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Social & Behavior

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 25-Oct-2026 12:16 ET (25-Oct-2026 16:16 GMT/UTC)

Consumers willing to pay more for lobster harvested with ropeless technology, UMaine study finds

University of Maine
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A study led by Qiujie “Angie” Zheng from the University of Maine found that consumers are willing to pay an average of $3.42 more for a lobster roll made with lobster harvested using ropeless fishing technology designed to reduce whale entanglement risks when presented with information on animal welfare. Researchers tested how information about whale conservation, animal welfare and Maine’s lobster industry shaped consumer willingness to pay more for lobster harvested using ropeless technology. Messaging focused on whale welfare and entanglement impacts proved most effective at increasing support for ropeless technology, with consumers willing to pay more.

Journal: Marine Resource Economics

Study: 11 million American children’s well being threatened by criminally charged family members

Boston College
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A cross-sectional study of more than 76 million American children by researchers found approximately 15 percent—or over 11 million—of the children had a family member who was criminally charged within the past five years, resulting in potentially harmful disruptions to families that threaten the young people’s wellbeing.

Journal: JAMA Network Open

Adams exploring psychosocial adaptation in survivors of violently acquired spinal cord injury

George Mason University
Grant and Award Announcement

Leah M. Adams, Associate Professor, Psychology and Women and Gender Studies, Psychology, College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS), is studying how people who sustain spinal cord injuries through violence adapt to their new circumstances using national longitudinal data, interviews with people with these injuries, and interviews with specialty-mental health providers who work with them.

Funder: Craig H. Neilsen Foundation

UC Irvine team identifies where renewable hydrogen delivers the greatest social benefit

University of California - Irvine
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new UC Irvine study uses monetized life-cycle analysis to compare hydrogen, direct electrification and fossil fuel pathways across heavy-duty transport and industrial sectors. The researchers concluded that renewable hydrogen applied in certain sectors offers greater social value, which includes reduced climate change impacts, cleaner air, improved public health and lower demand for natural resources. The researchers pinpointed steel, transoceanic shipping and long-haul trucking as the highest-value targets for clean hydrogen deployment.

Journal: Joule

‘News will find me’ mindset makes people trust algorithms and online networks

Penn State
Peer-Reviewed Publication

One in three people believe they don’t have to seek the news from traditional outlets like newspapers and television. Instead, they think the “news will find me” (NFM), relying on algorithms and social networks to get their information. A research team led by Penn State scholars recently found that these individuals often consider their online networks to be as trustworthy as professional editors and journalists.

Journal: Social Media + Society

For most US drivers, EVs offer emissions benefits and cost savings

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Peer-Reviewed Publication

In most U.S. zip codes, electric vehicles are cost-competitive with their gas-powered counterparts, according to a new study. And regarding emissions benefits of EVs, individual driving patterns matter as much as regional factors like the local electricity mix.

Journal: Environmental Research Letters
Funder: MIT Martin Family Society of Fellows for Sustainability

60% of U.S. teens have tried AI chatbots, 11.4% use them almost daily

Florida Atlantic University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new national study reveals just how deeply AI chatbots are shaping teen life – and the hidden dangers that may come with them. Surveying more than 3,400 adolescents nationwide, researchers found many teens turn to chatbots not only for entertainment, but also for emotional support, advice, friendship and romantic companionship. Nearly half reported harmful experiences, including manipulation, misinformation and risky interactions, raising urgent questions about safeguards as AI becomes woven into adolescence.