EurekAlert! News by Subject: Social & Behavior

Social & Behavior

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 24-Oct-2026 22:16 ET (25-Oct-2026 02:16 GMT/UTC)

11-Aug-2026

WVU research aims to curb risky loss-chasing in online betting

West Virginia University
Grant and Award Announcement

Because gamblers often up the ante rather than cut their losses when their online bets and parlays are a bust, researchers at the West Virginia University John Chambers College of Business and Economics are studying loss-chasing behavior to help protect Mountain State gamblers and their families from the associated risks.

Funder: Arnold Ventures

11-Aug-2026

USF researchers develop new framework for understanding how emotions shape behavior online

University of South Florida
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Every day, billions of people scroll through social media posts, online reviews and news feeds filled with emotional content — from glowing five-star reviews to rage-inducing social media rants. Those emotions can quietly shape what people buy, what they believe and how they act.

Journal: MIS Quarterly

11-Aug-2026

Opposition to local data centers rises sharply, Annenberg survey finds

Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania
Reports and Proceedings

A nationally representative survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center finds that Americans’ opposition to data centers in their communities has risen sharply since the spring.

11-Aug-2026

Faith, purpose and less doomscrolling: study reveals what really protects mental health

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new study suggests the mental health benefits often associated with religiosity may be attributed to the the habits and mindset it encourages.

Researchers found that a stronger sense of purpose, healthier digital habits, and less exposure to harmful online content were the strongest predictors of lower risk for addiction, anxiety, depression, and PTSD.

Journal: International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction

11-Aug-2026

Banking apps could help manage mental health, UCD study finds

UCD Research & Innovation
Peer-Reviewed Publication

While the link between financial stability and mental health is well-established, a new University College Dublin (UCD) study reveals a major blind spot in current research: an over-reliance on self-reported surveys rather than objective financial data.

Journal: Frontiers in Public Health

11-Aug-2026

Social media have only partially democratized climate communication

University of Zurich
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Social media have altered communication about climate change over the last 20 years, but have only partially delivered on early expectations that they would broaden and democratize the discourse. A systematic review by the Universities of Zurich and Münster reveals that although a wider range of actors is involved today, established voices continue to dominate it and climate-change skeptics are disproportionately gaining visibility.

Journal: Nature Climate Change

11-Aug-2026

No bosses, no problem! Pre-Hispanic farmers built giant water system bottom-up, archaeologists reveal

University of Cambridge
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Communities living in Colombia thousands of years ago achieved an engineering wonder of the world based on cooperation among family groups without top-down government, a new study shows. Archaeologists argue that policymakers in Colombia should now adopt a similar strategy to solve the country’s current water management crisis.

Journal: Communications Sustainability