EurekAlert! News by Subject: Social & Behavior

Social & Behavior

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 23-Oct-2026 09:16 ET (23-Oct-2026 13:16 GMT/UTC)

8-Sep-2026

PLOS Ecosystems publishes its first issue

New open access journal PLOS Ecosystems publishes its first papers on September 8, 2026. The first issue includes research and writing on a range of key topics focused on ecosystems, the environment, biodiversity, and policy.

8-Sep-2026

BU researchers identify risk factors for dementia among American Indians

Boston University School of Medicine
Peer-Reviewed Publication

In a new NIH-supported study in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association, researchers detected significant risk associations for vascular and Alzheimer’s dementias among American Indians for four previously-identified key risk factors: limited education, hypertension, social isolation, and depression.

8-Sep-2026

'News Desert U' book explores what happens 'when universities own the news'

University of Kansas
Book Announcement

"News Desert U" is a new book by Teri Finneman of the University of Kansas and Pamela Walck of Duquesne University. It presents six case studies of universities that have partnerships with communities to provide news coverage for places that no longer have newspapers. The case studies examine the unique natures of the partnerships, what worked and what did not and ultimately argues that universities should provide more support for faculty who are leading such efforts, as they provide first hand experience for students and the authors also provide questions a university should ask itself before embarking on such a partnership.

8-Sep-2026

Using Japanese Igusa (rush grass) may enhance mood, stress resilience, and task engagement

Kyushu University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The smell of Japanese Igusa (rush grass), the core component of tatami mats, has long been associated with comfort and relaxation. However, there was little scientific evidence behind such claims. To test this, researchers measured the brain activity of volunteers while they sat on Igusa mats and completed simple tasks. The researchers found that when using the Igusa mats the participants’ brain activity suggested they had better focus, cognitive engagement, and stress resilience.

Journal: Scientific Reports
Funder: Kyushu University, Ikehiko Corporation

8-Sep-2026

Eat like me to look like me

Flinders University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Healthy eating content on social media may be promoting more than wellbeing, with new Flinders University research finding popular wellness posts often reflect attitudes and behaviours linked to orthorexia nervosa, an unhealthy obsession with eating foods considered healthy or pure.

Journal: Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science

7-Sep-2026

Eating disorders more common in teens from low socioeconomic backgrounds

University College London
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Teenagers who come from households with a lower income and lower level of education are more likely to have an eating disorder, finds a new study co-led by UCL researchers.

Journal: International Journal of Eating Disorders

7-Sep-2026

'Heel-strike’ allowed early humans to walk farther at cost of high impact forces

Penn State
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The average person takes thousands of steps each day, instinctively walking heel-to-toe. Although they hardly register them, those consistent heel-first strides are more unique to humans than previously thought and allowed early hominins to walk farther more efficiently, but at the cost of higher impact forces on bones and joints, according to a new study led by a researcher at Penn State.

Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Funder: Leakey Foundation, Wenner-Gren Foundation