“Cancel culture” has a bad reputation. There is growing anxiety over this practice of publicly shaming people online for violating...
Perspectives
What Kinds of Seismic Signals Did Swifties Send at LA Concert?
Seattle may have experienced its own Swift Quake last July, but at an August 2023 concert Taylor Swift’s fans in Los Angeles...
The Role of History in How Efficient Color Names Evolve
Suppose two speakers of the same language are playing a guessing game where each has the same color swatches, and...
Unveiling the Sustainability Landscape in Cultural Organizations: a Global Benchmark
Are museums, theaters, and opera houses truly walking the talk when it comes to social and environmental sustainability? The University...
Community Culture Shapes Ceramics
Archeologists have long used the shapes and styles of pottery as a proxy for ancient cultures. But how does the...
Many Reported Gender Differences May Actually Be Power Differences
Why do men and women seem so different? According to a study, a wide range of gender differences that have...
Live Music Emotionally Moves Us More Than Streamed Music
How does listening to live music affect the emotional center of our brain? A study carried out at the University...
Why We Hate to Wait
Back in 1981, Tom Petty sang that the waiting is the hardest part. New research from The University of Texas...
Sustainable Practices Can Save Mexico’s Blue Agave, Tequila and Bats
Many associate tequila with lime wedges, salt, and parties. But the popular drink also has a negative impact on biodiversity,...
Jealousy – We Understand Our Own Sex Best
Do you really know why your partner gets jealous? We understand a surprising amount about other people’s jealousy, but we...
Mom Talk:’ Immigrant Bilingual Latina Mothers Have Dual-Language Personalities
Children who hear a language other than English at home currently make up more than 25 percent of the school-aged...
Nelson Mandela’s Personal Items Under the Hammer in New York? Why It Outraged Some, and What’s at Stake
An identity document, a pair of reading glasses, a hearing aid and a pair of worn shoes. These are just...
Study Suggests Secret for Getting Teens to Listen to Unsolicited Advice
A new study may hold a secret for getting your teenager to listen to appreciate your unsolicited advice. The University...
I Pagliacci, Clowns and Relevance at the FGO
How does the opera world bring in new and younger fans? This is not a new question, and there are...
How the Word ‘Voodoo’ Became a Racial Slur
For decades, it has been common for people to throw around terms like “voodoo politics,” “voodoo economics,” “voodoo science” and...
The Lotus Sutra − an Ancient Buddhist Scripture from the 3rd Century − Continues to Have Relevance Today
State legislatures across the United States have introduced over 400 bills to limit transgender Americans’ rights. Many of these bills’...
The (Wrong) Reason We Keep Secrets
In and out of the workplace, people often keep adverse information about themselves secret because they worry that others will...
An African History of Cannabis Offers Fascinating and Heartbreaking Insights –An Expert Explains
When I tell people that I research cannabis, I sometimes receive a furtive gesture that implies and presumes: “We’re both...
Nigeria’s Plantain Wine: a Traditional Drink with Huge Economic Potential
Agadagidi, a wine made from plantain, is a popular drink at festive occasions in Nigeria. But it’s not always of...
In Mexico, Piñatas Are Not Just Child’s Play. They’re a 400-Year-Old Tradition
María de Lourdes Ortiz Zacarías swiftly cuts hundreds of strips of newsprint and colored crepe paper needed to make a...
Music Painted on the Wall of a Venetian Orphanage Will Be Heard Again Nearly 250 Years Later
Imagine Lady Gaga or Elton John teaching at an orphanage or homeless shelter, offering daily music lessons. That’s what took...
From Ancient Greece to Broadway, Music Has Played a Critical Role in Theater
Though anxiety about the fate of live theater performances still lingers, Broadway is celebrating its third season since reopening after...
In Conversation with Tim O’Keefe of the Texas Ballet Theater
The winter holiday season is chock full of tradition, and one of the most beloved traditions this time of year...
Passion and Sumptuousness- La Traviata at the FGO
It’s the opening of the Florida Grand Opera’s 82nd season, and this one delivers a few of the most beloved...
The Daughter of the Regiment Plays Well in Chicago
When the world is full of woes, watching a comedic opera, albeit one with some quirky plot twists, is a...
In Online News, Do Mouse Clicks Speak Louder Than Words?
In a polarized country, how much does the media influence people’s political views? A new study co-authored by MIT scholars finds...
Day of the Dead Is Taking on Halloween Traditions, but the Sacred Holiday Is Far More Than a ‘Mexican Halloween’
Many Latinos regularly declare: “Día de los Muertos is not Mexican Halloween.” The declaration is increasingly repeated by non-Latinos too....
The Day of the Dead in Mexico Is a Celebration for the 5 Senses
The Day of the Dead in Mexico smells like cempasuchil flowers and copal incense. It has a sweet taste. Sounds and colors...
How ‘La Catrina’ Became the Iconic Symbol of Day of the Dead
On April 13, 1944, thousands of people clashed with police on the steps of the Art Institute of Chicago. The...
Caution: Content Warnings Do Not Reduce Stress, Study Shows
Advocates for the use of trigger warnings suggest that they can help people avoid or emotionally prepare for encountering content...
How to Protect Self-Esteem When a Career Goal Dies
Many people fail at achieving their early career dreams. But a new study suggests that those failures don’t have to...
Study Confirms It: Opposites Don’t Actually Attract
Opposites don’t actually attract. That’s the takeaway from a sweeping CU Boulder analysis of more than 130 traits and including...
Does a “Surprise” Factor in Gift-Giving Affect Beneficiaries’ Gratitude? Scientists Answer
Gratitude is a strong emotion, usually felt by a person who benefits from an intentional good deed of another person....
Mexico’s Native Ethnic Groups Promote Their Heritage During Oaxaca’s Biggest Cultural Festival
Leticia Santiago carries her ancestral heritage wherever she goes. Every time she addresses the crowds during the Guelaguetza, the biggest...
Encouraging Latinx Youth to Embrace Ethnic Pride Can Enhance Their Well-Being
Encouraging Latinx adolescents of Mexican origin to embrace their ethnic pride, cultural values, and connections to their cultural community contributes...
Positive Contact with Diverse Groups Can Reduce Belief in Conspiracy Theories About Them
New research has shown that having positive contact with people from diverse groups can reduce the development of harmful intergroup...
In Determining What’s True, Americans Consider the Intentions of the Information Source
Putting truth to the test in the “post-truth era”, Boston College psychologists conducted experiments that show when Americans decide whether...
Why Guys Who Post a Lot on Social Media Are Seen as Less Manly
For better or worse, much of life is categorized along gendered lines: Clothing stores have sections for men and women,...
Flexible, Supportive Company Culture Makes for Better Remote Work
The pandemic made remote work the norm for many, but that doesn’t mean it was always a positive experience. Remote...
Shattering the Myth of Men as Hunters and Women as Gatherers
Analysis of data from dozens of foraging societies around the world shows that women hunt in at least 79 percent...
The Meaning Behind the Woodstock Character in ‘Peanuts’
Charles Schulz, creator of the comic strip “Peanuts,” was anything but a hippie. Still, he named the beloved yellow bird...
Big Money Bought the PGA Tour, but Can It Make Golf a Popular Sport in Saudi Arabia?
The recent merger between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi-funded LIV Golf – now being reviewed by the...
Using High-Tech Laser Gear, UN-Backed Team Scans Ukraine Historical Sites to Preserve Them Amid War
Under the plaintive painted eyes of the holy, a volunteer team of two United Nations-backed engineers watched as a whirling...
The First Prehistoric Wind Instruments Discovered in the Levant
Although the prehistoric site of Eynan-Mallaha in northern Israel has been thoroughly examined since 1955, it still holds some surprises...
What Does Narcissism Have to Do with Ecology?
A group of researchers from the Nicolaus Copernicus University, the SWPS University in Warsaw, and the University of Waikato in...
Women Feel the Pain of Losses More Than Men When Faced with Risky Choices – New Research
Women are less willing to take risks than men because they are more sensitive to the pain of any losses...
Romantic Relationships Between Coworkers May Deteriorate Workplace Culture
Workplace ostracism refers to an employee’s perception of being excluded, ignored, or rejected in the workplace. A study published in PLOS...
Uganda’s President Signs into Law Anti-Gay Legislation with Death Penalty in Some Cases
Uganda’s president has signed into law anti-gay legislation supported by many in this East African country but widely condemned by...
The Unbearable Allure of Cringe
Why can’t you stop watching TV shows, movies or viral videos that make you cringe? Cringe is the feeling you...
In ‘Air,’ Michael Jordan’s Silence Speaks Volumes About the Marketing of Black Athletes
The film “Air,” which tells the story of Nike’s signing of Michael Jordan, isn’t actually about Michael Jordan at all....
Research Shows Coaches Who Lead with Empathy Get More Out of Athletes – and Here’s How
Gone are the days of dictatorial leaders in sport, screaming from the side-lines and insulting their players, and instead we...
Gossip Influences Who Gets Ahead in Different Cultures
Gossip influences if people receive advantages whether they work in an office in the U.S. or in India—or even in...
LieLab: The Devil Is in the Details
Figuring out a lie has never been easier: forget body language or how convincing the message is, just listen to...
What Distinguishes Fans from Celebrity Stalkers?
A survey study of U.S. college students provides new insights into factors associated with the tendency to engage in celebrity...
The Pot at the End of the Rainbow
Bisexuals use cannabis more frequently for coping, enhancement Young people classified as bisexual not only use cannabis more frequently but...
How Edgar Allan Poe Became the Darling of the Maligned and Misunderstood
Edgar Allan Poe, who would have turned 214 years old on Jan. 19, 2023, remains one of the world’s most...
E-Commerce Retailers Can Save Money by Considering Pick Failures at Stores
The share of e-commerce retail sales in the United States has grown steadily over the last decade. This trend has...
God and Guns Often Go Together in U.S. History – This Course Examines Why
As a religion professor, I’ve come to know many students from other countries who identify as Christian. I realized they...
Do Accents Disappear?
In Boston, there are reports of people pronouncing the letter “r.” Down in Tennessee, people are noticing a lack of...
Pelé: a Global Superstar and Cultural Icon Who Put Passion at the Heart of Soccer
Pelé, soccer’s first global superstar, has died at the age of 82. To many fans, the Brazilian will be remembered...
Religion Is Not the Factor That Most Influences Rejection of Evolutionary Theory in Schools
A survey of 5,500 Brazilian and Italian school students aged 14-16 pointed to nationality, social perceptions of science and household...
New MIT Sloan Research on Identity Cues in Social Media Shows It’s Not Just What Is Said but Who Says It That Matters
One of the first and most controversial policy changes Elon Musk proposed after taking the helm at Twitter last week,...
TikTok Perpetuates Toxic Diet Culture Among Teens and Young Adults
New research from the University of Vermont finds the most viewed content on TikTok relating to food, nutrition and weight...
Japan’s ‘Waste Not, Want Not’ Philosophy Has Deep Religious and Cultural Roots, from Monsters and Meditation to Marie Kondo’s Tidying Up
The word “waste” is often frightening. People fear not making the most of their time, whether at work or at...
In Mexico, Day of the Dead Is Actually a Celebration of Life
During the Day of the Dead celebrations that take place in late October and early November in Mexico, the living remember and...
Sacheen Littlefeather and Ethnic Fraud – Why the Truth Is Crucial, Even It It Means Losing an American Indian Hero
When Sacheen Littlefeather died on Oct. 2, 2022, obituaries reflecting on the actress and activist’s life held her up as...
Romeo and Juliet – Miami City Ballet
Few stories are as well-known as the classic Romeo and Juliet, and unless you are the most jaded individual, it...
Dating Profile Text Perceived as More Original May Spark More Attraction
A new study involving users of online dating sites has revealed a link between the perceived originality of text in...
Powerful Women Heading Up Dating Apps Are Framed as Young and Sexy
People are swiping on dating apps in record numbers and roughly half of these individuals identify as women, which may...
Diwali: A Celebration of the Goddess Lakshmi, and Her Promise of Prosperity and Good Fortune
This year Diwali, a popular festival for Hindus, Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs, will be celebrated on Oct. 24, the Amavasya,...
Recruiting Male Allies Boosts Women at Work
When women and men raise their voices together in the workplace, managers are more likely to support gender equity issues,...
Erotophilia and Sexual Sensation–seeking Are Good Predictors of Engagement with Sex Robots
Simon Dubé’s study examines the personality traits of people who are more willing to experiment with erobotics Advances in technology,...
Stop Using ‘Latinx’ If You Really Want to Be Inclusive
Most of the debates on the usage of “Latinx” – pronounced “la-teen-ex” – have taken place in the U.S. But...
Burning Man Highlights the Primordial Human Need for Ritual
At the end of each summer, hordes of people flock to the Black Rock Desert in Nevada to erect a makeshift city...
Why It’s Important to Think About Social Media Use as a Form of Dissociation, Rather Than Addiction
In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, I had an unfortunate Saturday routine. I would wake up in my...
Best FIFA Men’s Player Award Appears to Be Biased by Cultural Similarity
A new analysis of voting data for the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)’s World’s Best Male Football Player Award...
Delaying Gratification: How Do Children React to Waiting in Different Cultures?
Overcoming impulses to enjoy here-and-now rewards in order to attain later benefits is fundamental to achieving goals. Such delaying of...
How Race, Gun Ownership, and Black Lives Matter Shape Americans’ Views of the January 6 Capitol Attack
A new survey shows Americans’ view of the January 6 Capitol attack can be predicted by their opinions on social...
Roe V. Rap: Hip-Hop Artists Have Long Wrestled with Reproductive Rights
Hip-hop culture is often recognized as being born on Aug. 11, 1973. That was about seven months after Roe v....
Where the Witches Were Men: A Historian Explains What Magic Looked Like in Early Modern Russia
The word “witches” makes many Americans think of women working in league with the devil. But that hasn’t always been...
The Catholic Church’s Views on Exorcism Have Changed – a Religious Studies Scholar Explains Why
In September 2021, a 3-year-old was killed during an exorcism in a small Pentecostal church in San Jose, California. The...
Spatial Distribution of Anti-Asian Hate Tweets During Covid-19
In January of 2020, SARS-CoV-19 reached the United States. With it came an even faster-spreading virus—xenophobic rhetoric referring to the...
Black Girls Commonly Have Negative Experiences Related to Their Natural Hair
Teasing and unwanted hair touching are just some of the negative experiences Black girls go through because of their hair,...
Denial of Structural Racism Linked to Anti-Black Prejudice
People who deny the existence of structural racism are more likely to exhibit anti-Black prejudice and less likely to show...
Of Speech and Spatial Identity
Style and Polity in conversation with Benjamin A. Bross, an Assistant Professor of architecture and an urban historian at the...
NBA Sees Rise in Acts of Symbolic Violence
A new analysis of NBA basketball broadcasts from 1998 to 2018 reveals a decline in acts of physical violence, such...
Muscle-Building Linked to Weapon Carrying and Physical Fighting
Gun violence and school violence have been on the rise since the pandemic, as have eating disorders and body image...
Why Is There No Uber for Live Music?
While digital platforms like Uber continue to proliferate and expand the gig economy into new sectors of work, some industries,...
The Ancient, Female Origins of Booze
You are the one who soaks the malt in a jar, The waves rise, the waves fall. Ninkasi, you are...
Who Do Firearm Owners Trust to Talk About Safe Firearm Storage?
There are several subgroups of firearm owners, but despite their differences, these groups generally view family, law enforcement and suicide...
Book Examines History of Mexico City’s Public Square, Evolution of Mexican Spatial Identities
For 700 years, Mexico City’s public square, known as the Zócalo, has been the place where many of the nation’s...
Why Ukrainian Americans Are Committed to Preserving Ukrainian Culture – and National Sovereignty
As a child, I would wait with anticipation for my parents to return from trips to the Soviet Union. Often...
How Scammers Like Anna Delvey and the Tinder Swindler Exploit a Core Feature of Human Nature
Maybe she had so much money she just lost track of it. Maybe it was all a misunderstanding. That’s how...
Clarifying the Complexities of Communication Across Millennia in Mesoamerica
The long-held consensus that the more populated and “civilized” a society, the more complex their communication may be more nuanced than...
Study Shows Discrepancy in ‘Hookup Culture’ Sexual Activity on Dates
A new study from the University of Kansas shows that in “hookup culture,” — in which young people may engage...
Sidney Poitier – Hollywood’s First Black Leading Man Reflected the Civil Rights Movement on Screen
In the summer of 1967, Martin Luther King Jr. introduced the keynote speaker for the 10th-anniversary convention banquet of the...
Hip Hop Song Linked to a Reduction in Suicides in the U.S.
Wide scale public attention to the song “1-800-273-8255” by American hip hop artist Logic was associated with an increase in...
Joe Exotic Channels the Spirit of America’s 19th-Century Tiger Kings
“I am never gonna financially recover from this,” grumbles Joe Exotic, the subject of Netflix’s “Tiger King” documentary series. Joe...
Study Casts Doubt on Theory That Women Aren’t as Competitive as Men
As researchers investigate reasons for America’s persistent gender wage gap, one possible explanation that has emerged in roughly the last...
Cromwell Struggled to Control Closure of the Monasteries as His Government Lost Its Grip During Dissolution, New Book Shows
Thomas Cromwell struggled to keep control of the closure of the monasteries and his government lost its grip during dissolution,...
Women Are More Reluctant Than Men to Ask for Deadline Extensions
Women are less likely than men to ask for more time to complete projects with adjustable deadlines at work or...
UArizona-Led Team Finds Nearly 500 Ancient Ceremonial Sites in Southern Mexico
The discovery shifts researchers’ understanding of the relationship between the Olmec civilization and the subsequent Maya civilization. A team of...
Shadow Loss: Young Adults Cope with Missing Out During Pandemic
A new paper featuring college students’ experiences with loss during the COVID-19 pandemic shows that although few directly experienced a...
Publication of 500-Year-Old Manuscript Exposes Medieval Beliefs and Religious Cults
A rare English illuminated medieval prayer roll, believed to be among only a few dozen still in existence worldwide, has...
Squid Game: the Real Debt Crisis Shaking South Korea That Inspired the Hit TV Show
Squid Game is anything but your typical, saccharine, soft-glow Korean television drama. In this biting commentary on life in South...
Why Improvisation Is the Future in an AI-Dominated World
In his autobiography, Miles Davis complained that classical musicians were like robots. He spoke from experience – he’d studied classical...
How a Committed Minority Can Change Society
Over the last year, handshakes have been replaced by fist or elbow bumps as a greeting. It shows that age-old...
Success of Megamusicals Makes Space for Innovation
Megamusicals have often been criticised in the academic world and in the media for their homogenizing tendencies, but increasing academic...
Taxing Bachelors and Proposing Marriage Lotteries – How Superpowers Addressed Declining Birthrates in the Past
There’s growing awareness – and concern – about declining birthrates in the U.S. and other countries around the world. Falling...
The Women Who Appear in Dante’s ‘Divine Comedy’ Are Finally Getting Their Due, 700 Years Later
When Dante Alighieri died 700 years ago, on Sept. 14, 1321, he had just put his final flourishes on the...
Football Without the Fans: New Study Reveals Effect of Empty Stadiums During Pandemic
Playing professional football games in empty stadiums had a hugely negative effect on the success of home teams, with home...
Germany Is Returning Nigeria’s Looted Benin Bronzes: Why It’s Not Nearly Enough
After years of pressure, Germany recently announced that an agreement had been reached to return hundreds of priceless artefacts and...
How Do Leaders and Influencers Emerge?
We think of leaders and influencers as imbued with special skills and qualities – either innate or hard-won merit –...
New York City’s Hidden Old-Growth Forests
In the popular imagination, New York City is a mass of soaring steel-frame skyscrapers. But many of the city’s 1...
For Some Craft Beer Drinkers, Less Can Mean More
My prepandemic summers were always packed with travel – trips to Europe for work and play, and, most recently, a...
Calls to Cancel Chaucer Ignore His Defense of Women and the Innocent – and Assume All His Characters’ Opinions Are His
Spying is a risky profession. For the 14th-century English undercover agent-turned-poet Geoffrey Chaucer, the dangers – at least to his...
Males Help Keep Populations Genetically Healthy
A few males are enough to fertilise all the females. The number of males therefore has little bearing on a...
How Political Bias Impacts Believing Sexual Assault Victims
New research from Syracuse University Newhouse School of Public Communications reveals a relationship between political biases and attitudes about sexual...
Video Platforms Normalize Exotic Pets
Researchers at the University of Adelaide are concerned video sharing platforms such as YouTube could be contributing to the normalisation...
Husbands Still Seen as the Experts on Their Household’s Finances
Men were more likely to be the spouse with the most knowledge of a couple’s finances in 2016 than they...
Teens Describe Their Gender and Sexuality in Diverse Ways, but Some Are Being Left Behind
A growing number of young people are identifying as part of the LGBTQ+ community, and many are challenging binaries in...
Sexual Harassment Claims Considered More Credible If Made by ‘Prototypical’ Women
Women who are young, “conventionally attractive” and appear and act feminine are more likely to be believed when making accusations...
Why We Use Our Smartphone at Cafés
Maybe you’re like us. We’re the folks who are on our smartphones almost all the time, even when we’re with...
Delivering the News with Humor Makes Young Adults More Likely to Remember and Share
In the early decades of televised news, Americans turned to the stern faces of newsmen like Walter Cronkite, Tom Brokaw,...
Far-Right Activists on Social Media Telegraphed Violence Weeks in Advance of the Attack on the U.S. Capitol
The attack on the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6 was shocking, but no one following right-wing activity on social...
Cuba Cracks Down on Artists Who Demanded Creative Freedoms After ‘Unprecedented’ Government Negotiations
Cuban artists and intellectuals want more rights – and, in an unusual show of dissent, they demanded the government sit...
The 16 Facial Expressions Most Common to Emotional Situations Worldwide
Whether at a birthday party in Brazil, a funeral in Kenya or protests in Hong Kong, humans all use variations...
Female Language Style Promotes Visibility and Influence Online
A female-typical language style promotes the popularity of talks in the digital context and turns out to be an underappreciated...
Why the Virgin of Guadalupe Is More Than a Religious Icon to Catholics in Mexico
Each year, as many as 10 million people travel to the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City,...
New Study Shows Every Week of Lockdown Increases Binge Drinking
Harmful drinking among adults increases the longer they spend at home in lockdown, according to a study published in the...
Men Feel Less Powerful in Their Private Lives
Men perceive themselves as having less power in their private than in their public lives, a new study from Lund...
The Beauty and Brilliance of Baxsan, One of the Most Popular Somali Singers of All Time
Seynab Haji Ali Siigaale, widely known as Baxsan, passed away on 19 October 2020 and was buried a day later...
How The Gringos Stole Tequila, a Review
Judge a book by its title and its cover; you’ll infer that the author has something powerful to convey. Book...
What Day of the Dead Tells Us About the Aztec Philosophy of Happiness
Growing up in the United States, I remember on Halloween my mother used to say, “Honey, this is not just...
Undocumented Immigrants May Actually Make American Communities Safer – Not More Dangerous
The big idea Undocumented immigration does not increase the violent crime rate in U.S. metropolitan areas. In fact, it may...
Seeing No Longer Believing: the Manipulation of Online Images
A peace sign from Martin Luther King, Jr, becomes a rude gesture; President Donald Trump’s inauguration crowd scenes inflated; dolphins...
1 in 12 Parents Say Their Teen Has Attended a Demonstration About Racism or Police Reform
A growing number of demonstrators taking to the streets to protest police brutality and racial injustice may include teenagers, a...
Ancient Maya Built Sophisticated Water Filters
Ancient Maya in the once-bustling city of Tikal built sophisticated water filters using natural materials they imported from miles away,...
Turbulent Era Sparked Leap in Human Behavior, Adaptability 320,000 Years Ago
For hundreds of thousands of years, early humans in the East African Rift Valley could expect certain things of their...
Athletes Don’t Benefit from Relying on a Coach for Too Long
Athletes increasingly relying on a coach over the course of a season may be a sign that they aren’t progressing...
Muslims, Atheists More Likely to Face Religious Discrimination in the United States
Muslims and atheists in the United States are more likely than those of Christian faiths to experience religious discrimination, according...
In San Martín De Hidalgo, Beauty Exists Despite a Global Pandemic.
The town of San Martín de Hidalgo, just 100 Kilometers from Guadalajara, is immersed with colorful architecture, expansive pastures, and...
Do We Know What We Want in a Romantic Partner? No More Than a Random Stranger Would
We all can describe our ideal partner. Perhaps they are funny, attractive and inquisitive. Or maybe they are down-to-earth, intelligent...
How Prison and Police Discrimination Affect Black Sexual Minority Men’s Health
Incarceration and police discrimination may worsen psychological and physical health, Rutgers led study finds Incarceration and police discrimination may contribute...
Why Are Sitcom Dads Still So Inept?
From Homer Simpson to Phil Dunphy, sitcom dads have long been known for being bumbling and inept. But it wasn’t...
How ‘Karen’ Went from a Popular Baby Name to a Stand-In for White Entitlement
When I read about Amy Cooper, the woman in Central Park who called the police on a black birder because...
When the Camera Becomes a Mirror
As of late, so many of us are spending time on Zoom, Skype and Google meetings and we get to...
Opposition to Sexual- and Gender-Minority Rights Linked to Support for Christian Dominance
Many Christian and political conservatives in the U.S. support legislation to deny sexual and gender minorities the rights most Americans...
COVID-19: The Downside of Social Distancing
When faced with danger, humans draw closer together. Social distancing thwarts this impulse. Professor Ophelia Deroy from Ludwigs-Maximilians Universitaet in...
How Many Children Is Enough?
Most Russians would like to have two children: a boy and a girl. The others fall between the two extremes...
From Watching Reruns to Relationships, There Are Many Ways of Feeling Connected
New research from the University at Buffalo suggests that non-traditional social strategies, which can include so-called “guilty pleasures,” are just...
Social Grooming Factors Influencing Social Media Civility on COVID-19
A new study analyzing tweets about COVID-19 found that users with larger social networks tend to use fewer uncivil remarks...
Toxic Masculinity Is Unsafe…for Men
The belief that “real men” must be strong, tough and independent may be a detriment to their social needs later...
How Women Dress for Other Women
“If you can’t be better than your competition,” Vogue editor Anna Wintour once said, “just dress better.” Indeed, new research...
Why Edgar Allan Poe Probably Did Not Kill Himself
A computational analysis of language used by the writer Edgar Allan Poe has revealed that his mysterious death was unlikely...
Our Digital Afterlife
Social media pages and accounts often turn into memorials when someone dies, giving people a chance to still feel connected...
How Social Media Makes Breakups That Much Worse
Imagine flipping through your Facebook News Feed first thing in the morning and spotting a notification that your ex is...
Many Teens Are Victims of Digital Dating Abuse; Boys Get the Brunt of It
With February being Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, new research is illuminating how this problem is manifesting online. “Digital dating...
Women in Arab Countries Find Themselves Torn Between Opportunity and Tradition
Arab women, long relegated to the private sphere by law and social custom, are gaining new access to public life....
Horror Movies Manipulate Brain Activity Expertly to Enhance Excitement
Humans are fascinated by what scares us, be it sky-diving, roller-coasters, or true-crime documentaries – provided these threats are kept...
Cultural Difference Play Crucial Role in When People Would Sacrifice One to Save Group
Cultural differences play a pivotal role in how people in different parts of the world perceive when it is acceptable...
Clubs and Bars Must Support Women by Cracking Down on Sexual Aggression
Nightclubs and bars must create a supportive environment that cracks down on unwanted sexual attention and allows women to enjoy...
Brewing a Better Espresso, with a Shot of Math
Mathematicians, physicists, and materials experts might not spring to mind as the first people to consult about whether you are...
For Linguists, It Was the Decade of the Pronoun
On Jan. 3, the American Dialect Society held its 30th annual “Word of the Year” vote, which this year also...
‘She’ Goes Missing from Presidential Language
Throughout most of 2016, a significant percentage of the American public believed that the winner of the November 2016 presidential...
AI for #MeToo: Training Algorithms to Spot Online Trolls
Researchers at Caltech have demonstrated that machine-learning algorithms can monitor online social media conversations as they evolve, which could one...
Forget Fast Cars and Shiny Rolexes – Rich People Used to Show Off Their Wealth with Pineapples and Celery
A stack of pancakes ladened with syrup, a frothy latte posed next to a white MacBook, a deep pan pizza...
Luxury Consumption Can Fuel ‘Impostor Syndrome’ Among Some Buyers
Purchasing luxury goods can affirm buyers’ sense of status and enjoyment of items like fancy cars or fine jewelry. However,...
Scandinavians’ Little Linguistic Hat Trick
Linguist Dave Kush at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology’s Department of Language and Literature has been studying a...
How Humans Learnt to Dance; from the Chimpanzee Conga
The evolution of human dance has been studied by psychologists in chimpanzees Researchers from the University of Warwick, Durham University...
Financial Infidelity: Secret Spending Costs Couples and Companies
Along with sexual dalliances and emotional dishonesty, add “financial infidelity” to the perils of the modern relationship, according to Boston...
Social Media Contributes to Increased Perception of Food Technology as Risky Business
When it comes to food technology, the information shared on social media often trumps the facts put out by the...
Unemployment Encourages Men to Try Traditionally Female-Dominated Work
Unemployment significantly increases the odds of men entering jobs traditionally performed by women. And, notably, some men find real job...
Love, Lies and Money: Study Introduces, Defines and Measures Financial Infidelity
Romantic relationships are built on trust — yet when it comes to money, even faithful partners are not always honest...
Helicopter Parents and ‘Hothouse Children’ — Exploring the High Stakes of Family Dynamics
True helicopter parents talk a good game in making their actions all about their children, but according to one West Virginia...
How Religion Can Heighten or Help with Financial Stress
Churchgoers who are strapped for cash may experience a spike in anxiety when the donation plate is passed. However, knowing...
How Much Credit Should Corporations Get for the Advancement of LGBTQ Rights?
Gay pride parades increasingly include marchers representing corporations, from defense contractor Raytheon to telecommunications conglomerate Comcast. During the most recent...
How Steak Became Manly and Salads Became Feminine
When was it decided that women prefer some types of food – yogurt with fruit, salads and white wine –...
Slurs Offend Young Adults More Than Swearing
In 1972, the comedian George Carlin performed a comedy routine in which he listed the seven words you couldn’t say...
Revenge Porn Is Sexual Violence, Not Millennial Negligence
U.S. Representative Katie Hill was the latest victim of a form of sexual abuse that’s become increasingly common: revenge porn....
Ken Loach’s New Film on the Gig Economy Tells Exactly the Same Story as Our Research
Ken Loach’s film, Sorry We Missed You, tells the harrowing tale of Ricky, Abby and their family’s attempts to get...
Drunk and Stoned… and On Instagram
Once upon a time you could become drunk and afterward, people might gossip about your oafish escapades but it more...
Research Debunks Myth of Super Bowl Sex Trafficking, Improves Media Narrative
For years news outlets have tied major sporting events to an increase in sex trafficking, but researchers have now revealed...
What Reddit’s Basketball Fans Can Tell Us About Online Discourse
Basketball season kicked off last month and with it comes the return of the most enduring of fan traditions: trash...
Image Analysis to Automatically Quantify Gender Bias in Movies
Many commercial films worldwide continue to express womanhood in a stereotypical manner, a recent study using image analysis showed. A...
An Evolution in the Understanding of Evolution
Remember domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species and Darwin’s tree of life metaphor we learned about in high...
New Ideal Housewife Image Being Created by Social Media Influencers and Bloggers
The new generation of successful female bloggers and influencers on social media are changing the identity of the stereotypical “ideal”...
Do Unmarried Women Face Shortages of Partners in the U.S. Marriage Market?
One explanation for declines in marriage is a shortage of economically-attractive men for unmarried women to marry. Indeed, a new...
Scotland’s Genetic Landscape Echoes Dark Age Populations
The DNA of Scottish people still contains signs of the country’s ancient kingdoms, with many apparently living in the same...
50 Years Ago, Jimi Hendrix’s Woodstock Anthem Expressed the Hopes and Fears of a Nation
One of the most powerful, searing renditions of the national anthem ever recorded, Jimi Hendrix’s iconic Woodstock anthem, almost never...
Is Instagram Behavior Motivated by a Desire to Belong?
Does a desire to belong and perceived social support drive a person’s frequency of Instagram use? The relationship between these...
Facebook Can Help College Students with Lower Confidence Build Relationships
Facebook can help first-semester college students maintain relationships with high school friends and assist them in creating new friendships, according...
Researcher Studies How Individuals Use Technology to Engage with Their Cultures
As the nation continues to get more diverse, it’s common for immigrant populations in the United States to identify with...
Problematic Smartphone Use Linked to Poorer Grades, Alcohol Misuse, More Sexual Partners
A survey of more than 3,400 university students in the USA has found that one in five respondents reported problematic...
23% of Young Black Women Now Identify as Bisexual
Since 1972, social scientists have studied the General Social Survey to chart the complexities of social change in the United...
What’s Your Attitude About Body Hair Removal?
As beachgoers scramble to trim their nether regions ahead of swim season, new UNLV research shows they aren’t alone in...
Why Fewer and Fewer Americans Are Getting Divorced
Fewer and fewer Americans are getting divorced, with the rates falling 18% between 2008 and 2016. Among American adults, there...
Combing Through Someone’s Phone Could Lead to End of Relationship — or Not
For some people, the thought of their partner, friend or colleague snooping through their phone, reading their texts and emails,...
Initially Threatened by Change, People Adapt to Societal Diversity Over Time
President Donald Trump recently introduced immigration reforms that would prioritize education and employment qualifications over family connections in selecting immigrants...
The Secret to a Stable Society? A Steady Supply of Beer Doesn’t Hurt
A thousand years ago, the Wari empire stretched across Peru. At its height, it covered an area the size of...
Men Sometimes Act Less Interested in Sex — in Order to Get It
When heterosexuals have casual sex, previous research indicates it is typically the woman who sets the boundaries. If she’s not...
Binge-Watching Political Dramas with Female Characters Could Get You Hooked on Politics
Don’t feel so bad for binge-watching a political drama – it might lead to more civic participation, as long as...
A Peek at Living Room Decor Suggests How Decorations Vary Around the World
People around the world paint their walls different colors, buy plants to spruce up their interiors and engage in a...
Women More Likely to Believe the Bible Is Literally True, But Study Finds this May Have More to Do with Intimacy than Gender
Women are more likely than men to believe the Bible is literally true, but a recent Baylor University study finds...
Research Pulls Back the Veil on Historical Portrayal of ‘Downton Abbey’
Ask any “Downton Abbey” fan about the wildly popular historical television drama and they will wistfully reminisce about being whisked...
Celebrity Culture Likely Contributed to Destigmatizing Out-Of-Wedlock Childbirth
In 1992, former Vice President Dan Quayle criticized the sitcom character Murphy Brown’s decision to have a child out of...
2017 Women’s March Solidarity Events Drew 100 Times National Protest Average, Study Shows
As the next Women’s March approaches, a new study of the 2017 Women’s March solidarity events led by University of...
Despite Progress, Gay Fathers and Their Children Still Structurally Stigmatized
A study published in the February 2019 “Pediatrics” journal suggests the majority of gay fathers and their children continue to...
Cop Voice: Jay-Z, Public Enemy Songs Highlight Police Tactic to Frighten People of Color
What do songs by artists like Jay-Z and Public Enemy have in common? They feature representations of ‘cop voice,’ a...
Store Craft Beer in a Cool Place and Consume It as Fresh as Possible
A new study by the Leibniz-Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich (Leibniz-LSB@TUM) shows that craft...
Implicit Attitudes Can Change Over the Long Term
Data from more than 4 million tests completed between 2004 and 2016 show that Americans’ attitudes toward certain social groups...
Tips for Making Resolutions Work
Now is the time many people make New Year’s resolutions: Save money. Eat better. Lose weight. Stop smoking. Studies have shown...
Views of Ideal Female Appearance in China Are Changing
Young women in China, living in a rapidly changing society with more personal independence, disposable income and exposure to Western...
Why Are Some Americans Changing Their Names?
In 2008, Newsweek published an article on then-presidential candidate Barack Obama titled “From Barry to Barack.” The story explained how...
Photos in Social Media Reveal Socio-Cultural Value of Landscapes
Every day, users upload millions of photos on platforms, such as Flickr, Instagram or Facebook. A study of researchers of...
Use of Tobacco & Marijuana Products Frequently Featured in Hip-Hop Music Videos
Over the past decade, hip-hop music has become a world-wide phenomenon and, in 2017, surpassed rock as the biggest music...
Fear of Muslims in American Society
Roughly 1% of the U.S. adult population are Muslims. The political and social scrutiny focused on this small group has...
How to Avoid Raising a Materialistic Child
If you’re a parent, you may be concerned that materialism among children has been on the rise. According to research,...
Selfish People Have Fewer Children and Earn Less Money
What happens to those who behave unselfishly and make sacrifices for the sake of others? According to an interdisciplinary study...
Going to Bed with Your Ex Might Not Be as Bad You Think
Conventional wisdom holds that people set themselves up for even greater heartache when they jump into bed with their ex-partner...
What’s in the Man Box? Increased Violence & Suicidal Thoughts
An Australian first study involving 1000 men aged 18 to 30 has found those who conform to traditional definitions of...
Do Lovers Always Tease Each Other? Study Shows How Couples Handle Laughter and Banter
Laughter plays an important role in romantic relationships – whether or not it’s shared together or directed at the significant...
Your Facebook Friends Don’t Mean It, but They’re Likely Hurting You Daily
Social media sites often present users with social exclusion information that may actually inhibit intelligent thought, according to the co-author...
Media Violence, Impulsivity and Family Conflict Tied to Aggressive Behaviors in Teenagers
Teenagers exposed to TV and film violence and high levels of household conflict are at risk of engaging in aggressive...
People Who Embrace Traditional Masculinity Beliefs Less Likely to Report Rape
Even in cases where a rape has clearly taken place, traditional beliefs and assumptions about masculinity can cause both witnesses...
Environmental Concerns Stronger Among Younger Religious Americans
Younger generations of religious Americans tend to closely harbor concerns for the environment via stewardship more so than older parishioners,...
Men Take Care of Their Spouses Just as Well as Women (New Research Suggests)
Men respond to their spouse’s illness just as much as women do and as a result are better caregivers in...
Ida B. Wells: How Grassroots Support and Social Media Made a Monumental Difference in Honoring Her Legacy
I learned at an early age that my great-grandmother, Ida B. Wells, was a force to be reckoned with. Born...
Appropriating Culture
What you wear can cause a big uproar. Your clothing can trigger a controversy. Accessories, cosmetics, and hairdos that you...
Voters Do Not Always Walk the Talk When It Comes to Infidelity
Democrats, who generally have a more liberal take on sexual matters, were least likely to use an adultery dating service,...
Decision to Live Together Negatively Affects Wealth Accumulation
Living together is often a first step before marriage, or for a growing number of millennials, an alternative to tying...
Women Know What They Want; Men Get Pickier with Age
Women under 40 seeking a partner online are more particular than men, especially when it comes to education, according to...
Liberals Do Drink More Lattes, but Maybe Not for the Reasons You Think
The term “latte liberal” has been a popular way to disparage American progressives as uppity and out of touch, but...
Religion Is Uniquely Human, but Computer Simulations May Help Us Understand Religious Behavior
When disaster strikes, people often turn to religion for comfort and support. A powerful recent example of this comes from...
Do Bouncers at Clubs Enforce Dress Codes Equally Across Races?
When videotape surfaced of two men being arrested at a Philadelphia Starbucks for loitering, some criticized the store manager, questioning...
Americans Are Becoming More Socially Isolated, but They’re Not Feeling Lonelier
Are Americans becoming lonelier? On May 1, NPR reported on a survey about loneliness conducted by Cigna, a large health...
Mad Magazine’s Clout May Have Faded, but Its Ethos Matters More Than Ever Before
Mad Magazine is still hanging on. In April, it launched a reboot, jokingly calling it its “first issue.” But in...
China Institute and China Beauty Charity Fund Partner to Present the 2018 China Fashion Gala
On Friday, May 4th, China Institute and the Yue-Sai Kan China Beauty Charity Fund will co-present the third annual China Fashion...
As the Royal Wedding Approaches, What Can One of the World’s Greatest Novels Teach Us About Marriage?
You can tell a lot about our culture by the way we talk about marriage. Take the upcoming exchange of...
3 Vital Ways to Measure How Much a University Education Is Worth
3 vital ways to measure how much a university education is worth Editor’s note: Today we begin a new series...
Women in Tech Suffer Because of American Myth of Meritocracy
The American dream is built on the notion that the U.S. is a meritocracy. Americans believe success in life and...
Why the Christian Right Opposes Pornography but Still Supports Trump
Many commentators have pointed out the hypocrisy of Christian leaders who claim a moral high ground while supporting President Donald...
DMX Sentenced In Manhattan Federal Court To One Year In Prison For Tax Fraud
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Earl Simmons, known professionally...
Culture of Trust Is Key for School Safety
When we first visited the school that is the focus of our forthcoming book, “Navigating Conflict: How Youth Handle Trouble...
Why Is Sarcasm So Difficult to Detect in Texts and Emails?
This sentence begins the best article you will ever read. Chances are you thought that last statement might be sarcasm....
The Ideal Female Body Type Is Getting Even Harder to Attain
Day after day, we’re bombarded with so many media messages that rarely do we stop to think about what they’re...
Red State, Blue State: How Colors Took Sides in Politics
When Americans hear some pundits projecting a “blue wave” in the 2018 midterm elections, they understand that this is a...
March for Our Lives Awakens the Spirit of Student and Media Activism of the 1960s
A student movement against gun violence is receiving sustained news coverage and was instrumental in building momentum around the March...
Why Trump Will Weather Stormy
Donald Trump’s opponents have long been waiting for some sort of scandal to bring him down, and they may think...
‘Back-Burner Relationships’ Are More Common Than You’d Think
Valentine’s Day tends to make people think about their romantic relationships. Single? Maybe there’s someone you’ve been texting regularly whom...
Black America’s ‘Bleaching Syndrome
For black Americans, skin color is a complex topic. Whenever a black celebrity lightens his or her skin – whether...
Does America Have a Caste System?
In the United States, inequality tends to be framed as an issue of either class, race or both. Consider, for...
Spanish Use Is Steady or Dropping in U.S. Despite High Latino Immigration
Hidden just beneath the surface of the ongoing heated debate about immigration in the United States lurks an often unspoken...
What a Medieval Love Saga Says About Modern-Day Sexual Harassment
Suddenly, popular media is saturated with stories of powerful men outed by women for behavior in the workplace. These alleged...
Re-Criminalizing Cannabis Is Worse Than 1930s ‘Reefer Madness’
In the 1930s, parents across the U.S. were panicked. A new documentary, “Reefer Madness,” suggested that evil marijuana dealers lurked...
Star Wars Is a Religion That Primes Us for War and Violence
$1 That’s what it cost 14-year-old me to get into the 1977 Star Wars premiere. $10 That’s how much I...
How the Death of the Hip-Hop DJ Spawned the Superstar Rapper
Since the inception of hip-hop culture, the DJ has been its cornerstone. The culture’s starting point is widely accepted as...
The 1960s Jazz Tribute to Malcolm X That Profoundly Expressed the Black Condition
By the late 1950s foremost musicians like Charlie Parker, Charles Mingus and John Coltrane explicitly introduced politics in their jazz,...
What About Young Men Who Are Having Unwanted Sex?
Time Magazine recently featured “The Silence Breakers” as its 2017 “Person of the Year,” a nod to the countless women...
Six Favorite Charts from 2017
From internet trolls to college dropouts: Our 6 favorite charts from 2017 Where we’ve been in 2017. rawpixel.com/shutterstock.com 1. Invisible...
Untrustworthy Memories Make It Hard to Shop Ethically
Imagine a shopper, Sarah, who is concerned about child labor and knows about groups like the Fair Wear Foundation that...
Child Marriage Is Still Legal in the U.S.
The recent outrage over Alabama Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore allegedly targeting teenage girls for sex has elicited reports that...
Why Do We Tell Stories? Hunter-Gatherers Shed Light on the Evolutionary Roots of Fiction
From gathering around the campfire sharing tales to binge watching the latest Netflix series, humans are, and have always been,...
Social Media, the ‘Bikini Bridge’ and the Viral Contagion of Body Ideals
What happens when you combine a cultural obsession with thinness, a bit of organised propaganda and a catchy hashtag? Enter...
Is the British Monarchy Actually Adapting to Changing Social Norms?
Is the royal marriage story we’re being sold really a fairy tale come true? Or is it a story spun...
The Concept of ‘Western Civilization’ Is Past Its Use-By Date in University Humanities Departments
A number of NSW and ACT universities are vying for the opportunity to access funding from the Ramsay Centre for...
In the Age of Cancel Culture, Shaming Can Be Healthy for Online Communities – a Political Scientist Explains When and How
“Cancel culture” has a bad reputation. There is growing anxiety over this practice of publicly shaming people online for violating...
Who’s Rulin’ Who?
A review of Anu Bradford, “Digital Empires: The Global Battle to Regulate Technology” (Oxford University Press, 2023) A European digital...
Chimpanzees Stayed in an ‘Invisible Cage’ After Zoo Enclosure Was Enlarged – South African Study
Captive chimpanzees are one of the most popular species kept in zoos because of their charismatic appeal and similarity to...
Guessing Game: Response May Bias Understanding of Future Scenarios
Does previous experience bias a person in future estimations? Yes, Osaka Metropolitan University researchers in Japan report, but only if...
The Role of History in How Efficient Color Names Evolve
Suppose two speakers of the same language are playing a guessing game where each has the same color swatches, and...
Many Reported Gender Differences May Actually Be Power Differences
Why do men and women seem so different? According to a study, a wide range of gender differences that have...
Why We Hate to Wait
Back in 1981, Tom Petty sang that the waiting is the hardest part. New research from The University of Texas...
Jealousy – We Understand Our Own Sex Best
Do you really know why your partner gets jealous? We understand a surprising amount about other people’s jealousy, but we...
Hiring the Most Qualified Candidate Might Be Unfair
Both liberals and conservatives are more likely to believe that merit-based hiring is unfair after learning about the impacts of...
Cannibalism: Humanity’s Complex Relationship with Human Flesh Throughout History
The recently released film The Snow Society , by Spanish director JA Bayona, about the legendary plane crash of a Uruguayan rugby team...
All-Cash Home Buyers Pay 10% Less Than Mortgage Buyers
Owning a home has long been considered a crucial way to build wealth, but making such a purchase has become...
Reducing Late-Night Alcohol Sales Curbed All Violent Crimes by 23% Annually in a Baltimore Neighborhood
A new study found that reducing alcohol hours of sale for bars and taverns in a Baltimore, Md. neighborhood also...
What Congress Should Do About Hate Crime Statistics
To improve hate crime statistics, Congress should amend existing legislation, not impose hate crime reporting mandates. A new bipartisan bill...
Wide Variation in Rates of Police Killings Suggests Unnecessary Deaths
One in three police homicides could have been avoided without endangering police or the public, according to a study. Eight...
Reinforcing the Diverse Ways People Access Seafood Can Ensure Healthy Communities in the Face of Change
As climate change affects the oceans, coastal communities, particularly those at the front lines of ocean warming and sea level...
As Cities Grow, How Will City Trash, Wastewater, and Emissions Rise?
More than half of the world’s population—4.4 billion people—lives in cities, and that proportion will grow to two-thirds by the...
Food from Urban Agriculture Has Carbon Footprint 6 Times Larger Than Conventional Produce
A new University of Michigan-led international study finds that fruits and vegetables grown in urban farms and gardens have a...
A Statewide Survey Shows the Digital Divide Narrowing in California, but Many Low-Income Residents Remain Under-Connected
Statewide broadband adoption remains high with 91% of households in California enjoying high-speed internet access at home, according to new...
College Applications Rose in States That Legalized Recreational Marijuana
Colleges in states where recreational marijuana became legal over the past decade saw a significant but short-term boost in applications...
Understanding Climate Mobilities: New Study Examines Perspectives from South Florida Practitioners
Understanding Climate Mobilities: New study examines perspectives from South Florida practitioners As climate change continues to impact people across South...
