Life News (Social & Behavioral Sciences)

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A survey of more than 60 families living with Noonan Syndrome has highlighted the need for more social support and medical awareness. Noonan Syndrome, though classed as a ‘rare’ genetic condition, is estimated to affect between 1 in 2000 to 1 in 2500 births in the UK, causing diverse health issues. The findings of the collaborative study between Loughborough University and the Noonan Association Syndrome are being shared as part of a month-long awareness campaign. One of the key survey findings is that there is a lack of awareness of the rare genetic condition – even among medical professionals, which can lead to difficulties in accessing care. Another theme that emerged is that the social and emotional impacts of living with Noonan Syndrome are overlooked for individuals and carers. The researchers and charity are now calling for greater awareness, research, and support systems. Individuals and families – including Ian Legg, the Fay family, and Andrea Reid-Kelly – are sharing t

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Erica Frantz is an associate professor of political science in Michigan State University’s Department of Political Science in the College of Social Science. Frantz answers questions about why personalist parties are a concern for democracy, looking at examples throughout history and one that has emerged today: Trump’s Republican Party.

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New research from Steven Goodreau, University of Washington professor of anthropology, shows that condom use has been trending downward among younger gay and bisexual men over the last decade, even when they aren’t taking pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP.

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New research from the UC San Diego Rady School of Management and Texas A&M University finds that having self-control is often what leads to power.

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Skilled facilitators of an alcohol intervention based on motivational interviewing are key to promoting safer drinking behaviors among young adults experiencing homelessness, a new study suggests. The study is the first to examine the effects of the group process on emerging adults’ drinking outcomes using several different measures of group dynamics. Some young adults experiencing homelessness can access services at drop-in centers, but interventions must be brief and feasible in resource-stretched environments. Previous studies of AWARE, an intervention based on motivational interviewing in a four-session group format, found reductions in drinking in this vulnerable population. It is not well understood, however, which aspects of the group experience—process, structure, and clinician behavior—contribute to these outcomes. Research points to the importance of change talk (e.g., “I’m quitting for the summer”), cohesion (group bonding), climate (group engagement and mutual support), and

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The average researcher thinks they are better than their colleagues at following good research practice.

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People who experienced a disaster had a higher prevalence of problem alcohol use in the years after the disaster, and the rates of problem alcohol use increased over time. A study of nuclear power plant workers who experienced a disaster found that those who were exposed to life-threatening danger, discrimination, death of a colleague, or major property loss had an increased prevalence of problem alcohol use. However, for some, the increase in problem drinking did not occur until more than a year after the disaster. The study’s findings, recently published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research, point to the prolonged impacts on people who experience disaster and the importance of providing long-term monitoring and support beyond the immediate aftermath of the disaster.

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Results of a long-term outcome study found the innovative school social intervention (schoolMAX) and summer social intervention (summerMAX) created by the Institute for Autism Research at Canisius University yielded sustained, comparable, and positive longer-term outcomes for autistic youth (without intellectual disability).

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While many aspects of Philistine culture are well-documented, the specifics of Philistine religious practices and deities have long remained shrouded in mystery. The study by Frumin et al. on "Plant-Related Philistine Ritual Practices at Biblical Gath," recently published in Scientific Reports by researchers at Bar-Ilan University, contributes valuable new data to our understanding of the Philistine's ritual practices. The discovery of numerous plants in two temples unearthed at the site unraveled unprecedented insights into Philistine cultic rituals and beliefs – their temple food ingredients, timing of ceremonies, and plants for temple decoration.

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People who tend to act rashly when upset may be more likely to expect alcohol to affect them—both positively and negatively—and may be more likely to want to drink to improve their mood. Mood changes, whether positive, negative, or neutral, did not alter these beliefs, according to a study of college students published in a recent issue of Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research. This study helps to inform further research on the relationship between impulsivity and alcohol misuse.

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In a new paper published in the American Psychiatric Association’s Psychiatric Services, Stony Brook University IDEA Fellow, Briana Last, PhD, and co-authors provide a comprehensive review of one federal policy that has been increasingly used to address the country’s behavioral health provider shortage crisis: loan repayment programs (LRPs).

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The program, organized by URI College of Nursing Professor Chris McGrane, provides respite care for parents of children with special needs, at no cost to them. For four hours every Saturday afternoon, McGrane and her team of URI students, take care of children with special needs, giving parents a chance to take a break from the sometimes daunting responsibilities of care.

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Black Americans experience racial discrimination as a chronic stressor that influences their quality of life. But it exists in conjunction with other social factors that may modify the impact in various ways. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign explores how discrimination, gender, and social class affect individual well-being and relationship quality for Black Americans.

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Living in neighborhoods with high levels of violence can affect children’s development by changing the way that a part of the brain detects and responds to potential threats, potentially leading to poorer mental health and other negative outcomes, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

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According to a new report from Queen’s University Belfast, voters in Northern Ireland are split into three camps as to whether the restored Assembly will last until the end of its current mandate in 2027.

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There exists a narrative about climate change that says there are winners and losers — with Russia being one of the countries that stand to benefit from its effects. In a new study, researchers at the University of Notre Dame found that Russia is suffering from a variety of climate change impacts and is ill-prepared to mitigate or adapt to those climate impacts. And, as the rest of the world transitions to renewable energy sources, Russia’s fossil-fuel-dependent government is not willing or ready to make alternative plans for the country, changes that could potentially benefit the whole of their society.

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By: Amy Walden | Published: February 21, 2024 | 9:21 am | SHARE: According to the Gun Violence Archive, the United States reported 656 mass shootings in 2023. When it comes to understanding and preventing tragedies such as murder-suicides, mass shootings and terrorism, some may question why assailants in these cases are motivated to kill.

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A new study by researchers at the George Washington University Primate Genomics Lab finds that even dogs’ faces provoke instant judgement from people who don’t know them.

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With GPS data from as little as 6% of vehicles on the road, University of Michigan researchers can recalibrate traffic signals to significantly reduce congestion and delays at intersections.

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By: Jenny Ralph | Published: February 20, 2024 | 9:14 am | SHARE: Eating Disorders Awareness Week (EDAW) is an annual campaign to garner public attention and engage in support for those affected by eating disorders. For 2024, the National Eating Disorders Association has designated Feb. 26-March 3 as EDAW.Eating disorders research is rapidly evolving and examines many psychological and biological factors that may impact individuals and society.

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Just 10% of people surveyed understood that the terms 'Forwarded' and 'Forwarded many times' in WhatsApp meant they were reading potential misinformation.

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Ryan Wade, a professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign School of Social Work, has published a new research article titled “Whose Role is It Anyway? Sexual Racism and Sexual Positioning Among Young Sexual Minority Black Men” in the Journal of Sex Research. This insightful study sheds light on a pressing issue within the LGBTQ+ community.

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Book sharing is a popular way parents engage young children in conversation. Not all parents are comfortable with book sharing and not all children like having books read to them. Research provides an alternative. To boost the quality of a preschooler’s language experience and skills, consider reminiscing with them. Findings show reminiscing is very good at eliciting high quality speech from parents, and in many ways, is just as good as book sharing (wordless picture books).

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At least one in four contemporary songs references alcohol, according to an analysis of multiple studies that hints at the effects of music exposure on listeners’ drinking.

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Prof. Dr. Santi Pailoplee, Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, in collaboration with the Faculty of Archaeology, Silpakorn University, discovered a large number of rocks and rock formations on Khao Phanom Rung-Plai Bat, Chaloem Phra Kiat District, Buriram Province, which geologically signify human activity in the past, not natural formation.

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Dive into the realm of inspiration with Sasin Sustainability & Entrepreneurship Center as we proudly present "Women Impact Entrepreneurship Day (WIED) 2024"!

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Back in 1981, Tom Petty sang that the waiting is the hardest part. New research from The University of Texas helps to explain why.

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A new study has laid the groundwork for a future intervention designed to help caregivers establish a safe and workable mealtime routine for people with dementia living at home.

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Gender, culture, and age all appear to play a role in how emojis are interpreted, according to a study published February 14, 2024 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Yihua Chen, Xingchen Yang and colleagues from the University of Nottingham, UK.

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A paper published today in the journal Nature finds that online images show stronger gender biases than online texts. Researchers also found that bias is more psychologically potent in visual form than in writing.

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For more than a decade, China has invested heavily in the economic development of countries collectively known as the Global South. More recently, China has demonstrated that its ambitions are growing beyond the economic realm and extending into the geopolitical sphere. This shift carries implications not only for the developing countries that are the beneficiaries of China’s investment, but also for the United States and other developed democracies, said a scholar at the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame.

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Elderly adults lose billions to financial scams by people they trust every year. New psychological research suggests this vulnerability could be linked to older adults' overreliance on initial impressions of trustworthiness.

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A new study examines the circumstances behind who is found at fault when cars hit pedestrians in an urban area.

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Prof. Dr. Chaiyan Chaiyaphorn from the Department of Government, Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University, was recognized by the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT) with the National Outstanding Researcher Award 2024 in the field of Political Science and Public Administration.

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UMD Smith expert explains the wave of tech job layoffs as a sign of a broader, labor market shift to where “humans need to recalibrate and capitalize on strengths beyond pure intelligence—like intuition, empathy, creativity, emotion and people skills.”

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Research from Calvin Zimmermann, the O’Shaughnessy Assistant Professor of Education in the Department of Sociology at the University of Notre Dame, indicates that early childhood teachers often apply discipline disproportionately in their classrooms based on a student’s race.

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The ‘5 Love Languages’ popularized by Gary Chapman often get brought up when discussing relationships, but this Valentine’s Day one Virginia Tech psychologist suggests taking a different approach to fostering and nurturing high-quality, loving relationships. To understand Louis Hickman’s perspective, it’s important to also understand the love languages.