EurekAlert! News by Subject: Social & Behavior

Social & Behavior

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 3-Jun-2026 20:16 ET (4-Jun-2026 00:16 GMT/UTC)

18-Apr-2026

Central South University study provides novel insights into GenAI-mediated second language writing instruction

ECNU Review of Education
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Systematic review applies Activity Theory to map how generative AI tools shape second language writing development

Journal: ECNU Review of Education
Funder: Hunan Provincial Social Science Foundation

18-Apr-2026

Stronger literature review skills linked to better academic writing

ECNU Review of Education
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A recent study finds that literature review skills are a key predictor of academic writing quality among postgraduate students. The ability to synthesize, evaluate, and organize existing research is closely linked to stronger argumentation, coherence and more effective scholarly writing.

Journal: ECNU Review of Education

17-Apr-2026

New Brookings research finds that streamlining the benefits application process increases WIC application and enrollment rates

Brookings Institution
Reports and Proceedings

New research by Brookings has found that giving people clear information about the public assistance application process and helping them apply can significantly increase the number who apply, as well as the number who ultimately enroll. These findings highlight an important solution to under-enrollment in these programs.

17-Apr-2026

AI makes granular pricing easier, but consumer psychology may make it less profitable

Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Big data, artificial intelligence and advanced pricing algorithms make it easier than ever for companies to fine-tune prices for individual products to closely reflect their unique value and cost. The conventional wisdom is straightforward: better data, better algorithms and sharper segmentation should produce better profits. But new research suggests that the most profitable answer isn’t always more fine-grained pricing across a product line. In fact, it is fewer, better-chosen price points.

Journal: Marketing Science

17-Apr-2026

New study examines stigma toward women who lose weight using GLP-1 medications

Georgetown University Medical Center
Peer-Reviewed Publication

In a new study exploring stigma associated with the use of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss, women who lost weight using GLP-1 medications were judged more harshly than those who lost weight through diet and exercise, with negative reactions driven largely by beliefs that medication-assisted weight loss is a “shortcut.” The study also found higher levels of stigma when the women in sample scenarios were portrayed as white rather than Black.

Journal: Stigma and Health
Funder: Psi Chi Mamie Phipps Clark Diversity Research Grant, Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues Grants-in-Aid Award, George Washington University Richard Walk Dissertation Fellowship

17-Apr-2026

Ugandan human rights leader Frank Mugisha to be awarded 2026 Inamori Ethics Prize

Case Western Reserve University
Grant and Award Announcement

Frank Mugisha, executive director of Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), has devoted his life to advocating for basic human rights for all people—not only in his home country, but globally. The Inamori International Center for Ethics and Excellence at Case Western Reserve University will award Mugisha with the 2026 Inamori Ethics Prize.

17-Apr-2026

Examining the impact of sanctioned elites on authoritarian realignment

Waseda University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The prevailing international environment is marked by rising geopolitical tensions, necessitating an in-depth examination of its underlying mechanisms. In a recent research article, a researcher from Waseda University highlights that democracies can weaken through shifts in elite alliances triggered by international economic and geopolitical situations, especially emphasizing the crucial role of economic and political elites, such as business leaders and legislators.

Journal: American Political Science Review