EurekAlert! News by Subject: Social & Behavior

Social & Behavior

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 21-Oct-2026 01:16 ET (21-Oct-2026 05:16 GMT/UTC)

8-Oct-2026

Armed conflict accelerates global cropland loss: Study

Chinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Armed conflict accelerates cropland loss, and the effects can persist for years after conflict begins and vary substantially with conflict severity and social conditions, according to a new study published in Nature Food on September 24.

Journal: Nature Food

8-Oct-2026

Short-video algorithms as a digital trap for people with ADHD

Graz University of Technology
Reports and Proceedings

A study by Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) shows that algorithms used by short-form video platforms are particularly effective at keeping people with ADHD engaged. This “engagement trap” often leads to wasted time and emotional stress. The EU is currently considering stricter rules for services such as TikTok.

Meeting: 28th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility

8-Oct-2026

Working around men may make women feel worse about mistakes, study finds

Frontiers
Peer-Reviewed Publication

When asked how comfortable they were in male-dominated workplaces to admit to having made a mistake, women were less comfortable doing so the more men were on their teams, a new study has shown. The researchers found the same trend for treating mistakes as learning opportunities. Women, however, were no more likely to believe they’d be penalized for making mistakes; at least not on paper. Missing out on using mistakes as a chance to learn could thwart companies’ growth in the long run, said the authors, who advocate for a more open and honest error culture in high-pressure work environments.

Journal: Frontiers in Organizational Psychology

7-Oct-2026

Are autistic suspects likely to be disadvantaged in forensic interviews?

Flinders University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new study led by Flinders University finds both autistic and non-autistic suspects may be judged more harshly if any idiosyncratic behaviours in interviews stray beyond what observers consider as normal.

The research also undermines the widely held perspective – referred to as the ‘double empathy hypothesis’ – that autistic people can better ‘read’ differing intentions and motivations in other autistic people, more than non-autistic people can.

Journal: Law and Human Behavior
Funder: Australian Research Council

7-Oct-2026

How neurotic people struggled more in the COVID-19 pandemic: they perceived the risk as higher, exercised less, and drank more alcohol

PLOS
Peer-Reviewed Publication

How neurotic people struggled more in the COVID-19 pandemic: they perceived the risk as higher, exercised less, and drank more alcohol

Journal: PLOS One

7-Oct-2026

Vulnerability to heatwaves varies greatly from one area to another within cities

University of the Basque Country
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The methodology, applied in Bilbao, Madrid and Cáceres, has shown that socio-economic conditions and the characteristics of the urban fabric have a significant influence on vulnerability. The tool generates vulnerability maps that help determine where adaptation measures to combat heatwaves should be prioritised.

Journal: Cities

7-Oct-2026

The relationship between metacognition and performance anxiety in football

Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Peer-Reviewed Publication

New research from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology's Department of Psychology indicates that elite footballers experience lower levels of competitive anxiety than amateur players, despite performing under intense scrutiny.

Journal: Frontiers in Sports and Active Living