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Health - Social Sciences - 26.01.2023

Under COVID-era stay-at-home orders, household conflicts had direct link to poor mental health
Health + Behavior UCLA California Health Interview Survey data also reveals impact on people's social lives and personal relationships Health + Behavior UCLA California Health Interview Survey data also reveals impact on people's social lives and personal relationships Key takeaways California adults who had financial or child care difficulties due to COVID-19 in 2020 experienced an increase in household conflict during the statewide stay-at-home orders.

Social Sciences - 25.01.2023

SCI weekly research round-up
Don't miss out on any article, podcast or presentation by SCI members anymore with our regular research round ups covering any recently published SCI research! SCI Honorary Researcher Tally Katz-Gerro co-published the paper 'Between perceptions and practices: The religious and cultural aspects of food wastage in households' in Appetite .

Social Sciences - 24.01.2023

Feature: Preserving endangered languages as 3D shapes
Half of the world's languages are endangered and more than a thousand are expected to be lost in coming decades. A team at UCL is using animation software to preserve these languages in an entirely new way. It's estimated that there are over 7,000 documented languages spoken across the world. Yet around half of these languages are endangered.

Social Sciences - 24.01.2023

Gun control measures associated with reduced police use of force
As police departments and activists look for strategies to reduce excessive use of force by police, new research from the University of Michigan shows limited data, lack of transparency and irregular implementation of reforms make it difficult to determine which approaches are effective. The Black Lives Matter movement, which gained worldwide attention after the May 2020 death of George Floyd, has raised awareness of the police brutality and systematic racism that overwhelmingly affects Black Americans.

Psychology - Social Sciences - 23.01.2023

Parental support linked to teen internet addiction
Teenagers who feel well-supported by their parents are more likely to report increased internet addiction over time, in a surprise finding from a new University of Sydney Business School study. The researchers studied nearly 3,000 adolescents across four critical years of development, from Year 8 to Year 11 (age 14-17), to examine the link between social support and compulsive internet use.

Social Sciences - Media - 20.01.2023

When the screen harms the teen
Adolescents face problems of lowered self-esteem and higher risk of symptoms associated with eating disorders by spending so much time on social media, a new study finds. CONTENU - Patricia Conrod Increased social media use by teenagers is associated with a decrease in their self-esteem and a growth of symptoms associated with eating disorders, according to a new Canadian study.

Social Sciences - Physics - 19.01.2023

Active matter theory explains fire-ant group behaviour
Recerca Ants are social insects and the Solenopsis invicta species —known as the fire ant— is no exception. The social interactions of this invasive insect, which comes from South America, are framed within the context of the theory of Active Matter, which would explain the ants' group behaviour as a reaction to the intrinsic mechanisms in the system.

Social Sciences - 18.01.2023

Toddlers instinctively bond with dogs, willing to help get treats
Toddlers will go out of their way to help dogs, especially pups struggling to access out-of-reach treats and toys, according to research conducted at the University of Michigan. The new study shows that young children notice and understand dogs' goals, using that knowledge to help them. "It's been known for a long time that toddlers will go out of their way to help struggling humans, even strangers,” said study co-author Henry Wellman , the Harold W. Stevenson Collegiate Professor Emeritus of Psychology at U-M.

Health - Social Sciences - 09.01.2023

Call to address women’s reproductive needs holistically
Women's reproductive needs should be considered holistically by considering pregnancy prevention and pregnancy preparation at the same time, finds a new study led by UCL researchers. The research, published in The Lancet Public Health , brought together a variety of different types of evidence - including previous studies, new data on women's preferences, and case studies of existing practice across the globe - to develop a model, which could be used to help design services in a way that better meets the needs of women and their partners.

Social Sciences - Health - 09.01.2023

Building trust for experts
Talking about complex societal issues requires trusted experts to combat disinformation Faculty of Arts Dr. Ashley Rose Mehlenbacher is the Canada Research Chair in Science, Health and Technology Communication and leading expert on how communication practices shape how people engage with scientific and technical subject matters.

Social Sciences - 09.01.2023

Opinion: Women work harder than men - our anthropological study reveals why
Professor Ruth Mace and PhD candidate Yuan Chen (both UCL Anthropology) share their anthropological study in The Conversation examining the gender division of work and how workloads are changing across different societies. For most people around the world, physical work takes up a great amount of time and energy every day.

Social Sciences - 06.01.2023

Marital breakdown: social support is both very limited and very important for men
While men who have experienced a separation often try to cope on their own, a qualitative study shows the importance of educating them to seek help "I couldn't see anything. I wasn't focused on my work, I was completely. I was like in the middle of the ocean, no fleet." This testimony from Antoine, 61, illustrates the distress that men can feel after a marital breakup.

Social Sciences - 06.01.2023

Carers of people living with dementia experience discrimination
Carers of people living with dementia are treated negatively by others and face discrimination, finds a new study led by UCL researchers. The research, published in BJPsych Open found that on top of known challenges experienced by carers, those who look after someone living with dementia also become stigmatised.

Social Sciences - 05.01.2023

Travelling farther away from home linked to better health
People who travel more outside of their local area feel that they are healthier than those who stay closer to home, finds a new study led by UCL researchers. How often people travel and the range of places visited are important, with those who regularly travel more than 15 miles away from home more likely to report being in general good health.

Computer Science - Social Sciences - 05.01.2023

Simulating discrimination in virtual reality
The role-playing game "On the Plane" simulates xenophobia to foster greater understanding and reflection via virtual experiences. Have you ever been advised to "walk a mile in someone else's shoes?" Considering another person's perspective can be a challenging endeavor - but recognizing our errors and biases is key to building understanding across communities.

Psychology - Social Sciences - 04.01.2023

Fathers Who Take 2 Weeks Paternity Leave Are Considered Less Likely to Develop Postpartum Depression
In the weeks that follow the birth of a child, both parents are likely to develop depression. Paternity leave, recognized for its benefits on family balance, child development and male-female equality, could be one of the keys to preventing this condition that affects one in ten fathers and almost two in ten mothers.

Social Sciences - 21.12.2022

Social media may prevent users from reaping creative rewards of profound boredom
Pandemic study shows distraction of social media may suck up the time and energy that allow us to find new passions People who turn to social media to escape from superficial boredom are unwittingly preventing themselves from progressing to a state of profound boredom, which may open the door to more creative and meaningful activity, a new study of the Covid pandemic shows.

Criminology / Forensics - Social Sciences - 20.12.2022

Sex offenders: 70% drop in recidivism rate
Study led by Professor Patrick Lussier shows significant decline in recidivism of sex crimes in Canada over 80 years Encouraging news: between 1940 and 2019, the recidivism rate of sex offenders in this country has dropped by nearly 70%, according to a study published in the journal Criminology and Public Policy .

Social Sciences - Politics - 20.12.2022

New report reveals that favourable public opinion towards immigration could have significant impact on immigration policy in the UK
New report reveals that in the past 10 years, public opinion has warmed to immigration which could lead to changes in immigration policy in the UK. A new report published by Professor Robert Ford from the University of Manchester and Marley Morris written for the Institute of Public Policy Research reveals that public attitudes towards immigration have warmed in recent years.

Social Sciences - 20.12.2022

See no evil: People find good in villains
Study: What makes Voldemort tick? Children's and adults' reasoning about the nature of villains Whether it's on television or in a movie, we love the villain. No matter how egotistical, power hungry or greedy the person is, many of us are still attracted to their dark side-in part because we suspect some may have a redeeming quality.