Summary: A large-scale study with 600 participants shows that music can genuinely evoke feelings of companionship by sparking social imagination. When participants listened to folk music, they imagined vivid social…
Tag: social neuroscience
How the Brain Decodes Social Emotions and Anxiety
Summary: The anterior temporal lobe (ATL) plays a key role in interpreting social hierarchies and facial emotions, offering insight into anxiety and mood disorders. A research project used advanced imaging…
Child Maltreatment Accelerates Aging and Hinders Social Development
Summary: New research shows that childhood maltreatment leaves lasting biological and social scars. In a study of young children, those who experienced abuse showed accelerated cellular aging and reduced social…
Universally Cool: Personality Traits That Cross Cultural Lines
Summary: What makes someone “cool” appears to be remarkably consistent across cultures, according to a global psychology study. Researchers surveyed nearly 6,000 people from 13 countries and found that cool…
Chimpanzees and Children Share a Curiosity for Social Drama
Summary: A new study shows that both chimpanzees and young children are drawn to watching social interactions, sometimes even at a cost. When given a choice between viewing videos of…
Across Generations, Humans Are Driven to Keep Culture Alive
Summary: A new paper proposes the cultural continuity hypothesis, suggesting that humans are universally driven to preserve essential aspects of their culture across generations. Drawing on psychology, sociology, and anthropology,…
Board Game Helps Autistic Players Express Emotions Through Images
Summary: A new study finds that the storytelling board game Dixit may help people with autism express their thoughts and emotions. By selecting from illustrated cards, players can convey personal…
Kindness Sparks Cooperation by Boosting Social Connectedness
Summary: New research reveals that everyday niceness, like warm tones, smiles, and active listening, can significantly improve teamwork and increase willingness to cooperate. These small acts foster a sense of social…
Incel Culture Links Work Avoidance to Group Loyalty
Summary: A new study reveals that many self-identified incels reject employment not only due to mental health challenges, but as a deliberate expression of identity reinforced by online communities. By…
Moral Outrage Goes Viral, But Doesn’t Drive Action Online
Summary: A new study analyzing over a million posts linked to online petitions found that while moral outrage boosts a post’s virality, it doesn’t significantly increase petition signatures. Emotional and…
