Social Sciences news

Three of a kind: Revealing language’s universal essence

Other Sciences / Social Sciences

6 hours ago | 3.3 / 5 (3) | 5

(PhysOrg.com) -- On the surface, English, Japanese, and Kinande, a member of the Bantu family of languages spoken in the Democratic Republic of Congo, have little in common. It is not just that the vocabularies ...

Shifting blame is socially contagious

Other Sciences / Social Sciences

Nov 19, 2009 | 4 / 5 (3) | 0

Merely observing someone publicly blame an individual in an organization for a problem - even when the target is innocent - greatly increases the odds that the practice of blaming others will spread with the tenacity of the ...

Finding more in 'most': Scientific study of an everyday word

Other Sciences / Social Sciences

Nov 19, 2009 | 3.7 / 5 (3) | 0

William Shakespeare, who knew a thing or two about words, advised that "An honest tale speeds best, being plainly told." But the exact meaning of plain language isn't always easy to find. Even simple words like "most" and ...

Creation of new school districts in US may cause a new form of segregation

Other Sciences / Social Sciences

Nov 18, 2009 | 4 / 5 (1) | 0

Although the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education in 1954 overturned segregation within many U.S. metropolitan communities and districts, school districts were slow to change and have remained segregated between districts. ...

Emulating Western lifestyles: Consumption and carbon footprints in less industrialized countries

Other Sciences / Social Sciences

Nov 18, 2009 | 5 / 5 (1) | 0

In recent decades, a new global middle class has exploded, with a total population exceeding one billion people. A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research explores the consumption attitudes of some of these members of the ...

People work harder when expecting a future challenging task

Other Sciences / Social Sciences

Nov 17, 2009 | 3.3 / 5 (4) | 1

Consumers will work harder on a task if they're expecting to have to do something difficult at a later time, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research.

Talking to ourselves: How consumers navigate choices and inner conflict

Other Sciences / Social Sciences

Nov 17, 2009 | 3 / 5 (1) | 0

From simple decisions like "Should I eat this brownie?" to bigger questions such as "Should my next car be a hybrid?" consumers are involved in an inner dialogue that reflects thoughts and perspectives of their different ...

To eat or not to eat? Mental budgets help control consumption

Other Sciences / Social Sciences

Nov 17, 2009 | 2 / 5 (2) | 0

If you feel like you're in a losing battle with a triple-chocolate cake, a "mental budget" can help, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research.

Coaches can shape young athletes' definition of success

Other Sciences / Social Sciences

Nov 17, 2009 | not rated yet | 0

Young athletes' achievement goals can change in a healthy way over the course of a season when their coaches create a mastery motivational climate rather than an ego orientation, University of Washington sport psychologists ...

When East meets West: Why consumers turn to alternative medicine

Other Sciences / Social Sciences

Nov 17, 2009 | 3.7 / 5 (3) | 0

Alternative health remedies are increasingly important in the health care marketplace. A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research explores how consumers choose among the many available remedies.

New research analyzes issues in immigration law

Other Sciences / Social Sciences

Nov 17, 2009 | not rated yet | 0

University of Miami Law Professor Rebecca A. Sharpless has recently authored a research paper titled, "Toward a True Elements Test: Taylor and the Categorical Analysis of Crimes in Immigration Law."

Walking hazard: Cell-phone use -- but not music -- reduces pedestrian safety

Other Sciences / Social Sciences

Nov 16, 2009 | 4.5 / 5 (2) | 0

Two new studies of pedestrian safety found that using a cell phone while hoofing it can endanger one's health. Older pedestrians, in particular, are impaired when crossing a busy (simulated) street while speaking ...

Don't be happy, be worried: Sports fans need dose of negative

Other Sciences / Social Sciences

Nov 16, 2009 | not rated yet | 1

For sports fans watching their favorite team play, the greatest enjoyment comes only with a strong dollop of fear and maybe even near-despair, a new study suggests.

Lack of Social Engagement Is a Risk Factor for Self-Neglect in Older Adults

Other Sciences / Social Sciences

Nov 16, 2009 | not rated yet | 0

Seniors who neglect themselves, risking their own health and safety, tend to be individuals with limited social networks and little social engagement, according to a study by Rush University Medical Center.

Today's children decide their school and career path early

Other Sciences / Social Sciences

Nov 15, 2009 | not rated yet | 0

Children as young as 12 have a strong sense of their personal futures and can reflect thoughtfully on what life might hold for them, according to new research funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and led by ...

DU professor advises families to refocus for holidays to ease financial tension (w/ Video)

Other Sciences / Social Sciences

Nov 13, 2009 | not rated yet | 0

Martha Wadsworth, associate professor of psychology at the University of Denver (DU), says during the holidays families should focus on what has been proven to matter most in psychological research - quality family time.

Rethinking sexism: Study examines how society maintains the status quo

Other Sciences / Social Sciences

Nov 12, 2009 | 4.3 / 5 (6) | 1

There is a tendency to think that only men treat women in a sexist way, but a new study by a University of Miami researcher and his daughter shows that both men and women participate in maintaining a gender hierarchy in our ...

Teens' mental health affects how long they stay in school, new study shows

Other Sciences / Social Sciences

Nov 12, 2009 | 3 / 5 (2) | 0

Queen's University researcher Steven Lehrer has won a prestigious international award in recognition of his contributions to health economics.