Articles tagged with Social Interaction
Youth substance use declined during the COVID-19 pandemic, as teens had limited access to peers and substances due to stay-at-home orders. This reduced risk of substance use is attributed to increased social isolation from peers, which may have a negative impact on mental health.
Researchers developed an algorithm to improve matching efficiency, considering user preferences and behavior. The new algorithm shows improved results in field experiments, with at least 27% more matches than the current one.
Researchers found that anticipating future stress related to elections can affect people's emotional well-being before anything has happened. Education was shown to help protect individuals against these stresses, even for those actively engaged in the political process.
Researchers find that cooperative breeding in animal societies increases survival chances of carers, leading to higher reproductive success. The study also reveals the relative importance of kin selection and individual selection varies depending on environmental conditions.
A study found that people experience a dissociative state when scrolling through social media, leading researchers to design an app that promotes user control and attention. The app, Chirp, incorporates features such as lists and pop-up surveys to help users stay focused.
A survey of Seattle area college students reveals that four-year college students drink nearly twice as much alcohol as their community college peers, while using marijuana nearly twice as often. The study suggests that perceptions of peer use may play a role in these differences.
A new study finds that having three or more children is negatively correlated with late-life cognition, with the effect strongest in Northern Europe. The researchers suggest that this may be due to financial stress and reduced social interaction, leading to potential cognitive deterioration.
A study by Carnegie Mellon University researchers found that lawyers who view negotiation as a game, with arbitrary rules, are less willing to disclose honest information. Lawyers with higher moral character are more likely to adopt an ethical approach, while those with lower moral character are more prone to game framing.
Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed an automated way to analyze animal behavior from video footage using computer vision and machine learning. The new algorithm can distinguish individual animals and identify specific behaviors, such as curiosity or fear responses, with high accuracy.
A UTD professor's study found that men's rudeness toward others, including women, can obscure the recognition of sexism. The study suggests that a perception of gender blindness can lead observers to view the perpetrator as not sexist, even when they are displaying sexist behavior.
A study found that people are more comfortable with AI companions that are voice-based and less likely to recommend them if they appear too human-like. The researchers suggest that the 'uncanny valley' effect may contribute to this preference.
A new Penn State study found that people are more likely to choose empathy for an animal over a human, but only when the choices are not in competition. When context matters, people's willingness to engage in human empathy decreases, while their interest in animal empathy increases.
A new study by Penn State researchers found that engaging in meaningful and challenging activities during free time can significantly reduce people's loneliness and increase their positive feelings. The researchers identified that flow, a state of being fully engaged and focused on an activity, is crucial to reducing loneliness.
A Synapsy study has identified a new neural pathway involved in social interaction, distinct from the traditional reward system. This discovery may hold key to understanding and treating autism spectrum disorders.
Researchers from Tohoku University used agent-based simulation to visualize consensus building around geothermal power plant development in Japan. The model demonstrated how diverse opinions of stakeholders converge to a consensus, with factors such as stakeholder attributes, locations, and influential individuals affecting opinion for...
A landmark study demonstrates that a community-based group exercise programme can prevent physical decline and improve quality of life in older adults with mobility limitations. The REACT programme, which involves individually tailored exercises and social interaction, shows promising results in reducing health and care costs.
A study published by Boston University researchers reveals that social interactions can activate vivid memories and elicit emotional responses. The study found that animals' fear memories were enhanced by observing a stressed cage mate, but not by direct physical interaction.
Scientists identified neurons in mice brains that influence competitive interactions and shape group social behavior. The study provides new insights into human interactions and advances research related to neurocognitive conditions such as autism spectrum disorder.
Researchers at Duke University found a collection of coordinated brain regions that predict and direct social behavior in mice. By analyzing the electrical activity of these regions, they identified how social or solitary an individual mouse is and were able to prompt them to be more gregarious. This study may lead to better diagnostic...
Researchers at the University of Tsukuba created a handheld social robot, OMOY, that can appear to convey emotions by shifting an internal weight while reading out text messages. The robot was tested with 94 people and found to reduce negative emotions such as anger, revenge, and avoidance motivation.
A recent survey of British academics reveals that significant political transformations like Brexit can negatively affect employee wellbeing, particularly when perceived as threatening rather than challenging. The study emphasizes the importance of job security and quality of co-worker relationships in maintaining personal wellbeing.
A new study from North Carolina State University found that feeling inclusive in the classroom is key to promoting STEM education and student engagement. Students who felt their classrooms were inclusive were more likely to feel like they belonged and engage with their STEM classes.
Yang Wang's research focuses on usability of privacy technologies and artificial intelligence. Researchers will conduct semi-structured interviews, surveys, and co-design sessions with users from India and Bangladesh about their experiences with targeted ads.
Researchers identified that 10% of students were recognized as relationally aggressive by peers but not teachers. Students with higher levels of academic competence and female students were more likely to be recognized by both groups. The study suggests that better identification of these students is crucial for effective interventions.
Researchers from RIKEN created Nikola, an android child that can convey six basic emotions through facial expressions. The study tested the quality of these expressions and found that humans can recognize them with varying accuracy.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that changing social strategies between settings can lead to more cooperative behavior in a society. In a model with spillover between domains, cooperation is favored when actors can observe and imitate each other's behaviors in different contexts.
A study analyzing over 1 million Swedish Tweets found scant evidence for significant polarization on immigration topics, even after the 2015 refugee crisis. The researchers discovered a shift in sentiment towards more negative tones and fewer neutral tweets after the crisis.
A new study published in Nature Communications found that amylin peptide plays a crucial role in regulating social contact-seeking behavior in female mice. The researchers discovered that isolation leads to a decrease in amylin levels, while social reunion increases them.
Researchers at Osnabrück University observe chimpanzees applying insects to their own and others' wounds, sparking interest in potential anti-inflammatory or antiseptic properties. The team aims to investigate the social dimension of this behavior and its possible transmission through social learning.
Researchers from the Complexity Science Hub Vienna propose that homophily, or interacting with like-minded individuals, automatically leads to social balance and stability. They demonstrate this using data from the Massive Multiplayer Online Game Pardus, where players tend to form friendships with those who share similar characteristics.
Research shows that couples who took Family Foundations classes 10 years ago had more positive family relationships during the pandemic. They reported lower levels of negative mood, behavior problems, and sibling conflict in their children.
A recent study found an increase in intentional drug overdose deaths among young people aged 15-24, older adults aged 75-84, and non-Hispanic Black women. Despite a downward trend in overall deaths, these subgroups saw a rise in intentional overdose death rates, with women ages 45 to 64 having the highest rates.
Gene-environment interactions play a crucial role in the development of autism symptoms, according to a new study by UNIGE researchers. By inhibiting Trpv4 and inducing massive inflammation, scientists observed neuronal hyperexcitability, which disrupted communication channels and led to social avoidance behaviors.
A recent study found that men were twice as likely to be victims of online sex blackmailing during the pandemic. Young people, Black and Native American women, and LGBTQ individuals were also at high risk of this cyber-enabled crime. The study revealed race and sexuality-related differences in rates of sextortion.
A new study finds that when women perceive their partner's sense of masculinity as fragile, they are more likely to fake orgasms and experience lower sexual satisfaction. This phenomenon is linked to anxiety and poorer communication in relationships. Women may prioritize protecting their partners' manhood over their own needs.
A new study of Chinese older adults found that higher levels of social isolation are associated with having fewer teeth and losing teeth more quickly over time. Despite this, loneliness was not linked to the number of remaining teeth or tooth loss rate.
A University of Ottawa study found that trying to suppress emotions with a poker face or smile has little impact on mood and memory, contradicting past research. Instead, participants used alternative strategies like changing their perspective to cope with distressing moments.
Researchers discovered humans unconsciously mirror a humanoid robot's body language, mirroring human behavior when interacting with peers. The study highlights the intriguing similarity between human-Robot interactions and interpersonal relationships.
A large population study found that living alone for several years and/or experiencing serial relationship break-ups are strongly linked to raised levels of inflammatory markers in the blood of middle-aged men. The researchers suggest that this combination may indicate a heightened risk of age-related ill health and death.
A study by Edith Cowan University found that 30% of people prefer discussing negative experiences with a virtual reality avatar, rather than a person. Researchers used full face and body motion capture technology to create realistic avatars, analyzing interactions between participants and avatars.
A new study reveals that children globally will confront peers when rules are broken, but their approach differs across cultures. Children from rural areas tend to use verbal protests more than urban kids, who may rely on indirect methods like reputation to enforce compliance.
Kids consider track record of accuracy and degree of access to knowledge when judging a communicator's trustworthiness. Children who received accurate non-verbal cues in the familiarization phase followed them in the test phase 83% of the time.
Researchers found that Americans were less likely to respond to an email survey from a person believed to be Black than from a person believed to be white. The study, which analyzed responses from over 250,000 people, suggests that racial bias can influence everyday communication behaviors.
New research finds that social media echo chambers can create a strong bond and increase the likelihood of radicalization. In studies examining posts on Gab and Reddit's "Incels" community, researchers found that users who aligned with the group's morals were more likely to use hateful language toward outgroups.
A University of Cambridge-led study found that rising housing prices can significantly increase 'openness' among US residents within a few years. This trait captures levels of curiosity and creativity.
A recent study from Tel Aviv University found that mothers' smartphone use reduces toddler interaction by a factor of four. Reduced interaction can have far-reaching consequences on child development, including language and social skills. The study also found no significant difference between browsing smartphones and reading magazines.
Research by University of Kent and Nottingham Trent University found that video and text-based messaging apps have a negative effect on the mental wellbeing of young people over 16 during Covid-19 lockdowns. Despite this, face-to-face contact is positively associated with wellbeing compared to digital contact.
A team from UNIGE found that dopaminergic neurons in the reward system are responsible for motivating social interactions. The study used mice to demonstrate how these neurons release dopamine, crucial for motivated behaviors and learning.
A study found that adults with sensory impairment experienced a decline in emotional well-being during the pandemic due to lack of social interactions. Researchers hope to develop hybrid solutions for remote access and clear communication.
Researchers used animated avatars to study nonverbal cues influencing people's behavior. Participants were more willing to cooperate with friendly avatars than reject unfair offers from unfriendly ones.
Researchers found that both deep and shallow conversations felt less awkward and led to greater feelings of connectedness and enjoyment than expected. People underestimated how interested strangers were in their deeper thoughts and feelings, but accurate expectations increased interest in having a deeper conversation.
A new study found that white people trained in mindfulness were three times more likely to help black people in staged scenarios than those who were not trained. However, preferential helping of other white people remained, and participants preferred to help racial ingroup members.
A new study found that stable routines including exercise, hobbies, and face-to-face contact helped maintain a good mood during the pandemic. However, excessive screen time and social media usage had negative effects on participants' moods.
A new Rutgers study found young sexual minority Black men in NYC experience higher rates of stop-and-frisk encounters than their Hispanic and white counterparts. The researchers emphasize the need for community-based solutions to address these stressful interactions and promote mental health and wellbeing.
A University of Pennsylvania study found that clinician peer networks significantly reduce health care inequities and disparities. The study led by Professor Damon Centola showed that clinicians who initially exhibited significant bias could change their clinical recommendations to exhibit no bias.
A Cornell University study finds that rural Bangladeshi villagers rely on local experts, spiritual views and social justice to evaluate new coronavirus information. They use a five-part system called 'situated fact-checking' to assess claims, considering factors like the source's reputation and the community's sense of morality.
New research published in eNeuro found that sharing happy stories increases feelings of closeness and synchronizes brain activity between the speaker and listener. Brain synchrony was linked to increased interpersonal closeness, particularly in regions involved in emotional processing and theory of mind.
A new study by Anglia Ruskin University found that individuals focused on their appearance are more prone to social physique anxiety, which leads to fear of negative evaluations and social distress in dating contexts. The research involved 501 young adults and discovered associations between body image attitudes and dating anxiety.
A study led by NTU Singapore found that combining transparency with kinder management styles reduces collusion attempts among employees. The researchers conducted a roleplaying experiment in Amsterdam, assigning participants as managers or employees and observing the effects of increased transparency on collaboration.
Research found that women's focus on others' needs plays a significant role in their reluctance to request deadline extensions. However, organizations can create formal policies on making deadline extension requests, resulting in women asking for more time at nearly the same rate as men.