https://phys.org/science-news/social-sciences/ en-us The latest news on social sciences, history, political science, psychology and sociology By integrating findings from 140 studies and nearly 66,000 individuals, researchers from the Biosocial team at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in collaboration with Columbia University in New York have shown that lower socioeconomic status and exposure to discrimination are consistently associated with accelerated biological aging, measured in the epigenome. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-faster-biological-aging-linked-poverty.html Social Sciences Fri, 12 Jun 2026 21:00:03 EDT news700477971 A new study from the HistoGenes project, of which Patrick Geary, professor emeritus in the School of Historical Studies, is co-PI, is helping scholars frame a better picture of the early medieval people who inhabited Western Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire, as well as the societies they created. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-ancient-dna-roman-europeans-reveals.html Archaeology Fri, 12 Jun 2026 09:00:01 EDT news700472282 It is unpleasant, strange and often comes as a surprise: shame. But why do we feel it? An international study has shed new light on the emotion of shame, which has long been considered harmful. The conclusion: Shame is not merely an inconvenient feeling, but may fulfill an important function. As an evolution-based protective mechanism, it can help us protect our social reputation. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-shame-evolution-based-defense-mechanism.html Social Sciences Thu, 11 Jun 2026 11:40:07 EDT news700392241 When a friend buys you a cup of coffee, it's likely that next time, you'll return the gesture. This type of reciprocal generosity has been well-documented in behavioral economics studies. However, anthropologists and other social scientists have known for decades that in the context of relationships where one person has more power, status or influence, reciprocal generosity is usually not the norm. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-favor-scientists-relationship.html Social Sciences Thu, 11 Jun 2026 09:00:01 EDT news700385641 Global migration has risen sharply from approximately 13 million people per year in 2000 to around 35 million people per year in 2023. This is according to a new dataset on human migration published in Nature by researchers from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), IIASA and the University of Hong Kong. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-annual-global-migration-tripled-reshaping.html Social Sciences Wed, 10 Jun 2026 19:40:04 EDT news700323661 When kids watch cartoons, they're absorbing much more than a plot. Thanks to the use of foreign accents in shows, they're also learning a shorthand for moral character, new research from the University of Toronto Mississauga suggests. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-cartoon-villains-accent-reveals-impact.html Social Sciences Wed, 10 Jun 2026 13:00:01 EDT news700308722 Researchers in Spain and Japan tested a broad range of pedestrians in varying group sizes to see whether there were any patterns in their turning behaviors, and what factors influenced them, if any. It turns out that the vast majority of people prefer counterclockwise turning. Most factors, such as culture or gender, made little difference. Only age showed a noticeable but small change, in that younger people followed this pattern more strongly. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-people-inherent-counterclockwise-motion-reveals.html Other Wed, 10 Jun 2026 05:00:07 EDT news700215182 When English speakers say "rose" and Chinese speakers say "玫瑰," do they mean the same thing? A Peking University team led by Professor Bi Yanchao explored this question using word embeddings from 53 languages, behavioral ratings from speakers of eight languages and exploratory multilingual brain imaging data. Published in Nature Communications, the study shows that word meanings are organized along shared neurocognitive dimensions, while differences across languages are associated with climate. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-climate-words-languages.html Social Sciences Tue, 09 Jun 2026 13:20:03 EDT news700223522 The words "tick-tock," "hiss" and "screech" are examples of onomatopoeia because they imitate the sounds they represent: the rhythmic ticking of a clock; an angry cat, or a slowly deflating bike tire; a high-pitched scream. Onomatopoeia is a type of sound symbolism. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-gleam-glum-effect-reveals-emotional.html Social Sciences Mon, 08 Jun 2026 11:15:20 EDT news700135917 Birth rates have been declining worldwide since the peak of the post-Second World War baby boom. Birth rates have now reached below replacement in most of the world, including Australia. Put simply, populations on average aren't replacing themselves. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-birth-declining-world.html Social Sciences Sat, 06 Jun 2026 08:00:05 EDT news699529233 Working from home comes with some major pluses. It's more flexible, there's no more pesky commute, work-life balance improves, and you can even stay in your pajamas all day if you want. But according to a major study of more than 580,000 American workers published in Science, remote work is taking its toll on people's mental health. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-remote-toll-mental-health-american.html Social Sciences Fri, 05 Jun 2026 12:20:03 EDT news699871293 The concept of the "15-Minute City" has gained global traction as a blueprint for more livable, sustainable communities by placing daily essentials—such as grocery stores, schools, restaurants and parks—within easy reach of residents. The idea envisions neighborhoods where people can meet most of their daily needs within a 15-minute walk, bike ride or transit trip from home, reducing automobile dependence while improving quality of life. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-minute-cities-nearby-jobs-streets.html Social Sciences Thu, 04 Jun 2026 16:20:01 EDT news699795787 The study "Homo cooperans: Understanding the nature of human cooperation" arrives at a clear result: 69% of study participants chose to cooperate. At the same time, the study published in the journal Science shows that people systematically underestimate the willingness of others to cooperate. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-people-cooperate-underestimate-willingness-global.html Social Sciences Thu, 04 Jun 2026 14:00:04 EDT news699784801 Today, many of our social interactions are routed through technology: text messages, video calls, voice messages, emails and instant messaging apps. In romantic relationships, couples often use these methods to deal with conflicts. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-text-good-relationship.html Social Sciences Thu, 04 Jun 2026 11:40:04 EDT news699786063 A Dartmouth College study is the first to map the interplay of personal choice and social networks that has led to the United States being one of the world's most heavily armed countries, with 120 firearms for every 100 people. The researchers describe in Science Advances how individual incentives to buy firearms can lead to a phenomenon they call "overarming." In an overarmed society, the collective cost of firearm ownership outweighs the individual benefits of possessing a gun. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-overarming-america-game-theory-explores.html Mathematics Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:00:10 EDT news699704161 States with restrictive abortion policies saw slower growth in the proportion of female medical school applicants following the 2022 reversal of Roe v. Wade, according to a new study published in the open-access journal PLOS Global Public Health by Amrit Kirpalani of Western University, Canada, and colleagues. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-abortion-restrictions-female-medical-school.html Social Sciences Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:00:08 EDT news699694141 A new study suggests that, for modern Japanese speakers, two traditional, patriarchal words for "husband" ("shujin," literally meaning "master") and "wife" ("kanai," "inside-the-house") may be losing their original meanings, though men in the study evaluated both traditional and neutral words for "husband" more positively than words for "wife." https://phys.org/news/2026-06-traditional-patriarchal-japanese-terms-husband.html Social Sciences Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:00:03 EDT news699694202 One of the dilemmas facing anyone in a new and unfamiliar city is where to dine out. You might consult guides, speak to locals, check reviews, and ultimately, try your luck. But if you're there for a while, at some point you're going to be asking yourself whether to visit new eateries or stick to the ones you've already tried and liked. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-richard-feynman-formula-dining-habits.html Mathematics Tue, 02 Jun 2026 12:20:01 EDT news699620074 Our capacity for innovation, rather than being the work of random variation, is based on an intrinsic understanding of how the world works, claim Karolinska Institutet and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam researchers in a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-people-player.html Other Mon, 01 Jun 2026 17:20:03 EDT news699548667 How ambitious should you be? Folk wisdom offers conflicting advice: "Shoot for the moon," but also, "Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good." A new study by researchers at the University of Wyoming, Stanford University and the University of Colorado-Boulder used a mathematical model to show that ambition lies in the middle—above average but finite. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-moon-aim-bit.html Mathematics Fri, 29 May 2026 09:00:02 EDT news699176462 While society often assumes that finding a romantic partner is the ultimate key to happiness, tracking relationship changes over time reveals a distinctly different reality. A massive longitudinal study proves that individuals actually experience higher emotional well-being when they are single compared to when they are enduring a poor- or moderate-quality relationship. Ultimately, while a high-quality partnership does boost overall happiness, the data confirms that settling for an unfulfilling romance takes a far heavier psychological toll than simply embracing singlehood. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-bad-relationship.html Social Sciences Thu, 28 May 2026 21:40:01 EDT news699190636 A new study from Northwestern University and the University of Chicago offers underlying evidence that the engagement-based algorithms used by major social media platforms amplify intergroup, moralized, emotional (IME) and toxic political content—and that a relatively simple redesign can reduce that amplification without hurting users' overall experience of the platform. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-diversifying-social-exposure-toxic-content.html Social Sciences Thu, 28 May 2026 18:00:01 EDT news699194161 Italians are famous for speaking with their hands. But a new international study suggests that when it comes to teaching children, adults everywhere instinctively become more expressive with their gestures—even in cultures known for gesturing less. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-italians-dutch-gestural-instinct-reveals.html Social Sciences Thu, 28 May 2026 17:40:01 EDT news699194041 One in six internet-using children from a survey of nearly 12,000 children in 12 countries across Asia and Africa are found to experience at least one form of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation and abuse, with many experiences undisclosed, according to research published in Nature. The findings may help to inform prevention and response efforts where coordinated action by policymakers, law enforcement, and technology companies is urgently needed to protect children. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-kids-experiencing-online-sexual-exploitation.html Social Sciences Thu, 28 May 2026 12:40:02 EDT news699186962 A study covering 76 countries has found that people who are more trusting, patient, altruistic and cooperative tend to report higher levels of happiness and life satisfaction, suggesting that well-being depends on more than material prosperity alone. The work was published in the International Journal of Happiness and Development. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-patience-link-higher-happiness-countries.html Social Sciences Wed, 27 May 2026 14:40:03 EDT news699106240 Why are women considered the "fairer sex" in humans, when in most animal species it is males that display the more elaborate and visually striking traits? This question has intrigued researchers since Darwin. A new large-scale study led by the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics (MPIEA) in Frankfurt now provides clear empirical evidence for the first time. The findings have just been published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-women-outrank-men-cultures-global.html Social Sciences Wed, 27 May 2026 12:00:01 EDT news699095583 Single parents are less happy than parents with a partner, according to a comprehensive analysis of global studies spanning nearly 50 years of data. With the number of solo caregivers on the rise in many countries, scientists from Germany and the Netherlands wanted to know how raising a child on your own impacts overall life satisfaction. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-years-reveal-happiness-gap-parents.html Social Sciences Tue, 26 May 2026 10:10:01 EDT news699005114 During a staff meeting, we may look around to take account of who is present—an observation that could consider the race or gender of who is in the room. But would everyone notice a complete absence of women, colleagues of color, or even men, in these settings? Probably not, shows a new international study by a team of psychology researchers. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-underrepresentation-unnoticed-workplace-classroom.html Social Sciences Mon, 25 May 2026 15:00:06 EDT news698671263 How can people continue to function as a team when they live together in isolation for months on end? A new study led by the University of Zurich shows that loneliness isn't the only challenge posed by extreme environments. Constant physical proximity can also amplify conflict, mistrust and social withdrawal. The findings are published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-months-antarctic-isolation-reveal-missions.html Social Sciences Mon, 25 May 2026 15:00:01 EDT news698921199 Solo living in your own home places a greater strain on the planet's resources than living with others, as everyone needs their own appliances—a toaster, a washing machine and so on. The Nordic countries stand out: Almost half of all households are solo-living households. Sustainability researcher Tullia Jack interviewed people who live alone about the reasons for this and hopes for new forms of co-living. The study is published in the journal Humanities and Social Sciences Communications. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-climate-community.html Social Sciences Fri, 22 May 2026 17:40:01 EDT news698676785