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Social & Behavior

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 31-May-2026 14:15 ET (31-May-2026 18:15 GMT/UTC)

Online discussions: Whose voices are heard?

Max Planck Institute for Human Development
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Online discussions are often dominated by a small group of active users, while the majority remain silent. This imbalance can distort perceptions of public opinion and fuel polarization. In a group-based field experiment on Reddit, researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, TU Dresden, and Stanford University have investigated why some people remain silent readers (“lurkers”) while others are particularly active (“power users”)—and which measures might encourage people to join the discussion.

Journal: Science Advances

Spending less can deliver more climate-friendly nutrition

Tufts University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Eating healthy can save money and also cause less greenhouse gas emissions than most people’s current food choices, according to a new global study that examined food costs, nutrition, and climate impact around the world.

Journal: Nature Food

How emotions spread online following celebrity suicide news

PLOS
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Reshare cascades on X (formerly Twitter) show how different expressed emotions unfold in the aftermath of celebrity suicides, according to a study published December 10, 2025, in the open-access journal PLOS One by Ehsan Nouri of the University of Virginia, U.S., and colleagues.

Journal: PLOS One

Dog ownership is associated with a stronger sense of community, likely in part because it fosters neighborhood-based connections, per Japanese study

PLOS
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Dog ownership is associated with a stronger sense of community, likely in part because it fosters neighborhood-based connections, per Japanese study

Journal: PLOS One

Stone tool production in the African rainforest during the Late Stone Age likely remained stable for roughly 5,000 years and had no specific cultural affiliations, according to findings from Pahon Cave in modern day Gabon

PLOS
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Stone tool production in the African rainforest during the Late Stone Age likely remained stable for roughly 5,000 years and had no specific cultural affiliations, according to findings from Pahon Cave in modern day Gabon

Journal: PLOS One

Researchers uncover clues to mysterious origin of famous Hjortspring boat

PLOS
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new analysis of the Hjortspring boat, an ancient wooden plank boat now on display in the National Museum of Denmark, has yielded clues to its potential origin — which has long been considered a mystery, according to a study published December 10, 2025 in the open-access journal PLOS One by Mikael Fauvelle from Lund University, Sweden, and colleagues.

Journal: PLOS One

Reciprocity matters--people were more supportive of climate policies in their country if they believed other countries were making significant efforts themselves

PLOS
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Reciprocity matters--people were more supportive of climate policies in their country if they believed other countries were making significant efforts themselves, per survey of 4,000 Chinese, Indian, Japanese and US citizens.

Journal: PLOS Climate