by Iliyah Maddox | Oct 1, 2025 | arts and humanities, social and behavioural sciences
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.
by Iliyah Maddox | Sep 29, 2025 | arts and humanities, social and behavioural sciences
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.
by Iliyah Maddox | Sep 26, 2025 | arts and humanities, social and behavioural sciences
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.
by Iliyah Maddox | Sep 24, 2025 | social and behavioural sciences
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.
by Iliyah Maddox | Sep 19, 2025 | health and medicine, social and behavioural sciences
Interview with Professor Mary Rezk-Hanna
by Iliyah Maddox | Sep 17, 2025 | social and behavioural sciences
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.
