As of late, so many of us are spending time on Zoom, Skype and Google meetings and we get to see each other in our usually private spaces. You may be chatting not only with your family members and close friends, but also work colleagues, clients and individuals near and far with whom you have...
Many Christian and political conservatives in the U.S. support legislation to deny sexual and gender minorities the rights most Americans enjoy: unfettered access to jobs, housing, services and public facilities; the opportunity to marry as they choose; and the right to adopt a child. A new study published in the American Journal of Community Psychology offers insight...
When faced with danger, humans draw closer together. Social distancing thwarts this impulse. Professor Ophelia Deroy from Ludwigs-Maximilians Universitaet in Munich (LMU) and colleagues argue that this dilemma poses a greater threat to society than overtly antisocial behavior. The corona crisis presents countries around the globe with what is perhaps the greatest challenge most have...
Most Russians would like to have two children: a boy and a girl. The others fall between the two extremes of either wanting no children (at least for now) or planning to have three or more. Having a large family is often associated with affluence. The reasons for having another child are many, from wishing...
New research from the University at Buffalo suggests that non-traditional social strategies, which can include so-called “guilty pleasures,” are just as effective at fulfilling critical social needs as family connections, romantic relationships or strong social support systems. The findings are particularly relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic as people struggle with direct social connections stunted by...
A new study analyzing tweets about COVID-19 found that users with larger social networks tend to use fewer uncivil remarks when they have more positive responses from others. The study, which used computer-assisted content analysis, is published in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking. Bumsoo Kim, PhD, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, is the author of “Effects...
The belief that “real men” must be strong, tough and independent may be a detriment to their social needs later in life. A study co-authored by a Michigan State University sociologist found that men who endorse hegemonic ideals of masculinity — or “toxic masculinity” — can become socially isolated as they age, impacting their health,...
“If you can’t be better than your competition,” Vogue editor Anna Wintour once said, “just dress better.” Indeed, new research suggests that women don’t just dress to be fashionable, or to outdo one another when it comes to enticing men. They also dress for other women. But Wintour’s quote misses some of the nuances that...
A computational analysis of language used by the writer Edgar Allan Poe has revealed that his mysterious death was unlikely to have been suicide. The author, poet, editor, and literary critic died in 1849 after spending several days in hospital while in a state of delirium. To date, Poe’s death remains an unsolved enigma, with...
Social media pages and accounts often turn into memorials when someone dies, giving people a chance to still feel connected to those they’ve lost. But after we’re gone, who owns the information on our pages? Who can access them? Faheem Hussain, a clinical assistant professor in the School for the Future of Innovation in Society...
