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Social & Behavior

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 20-May-2026 16:15 ET (20-May-2026 20:15 GMT/UTC)

From genetics to AI: Integrated approaches to decoding human language in the brain

Cognitive Neuroscience Society
Meeting Announcement

Learning French, reading the latest Andy Weir novel, hanging out with friends for St. Patrick’s Day — language is central to all these everyday activities. Seemingly effortless from childhood, language, it turns out, is quite complex, not constrained to one set of genes or one region in the brain. Cognitive neuroscientists are now using a diverse arsenal of tools, including novel genetic analyses and AI, to gain insights into both healthy and disordered communication across individuals, as will be presented at the annual meeting of the Cognitive Neuroscience Society (CNS) in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Meeting: 33rd Meeting of the Cognitive Neuroscience Society

UAlbany, Rutgers researchers develop early-warning model to predict toxic social media storms

University at Albany, SUNY
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers at the University at Albany and Rutgers University have developed an early-warning framework that can predict harmful social media interactions before they erupt, paving the way for interventions that can minimize harm and make platforms safer for users.

Vegans develop complex skills to navigate an omnivorous society, new Concordia research shows

Concordia University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

New research from Concordia University shows that vegans develop social and practical skills to navigate a largely omnivorous society. The study identifies four strategies—decoding, decoupling, divesting and chameleoning—that help vegans manage relationships, shared meals and marketplace interactions while maintaining their dietary practices.

Journal: Journal of Consumer Research
Funder: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada

Insecurity, precarity, and opacity: the reality of rider work in Europe

University of Córdoba
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A study by the University of Cordoba confirms the job vulnerability of riders in Europe and highlights the need for specific regulations governing their work within the framework of digital platforms.

Journal: Technological Forecasting and Social Change

Subway systems are uncomfortably hot — and worsening

Northwestern University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

First study to use crowdsourced comments to assess effects of heat underground. Researchers collected comments from X and Google Reviews published between 2008 and 2024. Study focused on subway systems in Boston, New York and London. As above-ground temperatures rise, below-ground thermal complaints increase. Knowing when people are uncomfortable could inform targeted interventions.

Journal: Nature Cities

A comprehensive review charts how psychiatry could finally diagnose what it actually treats

Genomic Press
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Psychiatric diagnosis still relies on symptom checklists that were never designed to reflect biology. A peer-reviewed invited review published in Brain Medicine now synthesizes recent advances across four converging domains: conceptual frameworks that move beyond categorical labels, molecular and neurobiological biomarkers, digital phenotyping through smartphones and wearable devices, and machine learning approaches capable of integrating these heterogeneous data streams. The review authors, based at the University of Cambridge, argue that combining objective biological measurement with clinical judgment could yield diagnostic subtypes that predict illness trajectory and guide personalized treatment. They also identify formidable barriers, from data scarcity and algorithmic opacity to regulatory fragmentation and the risk of deepening health inequities.

Journal: Brain Medicine
Funder: Stanley Medical Research Institute grant, Oskar Huttunen Foundation

University of Tennessee College of Social Work establishes Center for Pet Family Well-Being

University of Tennessee at Knoxville
Business Announcement

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville College of Social Work has launched the Center for Pet Family Well-Being, expanding a nationally recognized initiative focused on pet-inclusive families. Building on eight years of research and $12 million in grants, the center advances a One Health Systems framework connecting health, social, and community systems nationwide.