Summary: Animal characters in children’s books can significantly boost their theory of mind skills, which are essential for understanding social cues. The research showed that children exposed to animal characters…
Tag: social neuroscience
How AI Could Shape Human Evolution in Subtle Yet Profound Ways
Summary: Artificial intelligence is becoming a pivotal force in human lives, prompting questions about its evolutionary effects. A new study explores how AI may influence human evolution through everyday interactions,…
Why Human Culture Never Stops Evolving
Summary: A new study proposes that human culture’s unique power lies not in its ability to accumulate knowledge, as once thought, but in its “open-endedness.” Unlike animal cultures that reach…
Cooperative Care Influences Brain Development in Humans and Marmosets
Summary: Cooperative breeding influences brain development in common marmosets and humans, allowing longer periods for social learning. Marmoset brains, like human brains, develop socio-cognitive regions slowly, maturing in early adulthood.…
Social Media Verification Drives Polarization and Echo Chambers
Summary: A new study shows that X’s verification system, which gives verified users priority in algorithms, can increase polarization and trigger the formation of echo chambers. Researchers used computational modeling…
Parent-Child Play Shapes Social Skills for Interacting with Peers
Summary: 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…
People Empathize with Bullied AI Bots
Summary: 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…
Imaging Links Fewer Brain Connections to Autism Social Challenges
Summary: 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…
Dolphins’ “Smile” Reveals Playful Intentions
Summary: 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…
Game Theory Challenged: Humans Cooperate Despite Betrayal
Summary: Humans tend to cooperate even after being betrayed, defying traditional game theory expectations. Researchers conducted online experiments using alternating and voluntary participation games, revealing that people are more tolerant…
