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Social & Behavior

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 3-May-2026 19:16 ET (3-May-2026 23:16 GMT/UTC)

Dancing on the brain

University of Tokyo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Dance is a form of cultural expression that has endured all of human history, channeling a seemingly innate response to the recognition of sound and rhythm. A team at the University of Tokyo and collaborators demonstrated distinct fMRI activity patterns in the brain related to a specific audience’s level of expertise in dance. The findings were born from recent breakthroughs in dance motion-capture datasets and AI generative models, facilitating a cross-modal study characterizing the art form’s complexity.

Journal: Nature Communications

Elites wield huge influence over deepening polarisation –– now we can tell how much

Aalto University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers from Aalto University used network theory to develop a method for measuring the impact of individuals on societal division. While the method can be applied to any case around which social media data can be gathered, the initial study utilised Twitter data collected before Finland’s 2019 and 2023 parliamentary elections. The results reveal how a relatively small elite can have a disproportionately large influence on shaping polarizing environments.

Journal: Network Science

Teens who play video games with gambling-like elements more likely to start real betting, study suggests

Taylor & Francis Group
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Young people who play video games with “gambling-like” elements – such as buying loot boxes or in-game items – are more likely to go on to gamble with real money.

Journal: International Gambling Studies
Funder: Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (Research Foundation – Flanders)

UC Riverside professor named 2025 Hastings Center Fellow

University of California - Riverside
Grant and Award Announcement

Brandon Brown, a professor of social medicine, population, and public health in the UCR School of Medicine, has been elected a 2025 Fellow of The Hastings Center.

UC awarded $985K NIH grant to prevent infant obesity

University of Cincinnati
Grant and Award Announcement

The University of Cincinnati has received a $985,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health to test a community-based intervention aimed at promoting healthy eating and feeding practices for children 0-12 months.

University of Houston researchers map Houston’s mental health deserts for the first time

University of Houston
Peer-Reviewed Publication

For the first time, University of Houston researchers have mapped Houston’s “mental health deserts,” revealing inequities in access to care across the city.

Journal: Frontiers

Trends in prevalence of adverse childhood experiences among children

JAMA Network
Peer-Reviewed Publication

About The Study: This cross-sectional study reveals an encouraging positive shift in the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among U.S. children during the study period of 2016 to 2023. The upward trends in the proportion of individuals reporting 0 ACEs suggest a growing societal recognition of the importance of healthy and nurturing environments for children. Conversely, the decrease in the prevalence of 4 or more ACEs highlights a reduction in severe ACEs, particularly among other racial and ethnic groups and those from low-income families.

Journal: JAMA Network Open