Feature Channels: Behavioral Science

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People who report having low social support are substantially more likely to experience heavy drinking and binge drinking than those who feel more supported, a large European study suggests. The researchers also found strong evidence that risky drinking is associated with areas of residence. Although alcohol use is known to be linked to social, economic, and demographic factors, the research is incomplete; it is not clear to what extent some of these factors, especially environmental conditions, predict dangerous drinking. Investigators in Spain designed a study that was unusual in exploring both heavy drinking and binge drinking and both individual and contextual (environmental) factors. The study, in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, confirmed individual risk factors and highlighted certain environmental conditions that may help target interventions for those at risk.

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A new study by the UC Davis Violence Prevention Program looked at the intersection of the coronavirus pandemic and violence-related harms in California. It found that COVID-19 pandemic was linked to an estimated 110,000 firearm purchases in California and increases in individuals’ worries about violence.

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There’s a saying that true friendships stand the test of time. But does that apply to Facebook friendships that are tested by differing longtime political beliefs? As we approach a contentious Election Day 2020 that mirrors or perhaps even ups the ante on the divisiveness of the 2016 cycle, we turned to UNLV communication studies assistant professor Natalie Pennington.

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A review of 39 randomized clinical trials by scientists from UCLA and their colleagues from other institutions has found that combining the use medication with psychoeducational therapy is more effective at preventing a recurrence of illness in people with bipolar disorder than medication alone.

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A new study suggests that engaging, high-quality media programming could help Democrats and Republicans see eye to eye when it comes to climate change.

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A survey from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) finds that 32% of Americans are more tired than usual the day after election night. Poor sleep on election night is fueled by later bedtimes, blue light exposure and the physical and mental tolls of election uncertainty amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The COVID-19 pandemic will remain the dominant topic for Americans in nearly every aspect of their lives in 2021, according to a survey in the USC Center for Public Relations’ annual Relevance Report. When asked about news they will consume, 44% of Americans say the COVID-19 vaccine will be the topic they are most interested in hearing and reading about within the next year. However, despite the challenges faced in 2020, Americans remain hopeful about the future, with 37% choosing “fingers crossed” as the emoji that best expresses their feelings about the new year — more than twice the number of respondents who said they were worried.

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Just one month before an election in which climate change may be a key issue, new survey results show that climate change may be less politically polarizing than many might expect.

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, Johns Hopkins Medicine Media Relations is focused on disseminating current, accurate and useful information to the public via the media. As part of that effort, we are distributing our “COVID-19 Tip Sheet: Story Ideas from Johns Hopkins” every other Tuesday.

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Pods. Bubbles. Quaran-teams. Many Americans have joined small groups to support online learning, childcare or socialize in the time of COVID-19. But how can pods protect against coronavirus?

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Athletes increasingly relying on a coach over the course of a season may be a sign that they aren’t progressing in their development, according to new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York.

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Smartphone apps that tell commuters when a bus will arrive at a stop don’t result in less time waiting than reliance on an official bus route schedule, a new study suggests.

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Sugar-sweetened beverage warning labels are effective in dissuading consumers from choosing them, with graphics having the greatest impact, finds a new study from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis. However, the United States has yet to pass legislation that would require such warning labels.

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Keeping players on the field and out of the courtroom is key for a team's success. A new study provides a possible pathway to reduce off-the-job player misconduct and it starts at the top.

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A team of psychologists at the Universities of Sussex and Portsmouth have purr-fected the art of building a bond with cats.

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A grant from the National Institutes of Health will allow a Penn State College of Medicine researcher to lead a three-year, multi-institution project to create an atlas of developing mice brains.

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A recently published study in Strategic Management Journal examines two strategic behaviors behind media outlets publishing reviews for blockbuster movies and videogames.

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As COVID-19 cases surged this spring, the pandemic led some people more than others to ponder their own mortality. A new study in China and the United States suggests that these people were the ones who showed the highest levels of stress and the least engagement at work.

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Both old wives’ tales and psychological literature posit that spouses’ faces become more similar over time. Scholars have argued that partners tend to occupy the same environments, engage in the same activities, eat the same food, and mimic each other’s emotions—and as these factors can also influence facial appearance—their faces should converge with time. For example, if the partners smile a lot—and make each other smile—they should co-develop similar smile lines.

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As we commemorate Global Handwashing Day on October 15, the American Cleaning Institute (ACI) reports a 14-percentage point decline in frequent handwashing since the start of the pandemic, according to a new national survey.

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Whether someone wears a mask, practices physical distancing or performs other behaviors to prevent COVID-19 infection may be linked to what media outlets they trust.

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Three fossils found in a lignite mine in southeastern Yunan Province, China, are about 6.4 million years old, indicate monkeys existed in Asia at the same time as apes, and are probably the ancestors of some of the modern monkeys in the area, according to an international team of researchers.

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Being a man, having a lower income, having a lower level of education, not being married, and being born abroad in low- or middle-income countries - these are factors that, independent of one another, are related to an elevated risk of dying from COVID-19 in Sweden. These are the findings of a new study in the journal Nature Communications from Stockholm University.

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The fly that landed on Vice President Mike Pence’s head during Wednesday’s debate received more mentions on Twitter than did any of the presidential or vice-presidential candidates, shows a new analysis of online activity leading up to, during, and immediately after Wednesday’s vice-presidential debate.

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Research shows a woman’s political ideology affects her views of sexism

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As the Rush Center for Excellence in Aging continues its commitment to improving the health of older adults, others are taking notice. Rush was designated a Center of Excellence Behavioral Health Disparities in Older Adults by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

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Same-gender couples have higher-quality interactions with one another than heterosexual couples in Southern California, a new UC Riverside study finds.

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A Dartmouth-Gallup study finds that women are more concerned about COVID-19 than men, a difference that transcends party lines.

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More Americans rely on CNN as their primary information source about COVID-19 than other cable outlets, and Anderson Cooper is trusted by more Americans than other cable commentators, a study by the USC Center for the Digital Future (CDF) has found.

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A recent study from the University of Georgia found that the way couples approach conflict is associated with a key biomarker of physical health.

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Trust in public institutions is linked to fewer COVID-19 deaths, but trust and belonging to groups is associated with more deaths, according to a wide-ranging, McGill-led study of 30-day COVID-19 mortality rates in 84 countries. Greater economic inequality is also associated with COVID-19 mortality.

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A team of psychologists at the Universities of Sussex and Portsmouth have purr-fected the art of building a bond with cats.

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Dr. Felipe Natalio and colleagues, studying flint tools from Qesem Cave, found that ancient humans first exposed the flint to different fire temperatures, depending on the type of tool desired. The discovery was made by a team using very modern tools, such as machine learning and spectroscopy.

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In a commentary published in the journal Nature Human Behavior, researchers discuss how Twitter’s decision to remove users’ ability to tag precise locations of Tweets might affect research in disaster response, public health and other areas.

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Adding an “active choice” nudge to the electronic health record increased statin prescribing for patients with heart disease, but not for those “at-risk”

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Appeals seeking donations to help fight hunger during the COVID-19 pandemic were more successful when the typeface in which the appeal was written mirrored the tone of the donation request, a new study has found.

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It’s good to have friends and family to back you up when you need it – but it’s even better if your supporters are close with each other too, a new set of studies suggests.

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A new paper in the Journal of the European Economic Association, published by Oxford University Press, explores the connection between social media and hate crimes.

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Large majorities of American news audiences care about climate change and want more information from the media on the topic, according to a new report from the University of Cincinnati, in partnership with Yale University and George Mason University.

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New York University neuroscientist Christine Constantinople will examine the intricacies of our decision-making processes under a five-year, $1.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health.

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How will you cope with the death of your mother or spouse? Their death may disturb your concentration, causing accidents or lowering your productivity.

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Negative feelings resulting from perceived broken promises from employers within UK police forces are a major cause of workplace stress, according to new research at the University of Birmingham.

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President Trump was the focus of a higher number of tweets while former Vice President Joseph Biden was the subject of a greater number of Google searches, shows a new analysis of online activity leading up to, during, and immediately after last week’s presidential debate.

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Women are more likely than are men to follow guidelines outlined by medical experts to prevent the spread of COVID-19, new research finds.

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We need to know about these psychological and social profiles so we can understand how protective actions against contagious diseases are adopted, and then define the correct preventive approaches.

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APS Research Topic on Voting: Researchers unravel the mystery of voting behavior, including why people vote in seemingly unpredictable or illogical ways.

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COVID-19 has turned 2020 into a nightmare for many people, as they struggle with health problems, economic uncertainty and other challenges.

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The evidence is in: Nice guys and gals don’t finish last, and being a selfish jerk doesn’t get you ahead. That’s the clear conclusion from research that tracked disagreeable people—those with selfish, combative, manipulative personalities—from college or graduate school to where they landed in their careers about 14 years later.