 2009 Baltes Foundation Award for his research on emotion regulation in older adults. His work explores how people of different ages manage their emotions and maintain well-being.
A study published in BioPsychoSocial Medicine reveals that patients with high levels of optimism and self-orientation may be less likely to lose weight. However, counseling and nutrition programs can help improve self-awareness and reduce psychological stress, leading to successful weight loss.
The Switch programme, a family-, school-, and community-based intervention, promotes children's fruit and vegetable consumption and lowers 'screen time'. Researchers found modest but significant results in reducing screen time and increasing fruit and vegetable consumption in the experimental group.
Researchers at Yerkes National Primate Research Center studied the impact of early social experience on adult bonding behaviors in prairie voles. They found that pups raised by single mothers or both parents exhibited different levels of care and social behavior, with significant influences on long-term relationships.
A study found that capuchin monkeys prefer the company of researchers who imitate them, spending more time with their imitators. The monkeys also chose to engage in a task with their imitators over non-imitators, indicating a sense of affiliation.
Researchers found that early human hunters in central Israel between 400,000 and 250,000 years ago were skilled at big-game hunting like later stone-age hunters, but shared meat differently. The earlier humans were less efficient and specialized when it comes to carving flesh from their prey.
A new study found that genetic predispositions can be expressed earlier in life through behavioral problems, while environmental influences can modify gene expression. Females may be more susceptible to certain environmental factors, which can encourage or inhibit the expression of genetic traits.
A new study by Northwestern University suggests that individuals with abundant moral self-worth may engage in immoral behavior to balance out their perceived level of goodness, while those who experience a moral-cleansing effect tend to engage in good work to restore their ideal level of moral self-worth.
A Finnish family study found a significant association between musical aptitude and creative functions in music. The research suggests that the neurobiology of music perception is related to pathways affecting intrinsic attachment behavior, supported by associations with AVPR1A gene variants.
A recent study published in the Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research found that Canadian men are reluctant to seek mental health services, with avoidance rates ranging from 20-70%. The primary cause cited is prejudice, which affects how men perceive their symptoms and social roles, leading to a reluctance to utilize services.
A 22-year longitudinal study found that nearly 56% of Canadian adults are consistently inactive, with only 12% remaining active in each subsequent survey. Socio-economic factors, such as education and income level, significantly influence physical activity levels among participants.
A new study from U of T's Rotman School found that employees who experienced sexual behavior in the workplace reported lower morale, felt less valued, and had higher rates of depression. While some employees enjoyed such behavior, its presence was often counterproductive.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health & Society Scholars Program has selected 17 new scholars to work on reducing health disparities and improving the nation's healthcare system. The scholars will receive a stipend and be trained to investigate the connections between biological, genetic, behavioral, environmental, economic, and so...
Researchers at Vanderbilt University developed a system to monitor children with autism's emotional state using physiological sensors attached to robots, allowing for personalized treatment. The system achieves an accuracy of over 80% in predicting emotional states like anxiety and engagement.
A new study found that multiracial students felt more engaged at school and experienced lower stress levels compared to their single-race counterparts. The research suggests a positive link between embracing a multiracial identity and improved social and personal well-being.
A study by University of Miami professor Michael McCullough found that religious people have more self-control than their less religious counterparts. This increased self-control can lead to better school achievement, lower rates of substance abuse, and longer lives.
Paul M. Torrens, an associate professor at Arizona State University, received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) for his work on crowd behavior modeling using 3-D computational modeling. His research has been recognized as a pioneer in the emerging field of geosimulation.
The EUROCORES HumVIB program investigates the impact of country-specific factors on individual values, attitudes, and behavior across Europe. The program aims to understand how cultural, social, political, and economic contexts shape human behavior, with potential implications for policy-making and bridging the gender gap.
A new study by the University of Nottingham found that good pre-schools followed by high-quality primary schools significantly improve children's development. A stimulating home-learning environment at age 3-4 years is also linked to long-term gains in children's development.
A study by University of Toronto sociologist Adam Isaiah Green found that gay men deemed less desirable are more likely to engage in risky behavior and experience psychological problems. The research highlights the negative consequences of being marginalized due to low levels of 'erotic capital',
A longitudinal study found that characteristics in four social environments—families, peers, schools, and neighborhoods—contribute to adolescent alcohol misuse. The study highlights the importance of examining connections between all social environments and suggests a more inclusive view of adolescent social worlds.