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social behavior

·October 22, 2024·3 min read

Cerebellum Plays Key Role in Social and Cognitive Abilities

The cerebellum, traditionally linked to motor functions, also plays a vital role in social and cognitive abilities, according to new research. Abnormalities in this brain region not only impair movement but are linked to emotional and behavioral issues, particularly in autism.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 21, 2024·5 min read

Parent-Child Play Shapes Social Skills for Interacting with Peers

How parents and toddlers play together can predict children's future social interactions. By observing over 120 mother-child pairs, researchers found that responsive and assertive behaviors during play were linked to better social competence with peers.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 17, 2024·6 min read

People Empathize with Bullied AI Bots

People empathize with AI bots excluded from a virtual game, treating them like social beings in need of fairness. Participants favored giving the AI bot a fair chance in play, with older adults showing a stronger inclination to rectify the perceived unfairness.

This shows a brain puzzle with missing pieces.

Autism Featured Neuroscience

·October 14, 2024·3 min read

Imaging Links Fewer Brain Connections to Autism Social Challenges

A recent study used PET imaging to examine synaptic connections in autistic and non-autistic adults, marking the first time this technology was applied to autism research. Findings show autistic adults have fewer synapses, or connections between brain cells, which closely relates to social and communicative differences in autism.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 10, 2024·5 min read

Smiles Are Contagious: Shared Expression Fosters Connection

Smiles during face-to-face conversations strongly impact connection, with the intensity of one person's smile often influencing the other. Researchers found that speakers smiled more when listeners smiled, especially in same-sex interactions, indicating that mutual smiles foster warmth and comfort.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 9, 2024·3 min read

Social Networks Drive Idea and Misinformation Contagion

A recent study examines how the structure of social networks influences the spread of both diseases and ideas, using data collected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers developed a model to analyze not only social connections but also the mechanisms driving contagion and information diffusion.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 3, 2024·4 min read

Friendships Drive Happiness for Single Young Adults

A new study of single Americans aged 18 to 24 highlights the key role that satisfying friendships play in overall happiness. Researchers divided participants into five subgroups based on levels of happiness and five predictors: satisfaction with family, satisfaction with friends, self-esteem, neuroticism, and extraversion.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 2, 2024·4 min read

Dolphins’ “Smile” Reveals Playful Intentions

Bottlenose dolphins use an "open mouth" expression, similar to a smile, during playful interactions with other dolphins. This expression is a signal of fun and playfulness, preventing misunderstandings as aggression.

Autism Featured Neuroscience

·October 1, 2024·3 min read

Brain Activity Syncs Differently in Autism and Neurotypical Interactions

A new study shows that brain synchronization between a neurotypical person and someone with autism is weaker compared to two neurotypical individuals interacting. Using EEG hyperscanning, researchers observed reduced inter-brain synchrony during hand movement imitation between mixed pairs, with autistic individuals more likely to follow than lead.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 9, 2024·4 min read

Near Death Experiences May Strengthen Human Interconnectedness

A new study shows that out-of-body experiences (OBEs), including near-death experiences, can dramatically increase empathy and transform how individuals connect with others. Researchers suggest this may result from "ego dissolution," where individuals lose their sense of self and feel deeply connected to the universe.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 5, 2024·3 min read

Group Sleeping: How Social Sleep Affects Rest Patterns

A new paper argues that group living significantly affects how animals sleep, with behaviors like synchronized REM sleep in mice and sleep suppression in bumblebees. Most sleep studies focus on individual animals in lab settings, missing the social context of sleep in the wild.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·August 8, 2024·4 min read

Greater Knowledge May Harm Group Welfare

Increasing knowledge can lead to negative outcomes when individuals use it for self-interest rather than collective good. Researchers argue that enhanced knowledge can reduce cooperation among rational individuals, potentially worsening overall welfare.