Feature Channels: Behavioral Science

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A majority of Americans think the “more masculine” partner and the “more feminine” partner in a same-sex couple should generally be responsible for stereotypically male and female chores, according to new research.

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In a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association, Indiana University doctoral student Emma Cohen looks for answers to questions of how gender shapes college students’ day-to-day academic experiences.

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Something really drastic must have happened to the Ancient Maya at the end of the Classic Period in the 9th century. Within a short period of time, this advanced civilisation in Central America went from flourishing to collapsing -- the population dwindling rapidly and monumental stone structures, like the ones built at Yucatán, were no longer being constructed. The reason for this demise remains the subject of debate even today. Model calculations by TU Wien may have found the explanation: the irrigation technology that served the Mayans well during periods of drought may have actually made their society more vulnerable to major catastrophes.

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Research by an Indiana University sociologist finds that teachers often inadvertently translate students’ class-based behaviors into unequal opportunities in school. Teachers favor middle-class students in various ways, perhaps unconsciously.

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Leaving a child unattended is considered taboo in today’s intensive parenting atmosphere, despite evidence that American children are safer than ever. So why are parents denying their children the same freedom and independence that they themselves enjoyed as children? A new study by University of California, Irvine social scientists suggests that our fears of leaving children alone have become systematically exaggerated in recent decades – not because the practice has become more dangerous, but because it has become socially unacceptable.

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Cornell University researchers found that music can have important effects on the cooperative spirits of those exposed to music.

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A new study, done by pooling data from a wide range of studies that looked for a link between the human microbiome and obesity, throws cold water on the idea that extra pounds may stem from an imbalance of the bacteria inside us.

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A new study aims to better understand what makes some individuals particularly vulnerable to developing drug addiction. A team of researchers from across the country will look at how genes that influence brain function cause risk for addictions. J. David Jentsch, Empire Innovation Professor of psychology at Binghamton University, is part of the team of investigators awarded a new grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to conduct the research.

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Increasingly, social scientists use multiple forms of communication to engage broader audiences with their research and contribute to solutions of the pressing problems of our time. Yet, in academia, it is unclear whether these efforts to communicate with the public should count when colleges and universities are evaluating scholars.

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Babies that seem to get upset more easily and take longer to calm down may be at higher risk for obesity while babies that exhibit more “cuddliness” and calm down easily are less likely at risk, according to a University at Buffalo study.

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When it comes to teamwork, familiarity breeds productivity rather than contempt, according to a new study from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration.

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Research from University of California, Irvine scientists and their colleagues offers new insights into why many animals sleep at night and are active during the day, while others do the reverse.

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Researchers from Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) found that omega-3 fatty acids reduced brain damage in a neonatal mouse model of stroke.

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High school students who completed higher levels of math, performed better academically, and had a greater sense of control of their future were more likely to migrate and work in labor markets with larger shares of college-educated workers, according to a new study by sociologists at The University of Texas at Austin.

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A new study conducted at the University of Chicago finds infants develop expectations about what people prefer to eat, providing early evidence of the social nature through which humans understand food.

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Job satisfaction in your late 20s and 30s has a link to overall health in your early 40s, according to a new nationwide study.

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People in Africa’s Sub-Sahara region, a relatively undeveloped area, are generally satisfied with their sex lives, with the most common rating — reported by 18 percent of survey respondents — being a perfect “10,” according to Baylor University research to be presented Monday, Aug. 22, at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association (ASA).