Articles tagged with Social Groups
A study suggests that humans' disproportionately large brain size resulted from sizing each other up in large social groups. The research proposes that helping others who are at least as successful as themselves favored by evolution. This idea has implications for engineering intelligent machines to decide cooperation and generosity.
Urban rabbits use scent marks to separate themselves from neighbors along territorial boundaries, indicating a greater need for segregation.
A 3-inch monogamous hermaphrodite fish has evolved a unique reproductive strategy, trading male and female roles to fertilize eggs equally. This behavioral study reveals that long-term partnerships among animals prioritize fairness and cooperation.
A study suggests that women in Corded Ware culture were highly mobile, with 42% of individuals found to be non-local, indicating a pattern of female exogamy
A study of BMI trends in England from 1992 to 2013 found that median BMI is not increasing as much as thought, but the top end of the scale is experiencing significant increases across all social groups and sexes. Researchers highlight the growing issue of obesity among the most obese individuals, costing billions to the NHS annually.
Research suggests that joining social groups after retirement can reduce the risk of death and improve quality of life, with effects comparable to those of regular exercise. The study found that maintaining social connections is crucial for retirees, emphasizing the importance of social planning in retirement planning.
Researchers identified a link between cognitive deficits and lesions in areas processing emotions, suggesting a third category of knowledge representation for social groups. This discovery highlights the close relationship between social relations and emotional processing in the human brain.
New research on gray wolves in Yellowstone National Park reveals that social group living can offset mange's effects, increasing survival rates. Living in packs also provides a net survival benefit, even when infected individuals are present.
Researchers found that different bat species form separate social groups in adjacent woodland areas, with mixed-sex and male-female groups differing in structure. This study has significant implications for bat conservation as it shows bats may not be able to move to another area if a section of woodland is felled.
A new study by Harvard University researchers found that children as young as six exhibit in-group favoritism when reacting to unfair behavior, but by eight years old, they are more likely to intervene regardless of group affiliation. The study suggests that fairness norms may be universal and not specific to Western culture.
Researchers used statistical tools to map social connections in prairie dogs, uncovering relationships that escaped traditional observational techniques. The study found key bridge individuals connecting different groups, which could aid in conserving populations and mitigating plague spread
Researchers found that ravens can deduce the rank relations of individuals in their own group as well as neighboring groups. They exhibited stress-related behaviors when encountering unexpected dominance reversals. This cognitive ability is similar to that of primates and suggests a complex social intelligence.
Patients who joined a social group and developed a stronger connection with its members experienced reduced symptoms of depression. The study suggests that the 'group' aspect of social interaction is critical in alleviating depression.
Researchers found a functional distinction between social groups, which are processed separately from animate and inanimate objects. The study used patients with dementia to demonstrate the double dissociation of these functions.
A mathematician has calculated how peer pressure influences society, examining the effect of direct and indirect social influences on decision-making. The study found that the process begins with individuals directly connected to each other reaching agreement, then the entire social group tips into collective consensus.
Researchers found that bats react strongly to all contact calls, regardless of familiarity. However, when presented with a call from a known bat multiple times, they showed a stronger response to other partners from their social group. This suggests individual evaluation of the voice, indicating recognition of conspecifics by sound.
Researchers found that audiences affect quails' social status, with losers losing dominance when observed, but winners retaining it regardless of audience presence. Testosterone levels were raised in both winners and losers after fights, suggesting a secondary role for the hormone.
A new study suggests that more independent consumers are better at delaying gratification and perceive future events as happening in the distant future. This is because they think of the future in abstract terms, whereas less independent consumers perceive it in concrete terms.
A four-year field study shows BCG vaccination reduces TB infection risk in unvaccinated badger cubs in vaccinated groups and social groups. Vaccination can indirectly protect cubs before they emerge from their setts.
Research suggests that times of economic hardship can limit the inclusiveness of people's racial in-groups, making them more likely to categorize biracial faces as Black. The study found that participants exposed to scarce resources were more likely to do so compared to those exposed to abundant resources.
New research examines how social groups work, including in-group conformity and prejudice reduction strategies. Studies find that oxytocin stimulates in-group conformity and a small dose of negativity can reduce prejudice toward stigmatized groups.
A new study finds that ownership enhances product attractiveness by creating an association between the item and consumer identity. Gender differences are also noted, with men prioritizing social group distinctions and women focusing on connections.
A new study found that broad generalizations about social groups can undermine both boys' and girls' performance on challenging activities. Researchers tested how sweeping pronouncements about skills or likely success of social groups influence children's performance.
Research from Jena University reveals that prejudice development peaks between 5-7 years of age, but well-designed prevention programs can effectively reduce biases. The study highlights the importance of diverse contacts in reducing sweeping generalizations and discrimination, especially for children from social minorities.
New research reveals that brands perceived as partners elicit cooperative behavior, while those viewed as servants prompt competitive actions. Participants' responses were influenced by automatic social behaviors, revealing a complex relationship between cognition and consumer culture.
Financial incentives are effective for altering simple behaviors like immunization take-up and attendance at health services, but less effective for complex behaviors such as smoking. Regular reinforcement with social support and skill training significantly increases success rates.
Women's bias against male strangers increases when they are fertile, suggesting genetic influence on prejudice, according to Michigan State University researchers. Fertile women exhibit more negative attitudes towards men of different races and social groups than their own group, particularly those perceived as physically threatening.
Scientists discover chimpanzees yawn more when watching familiar chimps than strangers, suggesting an underlying mechanism for empathy. The findings support the idea that contagious yawning is a measure of empathy and may be influenced by social biases.
Researchers found that hand-raised wolves can follow a gaze around an obstacle, indicating a more cognitively advanced task than previously observed. The wolves' ability to detour an obstacle suggests that gaze following is not exclusive to primates and corvids.
Biologists found that larger social groups lead to more unique voices and easier identification of individuals; this helps explain our own uniqueness as humans and other social creatures,
A new study by Nailya Ordabayeva and Pierre Chandon reveals that increasing equality decreases consumer envy, but also boosts status spending among bottom-tier consumers. In experiments, participants were more likely to spend money on purchases that would improve their social standing when the distribution was less equal.
Research by the Universities of Exeter and Queensland shows that membership of social groups has a positive impact on health and well-being. Studies have found that people who maintain valued group memberships recover more positively after a stroke, are happier in care homes, and experience improved mental health.
Recent research reveals that spotted hyenas often hunt alone to avoid feeding competition within their social group and instead opt for solo hunts to ensure individual survival. By doing so, they tap into a previously unknown strategy for increasing their chances of capturing prey.
A new study reveals that individuals with an independent self-construal are more likely to misjudge distances, while those with an interdependent self-construal perform better when considering multiple factors. This difference affects spatial judgments and highlights the importance of cultural background in shaping our perceptions.
Researchers found that individuals prefer divergence in product domains where others look for signals about their identity, such as hairstyles or favorite CDs. In contrast, less identity-relevant domains like dish soap elicit much weaker divergent preferences.
Research at Harvard University found that 5- to 7-year-olds prefer lucky individuals and groups over the less fortunate. The study suggests this phenomenon may clarify human attitudes toward social groups and help explain the persistence of social inequality.
Researchers found that chimpanzees can pass on cultural behaviors through a chain of individuals, with techniques learned by one generation being successfully passed on to the next. This study provides evidence for generational learning in non-human primates and highlights similarities between human and chimpanzee cultural behavior.
A recent study reveals that both Egyptian and Nubian officials participated in the administration of Nubia during this time. The findings challenge traditional ideas of unidirectional change and modification of a subordinate population by a socially dominant group.
A study by John Chambers found that individuals view their opponents' arguments as attacks on their core values, leading to intense conflicts. Despite perceived disagreements, groups often agree on issues important to the other side.
Researchers found that humans have a difficult time shaking off fears of people from another race, similar to fears of snakes and spiders. Interracial dating experience was the only factor to influence the persistence of fear learning bias, suggesting positive inter-group contact can reduce negativity towards outgroups.
The 'Dig Manchester' project has seen the community come together to uncover history, with businesses donating goods in kind and a sense of community pride emerging. The three-year programme will also involve similar projects in Northenden and Wythenshawe, aiming to promote local heritage and regeneration.
Experts will argue that refugees and their families contribute significantly to British life, bringing incalculable social and economic benefits. The discussion aims to correct common misconceptions about refugees and highlight their skills and talent.
A new study by Brown University researchers found that individuals describe themselves and their social groups using similar adjectives, yet fail to recognize they are not typical. The study suggests an egocentric bias, where people project their self-image onto the group, hindering conflict resolution.