Social Sciences

A computerized matching system can be designed to be fair and still produce unequal outcomes if the people using it do not understand how it works, according to new research published in Organization Science that shows that disparities can emerge even when a matching system is designed to reduce bias,... Read more

Climate change is widely understood as an environmental and economic threat, but new research from the University of Sydney shows it is also a growing social crisis, weakening the relationships people rely on to survive.... Read more

A few years ago, I had just moved into a house.... Read more

People who shop at the more than 8,700 farmers markets operating in the U.S. either year-round or seasonally generally fall into six distinct groups. Three of them are more interested in farmers markets than the others. I study local food systems as a strategic communications scholar, and that's the main... Read more

A study on the future of Australia's housing market has revealed that even well-intended housing market interventions could significantly worsen housing affordability and homelessness in the country due to the impacts of climate change.... Read more

James Cook University researchers say a group of cycling enthusiasts who used a collaborative playlist to stay connected during pandemic lockdowns provide a low-cost model for organizations seeking to support mental health and social resilience.... Read more

Children who grow up in disadvantaged households may receive fewer social benefits from their intelligence in adulthood than those raised in more advantaged environments, according to new research from the University of Bath. A new study by Professor Chris Dawson, published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, finds that childhood... Read more

A mathematical method borrowed from topology can reveal structural properties of visual art that correspond to how people perceive and respond to them, according to a new study published in PLOS Computational Biology by Jacek Rogala of the University of Warsaw, Poland, Shabnam Kadir of the University of Hertfordshire, UK,... Read more

For decades, researchers have documented an achievement gap between children from higher- and lower-income families. On average, children with more resources perform better in school and on cognitive tests.... Read more

The pleasant, earthy sound of a marimba is a key component in the modern orchestra, but their high prices, ranging from $1,000 to over $25,000, sometimes make them cost-prohibitive for schools and students.... Read more

Valleyspeak, uptalk, vocal fry: These are all examples of speech patterns generally assigned to young women and often stereotyped to imply a lack of confidence or intelligence. At least one of these assumed patterns, however, is false.... Read more

Law enforcement is a critical aspect of ensuring safety in communities. However, unjustified harm has been associated with law enforcement throughout history, resulting in tension between police and communities.... Read more

Whether it's artificial intelligence programs or the Amazon rainforest, people often experience gratitude or protectiveness toward non-human entities because they perceive these entities as having good intentions, according to research published in the journal Emotion.... Read more

We are surrounded by computer-generated voices these days, from navigation systems and voice assistants to automated announcements. But how human do these voices actually sound? A recent study by the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics (MPIEA) in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, published in the journal Speech Communication, shows that... Read more

Artificial intelligence (AI) systems affect many parts of daily life, including health care, education, and public policy, but the public has had few meaningful opportunities to participate in the development, governance, or modifications of AI systems, according to Tanusree Sharma, assistant professor in the Penn State College of Information Sciences... Read more