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

Social & Behavior

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 23-Oct-2025 18:11 ET (23-Oct-2025 22:11 GMT/UTC)

21-Oct-2025

New twin study challenges oversimplified claims about social media and wellbeing

Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics

Nijmegen, The Netherlands - A new study published in Behavior Genetics offers a fresh and nuanced perspective on the ongoing debate over social media’s impact on wellbeing. Using genetically informative data from over 6,000 twins in the Netherlands, researchers have found that while the link between social media use and wellbeing exists, it is small - and is at least partly driven by shared genetic factors rather than social media itself.

Journal: Behavior Genetics

21-Oct-2025

Ideological polarization and the spread of biased or fake news on Facebook are on the rise, according to a study by the UPF

Universitat Pompeu Fabra - Barcelona
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The research team analyzed the level of engagement with posts containing over 6 million news-related URLs, calculated with a combination of metrics (clicks, shares, likes, comments and other reactions), which they characterized in relation to user ideology and news source quality. This approach made it possible to observe an ideological gap in the news consumed by conservatives and liberals and track its evolution over time.

Journal: EPJ Data Science
Funder: Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades España, Agencia Estatal de Investigación, European Union Next Generation EU

21-Oct-2025

Stress caused by family structure changes in infancy can triple psoriasis risk later in life, new research shows

Elsevier
Peer-Reviewed Publication

New longitudinal research reveals that severe stress caused by changes in family structure like divorce or separation experienced during the first year of life may triple the risk of developing psoriasis later in life. The results of the study in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, published by Elsevier, emphasize the need to protect young children from stressful life factors that threaten their security and emotional well-being.

Journal: Journal of Investigative Dermatology

21-Oct-2025

Bucket list wishes make final days meaningful

University of Texas at Arlington
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Whether it’s taking a trip to Disneyland or sharing a meal with a loved one, fulfilling a “bucket list” wish near the end of life offers more than fleeting joy. A new study from The University of Texas at Arlington finds it can also improve well-being, strengthen family bonds and bring a sense of peace.

Journal: Palliative & Supportive Care

21-Oct-2025

Mizzou researchers help farmers prevent and manage livestock losses

University of Missouri-Columbia
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Farmers handle a wide range of responsibilities to keep operations running — and a routine but often overlooked duty is safely disposing of dead livestock. Left unattended, carcasses can spread disease and jeopardize entire herds or flocks.

Journal: Compost Science & Utilization

21-Oct-2025

Households’ hunt for better savings rates can deepen recessions, finds new study

University of Surrey
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Households intensify their search for high-interest savings accounts when the economy turns sour, inadvertently making recessions more severe, according to new research from the University of Surrey.

Journal: American Economic Journal Macroeconomics

21-Oct-2025

People with dark personality traits use touch to manipulate their partners

Binghamton University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A hug can soothe your mind, reduce your stress and actually activate oxytocin, the “love hormone,” in your body. But new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York reveals that not all hugs are harmless – some partners use touch as a means of control.

People with “dark triad” personality traits – narcissism, psychopathy and Machiavellianism – are more likely to use touch to manipulate their partners, according to a new paper published in Current Psychology by Richard Mattson, professor of psychology at Binghamton University, and a team of students.

Journal: Current Psychology