Social and Behavioural

Explore Social and Behavioural

Dr. Genny Beemyn – Dr. Abbie Goldberg | Beyond the Binary: A New Generation’s Approach to Gender

Dr. Genny Beemyn – Dr. Abbie Goldberg | Beyond the Binary: A New Generation’s Approach to Gender

In the Autumn of 2022, hopeful college students across the United States clicked through the questions on the Common Application, the digital gateway to more than one thousand colleges and universities. For the first time, alongside their grades, essays, and extracurricular lists, applicants had the chance to provide their gender and pronouns. These questions might seem a small detail, tucked between test scores and teacher recommendations, but their impact is enormous. They mark a turning point in higher education, one where students are able to represent themselves more authentically. Thanks to the work of Dr. Genny Beemyn of the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Dr. Abbie Goldberg of Clark University, we now have the first large-scale glimpse into how a new generation of young people is reshaping society’s understanding of gender.

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Tanja Oschatz | Factors that Sustain the Gendered Pleasure Gap: Gendered Media Representations of Sexual Pleasure and Women’s Performance of Sexual Emotional Labor

Tanja Oschatz | Factors that Sustain the Gendered Pleasure Gap: Gendered Media Representations of Sexual Pleasure and Women’s Performance of Sexual Emotional Labor

Despite decades of awareness about gender equality, a persistent pleasure gap remains between women and men in sexual encounters, with women experiencing significantly fewer orgasms and less sexual pleasure. It is important to note that this gender difference exists primarily in contexts where women have sex with men, while women who have sex with women tend to experience more orgasms and sexual pleasure. Since the gendered pleasure gap cannot be explained by biological factors, researchers continue investigating hidden sociocultural forces that perpetuate this inequality. Two complementary studies from Tanja Oschatz at Johannes Gutenberg University and her colleagues reveal previously overlooked contributors to this gap: women’s performance of sexual emotional labor in intimate relationships and biased media representations of sexual pleasure.

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Dr. Osei Appiah | How Political Identity Trumps Racial Identity in Cross-Race Conversations About Sensitive Topics

Dr. Osei Appiah | How Political Identity Trumps Racial Identity in Cross-Race Conversations About Sensitive Topics

Research from communication scholars at The Ohio State University reveals fascinating new insights about the dynamics of conversations about race-related issues in the USA. Two complementary studies show that White participants expected more negative outcomes and were more likely to avoid conversations with fellow White people from different political parties than with Black people from different parties. The findings challenge assumptions about racial identity and suggest that partisan divisions have become more influential than racial divisions in shaping willingness to engage in difficult conversations.

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Dr. Raymond Atwebembere | Restoring Connection: Understanding Suicide Through Human Stories

Dr. Raymond Atwebembere | Restoring Connection: Understanding Suicide Through Human Stories

Loneliness is often described as the invisible epidemic of our time. It creeps quietly into lives, eroding confidence, weakening social bonds, and, at its most dangerous, pushing individuals toward the edge of despair. Stigma can prevent the lonely from seeking help and as loneliness is largely experienced through the prism of isolation, those in need of support may feel they have no-one to turn to. In his chapter “Loneliness, Social Isolation, and Suicidal Behavior: ‘Only Girl, Middle Child’” from the Edited Volume “Loneliness – The Ultimate Suffering in Modern Society”, Dr. Raymond Atwebembere of the Washington University in St. Louis examines this crisis not through abstract statistics alone but through vivid personal stories. His work underscores the truth that loneliness is not just a feeling; if left unaddressed it can be lethal.

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Professor Ukamaka Oruche | When Science Meets Real-world Barriers: Lessons from the Frontlines of Mental Health

Professor Ukamaka Oruche | When Science Meets Real-world Barriers: Lessons from the Frontlines of Mental Health

By all measures, America’s mental health system is stretched too thin. Families are in crisis, community mental health providers are overworked, and groundbreaking research often struggles to find its way into real-world practice. But thanks to researchers such as Professor Ukamaka Oruche of the University of South Florida, and colleagues, we’re learning how to map and close that gap, one challenge at a time. When we think of medical breakthroughs or scientific discoveries, we often imagine white coats, high-tech labs, and swift translation from theory to practice. But in the world of mental health, particularly in community settings that serve the most vulnerable, reality looks very different. Shockingly, it can take 17 to 20 years for evidence-based mental health interventions to become part of everyday clinical care.

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Dr. Adam W. Carrico | Biobehavioral Approaches to HIV Prevention and Treatment in Sexual Minority Men Who Use Stimulants

Dr. Adam W. Carrico | Biobehavioral Approaches to HIV Prevention and Treatment in Sexual Minority Men Who Use Stimulants

Research from Dr. Adam W. Carrico at the Florida International University, and his colleagues, explores innovative approaches to address HIV prevention and treatment challenges among sexual minority men who use stimulants. Three interconnected studies examine how behavioral interventions can reduce HIV viral load, alter gene expression in immune cells, and increase the use of preventive medication in this high-priority population. Collectively, these randomized controlled trials provide compelling evidence of the potential of behavioral interventions to improve health behaviors and outcomes.

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Professor Justin J. Joseph | A Discussion of Multiple Studies on the Perspectives of Underrepresented Populations on Gang Membership and Campus Gun Policies

Professor Justin J. Joseph | A Discussion of Multiple Studies on the Perspectives of Underrepresented Populations on Gang Membership and Campus Gun Policies

Research from Professor Justin J. Joseph at the University of North Alabama examines the influences that impact the behaviour of underrepresented populations. In one study, he explores potential sex differences in the relationship between psychopathy traits, executive functioning, and youth gang membership. In a separate study, Joseph and colleagues investigated how information sources shape perceptions of campus carry policies among students at a Historically Black University.

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Dr Kerstin Liesenfeld | How do we develop and maintain authenticity throughout our lives?

Dr Kerstin Liesenfeld | How do we develop and maintain authenticity throughout our lives?

As our world becomes increasingly complex, the need for genuine self-development and “inner work” grows more important. Dr Kerstin Liesenfeld and colleagues at the Liesenfeld Research Institute explore how people develop and maintain authenticity throughout their lives. Their research reveals that authentic development follows distinct patterns and stages, occurring at different rates across various aspects of our personalities. This understanding could help shape more effective approaches to personal development and coaching.

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Dr. Carlos Lastra | A Silent Struggle: Understanding Childhood Anxiety During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Dr. Carlos Lastra | A Silent Struggle: Understanding Childhood Anxiety During the COVID-19 Pandemic

In early 2020, the world changed almost overnight. As COVID-19 swept across the world, homes were repurposed as schools, playgrounds and classrooms were abandoned, and family routines changed utterly or vanished. People were forced to adapt to remote working, many lost their jobs, and a significant proportion of us experienced anxiety about the virus that had turned the world upside down. However, amid this pandemonium, one group of people was especially vulnerable: children. We often think of childhood as a carefree time, protected from responsibilities, worries and burdens. However, the pandemic shattered this illusion. For many children, it caused confusion, isolation, and fear. Recognizing the need to understand this impact, Dr. Carlos Lastra and his team of researchers at Saint Peter’s University Hospital in New Jersey, undertook an essential study: assessing how the pandemic affected anxiety levels in children and adolescents.

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Prof. Olya Bryksina | The Essence of Team Spirit: Why Helping Others in a Group Can Be More Motivating Than Helping Yourself

Prof. Olya Bryksina | The Essence of Team Spirit: Why Helping Others in a Group Can Be More Motivating Than Helping Yourself

Are we primarily motivated by self-interest, or can activities that advance the progress of others provide similar or even greater levels of motivation? Logically, it would seem that people are most motivated to achieve specific goals when they are doing things that benefit themselves. Examples include studying for an exam, doing regular physical exercise, or working toward a career milestone; all activities that have tangible and readily apparent benefits for the individual pursuing them. Consequently, many of us would tend to believe that personal progress is our biggest driver. However, a recent study by Prof. Olya Bryksina from the University of Winnipeg reveals a surprising twist in how motivation works, especially when we’re part of a group. In her innovative research, published in Motivation Science in 2025, Professor Bryksina explores a question many of us encounter daily but rarely think deeply about: What makes people put in effort when working toward a shared goal as part of a group? Her findings suggest something profound, that helping others in a group can be more motivating than helping ourselves.

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Troy Norris | The Wellbeing Balance Model: A Personalized Approach to Design Effective Wellbeing Interventions

Troy Norris | The Wellbeing Balance Model: A Personalized Approach to Design Effective Wellbeing Interventions

Research from Troy Norris at the WellBalance Institute for Positive Wellbeing reveals how a novel approach to measuring wellbeing can lead to more effective personalized interventions. The Wellbeing Balance and Lived Experiences (or WellBalance) Model and Assessment extends traditional wellbeing measures by evaluating both positive experiences and the feelings they generate, enabling tailored approaches to enhance individual flourishing based on specific life circumstances.

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