EurekAlert! News by Subject: Social & Behavior - News by Subject: Social & Behavior

Social & Behavior

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 7-Jul-2025 18:11 ET (7-Jul-2025 22:11 GMT/UTC)

The math behind social distancing: the rules that influence epidemic behavior

Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers from the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, have developed a mathematical framework explaining how rational individuals adopt social-distancing behavior during epidemics to balance infection risk and cost. Their study identifies simple rules that govern rational distancing, providing key insights for policymakers. The findings identified a simple law by which humans naturally self-organize to reduce harm when infection costs and prevalence are high.

Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Prevalence and control of diabetes among US adults

JAMA Network
Peer-Reviewed Publication

About The Study: This study found that the prevalence of adults with diabetes did not significantly change between 2013 and 2023, but glycemic control among those with diagnosed disease worsened in 2021-2023 after nearly a decade of stability. This trend was most pronounced among young adults. The increase of 1% in mean HbA1c levels and 20% decrease in glycemic control would increase the lifetime risk of cardiovascular events. Potential explanations for these findings include increased sedentary behavior, reduced social support, heightened mental health stressors, and limited access to health care and medications during the pandemic.

Journal: JAMA

Trying to be happy makes us unhappier by zapping our self-control, study finds

University of Toronto
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new study co-authored by Sam Maglio, marketing professor at U of T Scarborough, finds people who habitually try to be happier also tend to have less willpower.

Journal: Applied Psychology

Study finds support for solar energy has become politically polarized

North Carolina State University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new analysis of social media posts finds public support for solar energy remains high, though that support declined significantly from 2016 to 2022. The study also found solar power has become an increasingly polarized issue, with the shift in support being driven largely by opposition to solar power among people in regions that lean Republican.

Journal: Journal of Computational Social Science

Professional artists viewed as more creative than AI programs

American Psychological Association
Peer-Reviewed Publication

In the rapidly developing contest between human creativity and artificial intelligence algorithms, professional artists still have an edge in producing more creative AI-assisted artwork than the AI programs themselves or novice artists, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

Journal: Psychology of Aesthetics Creativity and the Arts

The wellbeing of people and nature as the goal of national-level decision-making

Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare
Reports and Proceedings

The model can be used for policy planning and monitoring policy impact from the point of view of economic, social and ecological sustainability.The model can be used for policy planning and monitoring policy impact from the point of view of economic, social and ecological sustainability.

Funder: Next Generation EU

Soft actuators, smart sensors: Innovative sensor allows real-time monitoring of complex systems

Shibaura Institute of Technology
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Fluidic Elastomer Actuators (FEAs) are lightweight and flexible systems, crucial in robotics and biomedical devices, with challenges in real-time monitoring. Researchers have developed a Dielectric Elastomer Sensor (DES) to measure pressure and vibrations in these deformable structures. This novel sensor allows efficient monitoring, enhancing actuator performance, with applications in robotics, automotive systems, and infrastructure.

Journal: Measurement
Funder: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science