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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: social behavior

social behavior stories: 10 news summaries

 Nature Makes You Nicer 

People more focused on others when primed with natural imagery, research shows

Aug 18, 09 4:55 PM CDT
(Newser) - Being around the natural world or representations of it makes you a better person, Miller-McCune reports. A study finds that people shown slides of natural landscapes rated community-oriented goals—such as “to work for the betterment of society”—as more important to them than self-oriented goals—for example,... More »

MORE ABOUT:
social responsibility • psychology • nature • generosity • community • social behavior

(Newser) - Whales and dolphins have highly evolved social structures and may deserve a “personhood” status similar to that being considered for members of the great ape family, Wired reports. The emotional and social areas of the cetacean brain are “enormously complex,” notes one researcher, “and in many... More »

MORE ABOUT:
marine animal • dolphins • whales • cetaceans • social behavior

opinion

 Globalization Is 
 Changing Our Brains 


Mar 29, 09 6:20 PM CDT
(Newser) - Having boogied in 70 countries on all seven continents, Matt Harding concludes that “globalization is forcing our brains to evolve." Known via the Internet for dancing poorly with locals in far-flung locations, Harding argues that our brains were designed for social interaction within a small tribe—but we... More »

MORE ABOUT:
evolution • globalization • brain • tribes • NPR • cavemen • social behavior

(Newser) - Rhesus monkeys raised in isolation are anti-social, catatonic, and profoundly disturbed even after they are introduced to their peers. The same is true of humans kept in solitary confinement for prolonged periods of time, whether as hostages or prisoners, writes Atul Gawande in the New Yorker. As months roll on,... More »

MORE ABOUT:
torture • prison • POW • prisoners • isolation • social behavior • solitary confinement • Terry Anderson

 Wallflower or 
 Life of the Party? 
 It's in Your Genes 

Study of twins finds genetic link to social position

Jan 27, 09 7:31 AM CST
(Newser) - Whether a person becomes a wallflower or social butterfly and what group of friends they develop is apparently significantly affected by their genes, National Geographic reports. Scientists examined social groupings of more than 1,000 pairs of teenage twins and discovered that identical twins, who share the same genes, were... More »

MORE ABOUT:
social networking • twins • genes • popularity • scientific study • social behavior

ANALYSIS



 No Kidding: 
 Teasing Is 
 Good for Us 

More than just goofing, ribbing regulates relationships

Dec 6, 08 7:59 PM CST
(Newser) - A little teasing actually helps us all get along, Dacher Keltner argues in the New York Times Magazine. From the schoolyard to the NBA hardwood, America has come to oppose teasing, mostly because we too often confuse good-natured ribbing with bullying. “In rejecting teasing,” Keltner writes, “we... More »

MORE ABOUT:
children • parents • romance • relationship • couples • social behavior

OPINION

Between Home and Work, Public Life Declines

More than ever, we need surprises of 'third spaces': Rodriguez

Dec 1, 08 1:36 PM CST
(Newser) - In the 1980s sociologists introduced the term "third place," neither home nor work, to encompass the bars, restaurants, and other public spaces that allow us to build relationships. Today, with global economic woes besetting even the iconic French cafe culture, our "public living rooms" are... More »

MORE ABOUT:
France • restaurant • bars • cafes • society • social behavior • decline

 The Pitfalls of De-Friending 

Peer pressure just one of the social aspects that translates well to Facebook and the like

Nov 25, 08 4:14 PM CST
(Newser) - De-friending is an unfortunate reality for social networks. It happens for many reasons, but is always awkward. Here are some de-friending stories from Mashable (names have been changed to protect the embarrassed):
  • Social opportunists: Andrew got a friend request from Jane, who he didn’t know but was friends
... More »

MORE ABOUT:
social networking • Internet • Facebook • LinkedIn • online friend • social behavior

ANALYSIS

Sure, I'm Offended—
I'm Human!

People are extra sensitive these days, and science knows why

Oct 18, 08 7:30 PM CDT
(Newser) - From Larry David to John McCain, we’re all getting a little touchy these days, writes Emily Yoffe in Slate: “People are like tuning forks, ready to vibrate with indignation.” While economists argue humans are rational, “it seems we live in a culture devoted to retribution on... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Barack Obama • John McCain • psychology • gossip • language • natural selection • morality • social behavior

 'Social Siberia' 
 Isn't Just a Metaphor 

Icy behavior cools body temperatures: study

Sep 16, 08 2:22 PM CDT
(Newser) - Icy stares and chilly receptions can leave you feeling—well, cold. Metaphors about social behavior, like "warm welcome" and "cold shoulder," seem to relate to physical reality, new research finds. People who had experienced and recalled social rejection perceived a 5-degree temperature drop in the lab and... More »

MORE ABOUT:
behavior • brain • human behavior • personality • social behavior

10 Stories


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