Social Studies

Millions of people around the world now use AI companions—for friendship, emotional support, mental health counseling and romantic interactions. This includes 72% of adolescents, according to one study from the United States.... Read more

The message to students used to be simple: "Just say no." But in today's schools, that message is not only outdated, it may be part of the problem.... Read more

When earthquakes struck Turkey and Syria in February 2023, more than 50,000 people were killed and thousands more were injured.... Read more

Anonymous school safety tip lines are providing critical insights into when young people report threats of violence and mental health concerns, according to a new study. Led by researchers at the University of Michigan Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention and Sandy Hook Promise Foundation, their analysis found that tips related... Read more

When you hear the term "food insecurity," what do you imagine? Do you equate it with poor dietary practices—in other words, eating badly? And do you believe the solution is getting people to better plan, shop for and prepare healthy meals?... Read more

If you're dealing with a relationship marked by conflict, criticism or manipulation—be it with a parent, co-parent or colleague—chances are you've come across the "gray rock" method on social media or advice blogs.... Read more

From seasonal farmhands to health care workers to high-level software analysts, immigrant workers play a significant role in companies and industries across Canada and around the globe.... Read more

On New Year's Day, millions of people in Japan visit Shinto shrines to pray for good fortune. In summer, many return to their hometowns to honor ancestors in Buddhist rituals. Families often maintain household altars, and seasonal festivals remain a central part of community life. Though this may look like... Read more

How partners respond to stress may be as important as the stress itself, according to two new Canadian studies of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and nonbinary couples. Known collectively as sexual and gender diverse (SGD) couples, these partners recover more efficiently from acute stress and display more engaged and coordinated... Read more

A mythical army of genetically engineered raccoons has helped Australian researchers show that belief in conspiracy theories may be less common than previously thought.... Read more

Regions with greater socioeconomic inequalities are more affected by cold weather, whereas areas with higher levels of wealth and urbanization are at greater risk during heat waves and lower risk during cold spells. This is shown by a study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal).... Read more

Forming social connections online and via social media reduces how much people engage with and learn from the content posted but significantly boosts their networking performance, according to new research. The study, published in Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, led by the University of Bristol in the UK in partnership... Read more

Earlier this year I gave a talk about my research at Oxford's All Souls College, and worked with a chef to design an accompanying menu.... Read more

How are ordinary people drawn into extremist circles—and what role can artificial intelligence play in that process? This question is addressed by a new study which, for the first time, combines psychological theories of radicalization with knowledge of modern AI technologies such as recommendation algorithms, generative AI and botnets.... Read more

Sexual arousal can lead to "tunnel vision" that makes it more difficult to recognize when someone is just not that into you, according to new research in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.... Read more