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Social & Behavior

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 21-May-2026 09:16 ET (21-May-2026 13:16 GMT/UTC)

Study finds emphasis on conversation facilitation helps journalists re-engage communities

University of Kansas
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers with the University of Kansas and partners in six states tested a curriculum focused on conversation facilitation in journalism. The program partnered students with overlooked communities to train them to listen to people and find the stories important to them, while moving away from practices like extractive interviewing. The partnership resulted in better connections with communities, young journalists better informed on the role of journalism in democracy and researchers developed a curriculum for journalism schools across the country.

Journal: Journalism Practice

AI-powered companionship: PolyU interfaculty scholar harnesses music and empathetic speech in robots to combat loneliness

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Loneliness has a critical impact on the mental health of citizens, particularly among the elderly. Robots capable of perceiving and responding to human emotions can serve as heart-warming companions to help lift the spirits. A research team at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has discovered that the combined power of music and empathetic speech in robots with artificial intelligence (AI) could foster a stronger bond between humans and machines. These findings underscore the importance of a multimodal approach in designing empathetic robots, offering significant implications for their application in health support, elder care, education and beyond.

Journal: ACM Transactions on Human-Robot Interaction

Childhood disadvantage can block the benefits of genetic potential, study finds

University of Bath
Reports and Proceedings

Early disadvantage steers individuals genetically predisposed to educational success towards caution and short-term choices, limiting social mobility

Journal: Communications Psychology

The economic cost of HIV: New study quantifies impact on work and income

Universiteit van Amsterdam
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A recent study by the University of Amsterdam, the Amsterdam Research Centre for Health Economics and Management (ARCHEM) and Stichting hiv monitoring (SHM shows that in the Netherlands, people who are diagnosed with HIV are less likely to be employed, work fewer hours, earn less income, and are more likely to receive disability benefits up to seven years after diagnosis.

Journal: Nature Communications

College students who spend hours on social media are more likely to be lonely – national US study

Taylor & Francis Group
Peer-Reviewed Publication

More than half of college students are lonely – and those who use social media the most are particularly likely to feel isolated, a study of tens of thousands of 18 to 24-year-olds in the US shows.

Journal: Journal of American College Health

Teaching the human skills AI can’t replace

Edith Cowan University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

New Edith Cowan University (ECU) research suggests emotional literacy may be one of the most important skills students can learn, not just for relationships, but for their education and future careers.

Journal: International Review of Psychiatry

HKU Libraries Special Collections and Open-view Conservation Laboratory officially open

The University of Hong Kong
Business Announcement

The University of Hong Kong (HKU) Libraries announces the official reopening of its revitalised Special Collections and the launch of the new Open-View Conservation Laboratory in February 2026, following a six-month renovation. These enhanced facilities underscore HKU’s enduring commitment to preserving cultural heritage and advancing academic research in Hong Kong and beyond.