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Social & Behavior

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 27-Apr-2026 02:16 ET (27-Apr-2026 06:16 GMT/UTC)

AI can give as good as it gets ... or better: The moral dilemma of combative chatbots

Lancaster University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

AI systems ‘can learn to seek revenge’ because they are able to grasp reciprocating verbal violence when exposed to conflict, new research from Lancaster University shows.

In short, AI can give as good as it gets and, eventually, go one step further.

Published in the journal of Pragmatics, the study ‘Can ChatGPT reciprocate impoliteness? The Al moral dilemma’, is authored by Dr Vittorio Tantucci and Prof Jonathan Culpeper, both from Lancaster University.

Journal: Journal of Pragmatics
Funder: Lancaster University

To improve social and political dialogue, tell people what you're against

University of Toronto, Rotman School of Management
Peer-Reviewed Publication

In a world that feels like it's growing more negative by the day it may be a surprise that talking about what we're against has its value, at least when it comes to engaging people who disagree with us.

Over a series of studies with nearly 6,000 people, researcher Rhia Catapano tested what happened when participants were presented with viewpoints they disagreed with and how open they were to them when those viewpoints were expressed in support terms instead of oppositional ones. Think of "I support abortion rights," versus "I'm against making abortion illegal."

Turns out, those two ways of expressing the same idea can land very differently with someone else. And we're really good at getting that wrong.

Journal: Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
Funder: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, Behavioural Economics in Action at Rotman

Bullying, state policy, and mental health symptoms in gender-diverse youths

JAMA Network
Peer-Reviewed Publication

About The Study: In this cohort study, being bullied and unsupportive legislation were associated with greater and increasing rates of psychotic-like experiences in gender-diverse youths. This study’s findings suggest that mental health in gender-diverse youths could benefit from supportive environments and policies that reduce bullying and avoid perpetuating stigma.

Journal: JAMA Network Open

Bullying and adverse social climate take measurable toll on mental health of gender-diverse youth

University of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Gender-diverse adolescents who experience bullying and live in states with persistently unsupportive gender identity laws are significantly more likely to suffer escalating psychological distress compared to their peers, according to new research by UCLA Health.

Journal: JAMA Network Open

Study finds high school journalism leading the way in financial literacy, even if business isn't part of curriculum

University of Kansas
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers led by the University of Kansas conducted interviews with leaders of 29 high school journalism programs. They sought to find out about the business side of programs and found that they are often leading in financial literacy through default, as students need to learn about things like ad sales and budgets. However, finances are a significant source of stress for advisors and students would benefit from more direct financial education as part of high school journalism, the authors argue.

Journal: Journalism & Mass Communication Educator

Global experts highlight path toward actionable interventions in human aging

Impact Journals LLC
Peer-Reviewed Publication

BUFFALO, NY — April 21, 2026 — A new meeting report was published in Volume 18 of Aging-US on April 6, 2026, titled “Toward actionable interventions in human aging (12th ARDD meeting, 2025).”

Journal: Aging-US

What did people eat and drink in the Bronze Age South Caucasus?

University of Bonn
Peer-Reviewed Publication

What culinary practices prevailed in the South Caucasus during the Bronze Age? The cuisine was remarkably diverse. This is what an international research team from the Universities of Bonn and Bari, along with other scientific institutions such as the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences report. The new evidence highlights a multi-ingredient cuisine alongside the central role of dairy products, fruit, and grape-based beverages in Kura-Araxes communities. The findings have now been published in the journal PNAS.

Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

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