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Social Sciences - 05.06.2023

U-M expert shares thoughts on next steps after US report on social media’s effects on youth
A University of Michigan public policy expert who has reviewed the U.S. surgeon general's advisory outlining social media's profound risks to children's mental health says policymakers will need a great deal more data before making any formal recommendations. That research, she adds, should involve those most affected by the technology-and those responsible for it should be working on effective solutions.

Social Sciences - Campus - 05.06.2023

Benefits of later school entry for kids spill over to younger siblings
A Yale-led study shows that having an older sibling who succeeds at school helps children, especially from disadvantaged families, perform well academically. Having a high-achieving older sibling helps children, especially those from socioeconomically disadvantaged families, succeed academically, according to a new Yale-led study.

Health - Social Sciences - 01.06.2023

Couples’ social networks took long-lasting hit during COVID
A UCLA study shows that a the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, social interactions, both virtual and in person, declined significantly for married couples. The decline was found to be greater and more long-lasting for Black and Latino couples and lower-income couples than for white couples and wealthier couples.

Media - Social Sciences - 01.06.2023

Preexisting stereotypes influence entertainment selection
Study abstract: Preexisting stereotypes and selection of counter-stereotypical genius representations in entertainment media Entertainment media has increasingly featured diverse representations that have the potential to combat harmful social stereotypes, but a new University of Michigan study raises questions about how effective they can be in the current media landscape.

Social Sciences - 31.05.2023

Morality and competition in science
How does competition influence moral behavior? Studies have so far found evidence for both a negative and a positive influence of competition on moral behavior. Researchers from Innsbruck, Vienna, Stockholm, and Amsterdam are using this unanswered question to conduct a meta-study that examines the extent to which different study designs can account for variability in scientific outcomes.

Social Sciences - Health - 31.05.2023

Research highlights alarming rates of sexual abuse among Indigenous Canadian children
A study led by Simon Fraser University criminology researchers has found that rates of child sexual abuse (CSA) among Indigenous Canadians surveyed were three to five times higher than global estimates, while those with parents or family members who attended residential schools are at significantly greater risk of experiencing CSA.

Social Sciences - 31.05.2023

Curious children, less curious apes
Children choose a "mystery box" more often than apes, but after a glimpse of a larger reward from the uncertain option, great apes show more curiosity Humans are curious creatures. We are motivated to explore and investigate mysterious or unknown objects, but do other great apes share this innate curiosity?

Social Sciences - Psychology - 25.05.2023

Prolonged Intimate Partner Violence puts children at risk
A University of Queensland study has found a child's repeated exposure to Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) puts them at higher risk of behavioural problems. IPV is a pattern of behaviour between adults that includes physical, sexual, psychological violence and threats of violence which can have negative impacts on children who witness it.

Social Sciences - 22.05.2023

Unique study on AI among children in the Netherlands
Engage with children on ethical and social norms for artificial intelligence Relational skills of children are unique sources of inspiration for the development of human-centred Artificial or Artificial Intelligence (AI). But children are still too little involved in the public dialogue on AI systems.

Life Sciences - Social Sciences - 16.05.2023

Contraception, evolution and the genetic maintenance of same-sex sexual behavior
Study: Contraception ends the genetic maintenance of human same-sex sexual behavior (DO I 10.1073/pnas. Evolution depends on genes being passed down through the generations via reproduction, and same-sex sexual behavior does not result in offspring. So, why haven't the many genes associated with same-sex sexual behavior, known as SSB-associated genes, been purged from the human genome over time? It's a question that has perplexed scientists for decades, one that's explored anew in a Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences study by two University of Michigan biologists.

Health - Social Sciences - 15.05.2023

Research is to compare the health and lifestyles of the population aged 70 to 79 in Lleida and Seville
Aïda Solé-Auró, a professor at the UPF Department of Political and Social Sciences, is joint principal investigator of the project.

Life Sciences - Social Sciences - 15.05.2023

Most species, including humans, who experience early life adversity suffer as adults. How are gorillas different?
Study: Cumulative early life adversity does not predict reduced adult longevity in wild gorillas There's something most species-from baboons to humans to horses-have in common: When they suffer serious adversity early in life, they're more likely to experience hardship later on in life. When researchers from the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund and the University of Michigan decided to look at this question in gorillas, they weren't sure what they would find.

Social Sciences - Computer Science - 12.05.2023

University of Toronto researchers developing AI system to tackle harmful social media content
Hate speech and misinformation on social media can have a devastating impact, particularly on marginalized communities. But what if we used artificial intelligence to combat such harmful content? That's the goal of a team of University of Toronto researchers who were awarded a  Catalyst Grant  by the Data Sciences Institute  (DSI) to develop an AI system to address the marginalization of communities in data-centric systems - including social media platforms such as Twitter.

Politics - Social Sciences - 11.05.2023

Is it too late to change your mind? Study reveals ’developmental window’ for thinking styles
Health + Behavior Social environment through early adulthood plays a big role in how people learn to evaluate information and make decisions about what is true Researchers studied the way different generations in Romania determined the truth of information following the country's transition from authoritarianism to democracy.

Social Sciences - Environment - 10.05.2023

Prioritizing Equity and Justice in Energy, Climate, and Transit Research
After the Justice40 (J40) Initiative was established in 2021 by President Biden with the objective that 40% of benefits from certain federal investments go to disadvantaged communities, five scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory ÜBerkeley Lab) played a key role in mapping out how to achieve this goal in federal programs that focus on climate change, clean energy, energy efficiency, and clean transit.

Social Sciences - History / Archeology - 09.05.2023

Preceding the work: the search for a common language
Presentation of two research projects from the humanities and social sciences It is an unwritten law: scientific exchanges and interdisciplinarity are the basis for excellent research. How does interdisciplinary collaboration increase the gain in knowledge? What obstacles have to be overcome in everyday work? We take a closer look at these and other questions by presenting two research projects from the Humanities and the Social Sciences.

Social Sciences - 08.05.2023

Western study uncovers toll of economic abuse on rural women
Challenges of gender-based violence in rural settings include loss of income, isolation, absence of financial autonomy Blocked from pursuing their careers and left without any source of income. Isolated from friends, coworkers and community. Low credit scores or resumé gaps that dog them for years after the abuse.

Politics - Social Sciences - 04.05.2023

Are ethnic and religious minority voters key to election success?
New research led by experts from The University of Manchester , the University of St Andrews, the University of Essex and the University of Nottingham suggests that people from ethnic and religious minority groups are more likely to be interested in politics than White British people. Evidence for Equality National Survey (EVENS) is a major new survey of racism and ethnic inequalities carried out by the Centre on the Dynamics of Ethnicity (CoDE).

Social Sciences - 03.05.2023

How do makerspaces contribute to urban vitalism?
In recent years, researchers noticed the return of making practices, small-scale manufacturing and independent craft production to postindustrial cities. This 'maker movement' comes together in so called 'makerspaces' and, more generally, in community-based spaces of making. How do these spaces contribute to urban vitalism? Researchers Amanda Brandellero and Anna Niutta conducted empirical research on the opportunities and limitations of these spaces in Turin, Italy.

Life Sciences - Social Sciences - 03.05.2023

Traces from the past
An international research team led by the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, has for the first time successfully isolated ancient human DNA from a Paleolithic artefact: a pierced deer tooth discovered in Denisova Cave in southern Siberia. To preserve the integrity of the artefact, they developed a new, nondestructive method for isolating DNA from ancient bones and teeth.