EurekAlert! News by Subject: Social & Behavior

Social & Behavior

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 21-Jun-2026 08:16 ET (21-Jun-2026 12:16 GMT/UTC)

18-Mar-2026

Mental health is an important issue for U.S. voters, ranking above border security, TikTok bans and the Billionaire Tax, in hypothetical voting study of salient policy issues

Journal: PLOS One

18-Mar-2026

Ancestral and modern threats are equally likely to evoke physiological responses

PLOS
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Fear-eliciting images of modern and ancestral threats are equally likely to evoke physiological reactions, despite their distinct evolutionary origins, according to a study published March 18, 2026, in the open-access journal PLOS One by Eva Landová from Charles University, the Czech Republic, and colleagues. However, ancestral threats such as heights and venomous snakes trigger greater skin resistance responses, a measure of sweating, compared to modern threats and harmless stimuli.

Journal: PLOS One

18-Mar-2026

Road traffic noise is annoying during walks in both urban forests and built urban environments and is a ‘significant health-related stressor,’ according to a randomized controlled trial in Zurich, Switzerland

PLOS
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Road traffic noise is annoying during walks in both urban forests and built urban environments and is a ‘significant health-related stressor,’ according to a randomized controlled trial in Zurich, Switzerland

Journal: PLOS One

18-Mar-2026

15,000 years ago, children shaped clay, long before pottery or farming new discovery reveals

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Peer-Reviewed Publication

An international team of archaeologist has uncovered the earliest known clay ornaments in Southwest Asia, revealing a forgotten chapter in the story of how humans began to express identity, belonging, and meaning through material culture. The findings, published this week in Science Advances, push back the symbolic use of clay in the region by thousands of years.

Journal: Science Advances

18-Mar-2026

Study suggests mental health policy is emerging as a key voting issue for Americans

University of Missouri-Columbia
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new University of Missouri study suggests mental health policies can play a significant role in how Americans choose political candidates.

Journal: PLOS One

18-Mar-2026

New Independence with Impact Report shows Sage investing in critical thinking and championing research impact

SAGE
Business Announcement

Sage, a global academic publisher of books, journals, and library resources, today published its latest Independence with Impact Report, a snapshot of the progress the company made in 2025 in support of education and research.

18-Mar-2026

Video streaming speed changes could help replace pauses and the frustrating buffering circle

Lancaster University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new study, led by researchers at Lancaster University, investigated how dynamically slowing down or speeding up playback is perceived by viewers, and how playback speed changes compare to other ways of overcoming viewer internet slowdowns – such as reducing picture quality and pausing for rebuffering. The researchers found a safe range of slowed down playback – speeds that won’t be noticeable to most users. Their findings can help inform the design of video players and enhance the streaming experience for viewers.

Funder: EPSRC, BBC