EurekAlert! News by Subject: Social & Behavior - News by Subject: Social & Behavior

Social & Behavior

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 9-Nov-2025 05:10 ET (9-Nov-2025 10:10 GMT/UTC)

1 in 12 experience threats or violence at work in the UK, finds study

City St George’s, University of London
Peer-Reviewed Publication

1 in 12 UK employees experienced threats, insults or attacks in the workplace in the UK last year. Some were told to “expect violence at work". 1 in 13 were fearful at work. Fear and violence at work are linked with poor mental health (anxiety, depression, PTSD), with symptoms persisting even a year after an incident. ONS data found a shrinking UK economy, and the Keep Britain Working review revealed high rates of economic inactivity and unemployment due to poor mental health. Tackling workplace violence is therefore not only a question of human dignity, but also one of economic urgency.

Thinking in sync: How brain rhythms support intelligence

Johannes Gutenberg Universitaet Mainz
Peer-Reviewed Publication

When the brain is under pressure, certain neural signals begin to move in sync – much like a well-rehearsed orchestra. A new study from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) is the first to show how flexibly this neural synchrony adjusts to different situations and that this dynamic coordination is closely linked to cognitive abilities.

Journal: Journal of Experimental Psychology General

Study: Loneliness doesn’t raise mortality risk

University of Waterloo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Various reports have linked loneliness to premature death. However, a new international study led by researchers at the University of Waterloo’s School of Public Health Sciences has found that while loneliness is common among older adults receiving home care, it is not associated with an increased risk of death.

Journal: Journal of the American Medical Directors Association

Biotechnology governance entreaties released, echoing legacy of 1975 recombinant DNA guidelines

Rice University
Reports and Proceedings

Twenty-seven biotechnology governance entreaties echoing the legacy of the 1975 recombinant DNA guidelines are now available for public review.

First data from the EULAR RheumaFacts project

European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR)
Reports and Proceedings

Monitoring health inequity across Europe

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Rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMD) are the leading causes of disability worldwide, resulting in significant healthcare and social support costs. One of the reasons for this increasing burden seems to be the variability in the number and nature of allocated resources across Europe, as well as organisational aspects of health systems that result in disparities and health inequities across countries.

Western standards behind the gender equality paradox

Uppsala University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Previous research has asserted that women and men in gender-equal countries differ more in their preferences than women and men in less equal countries, for example by making more traditional educational choices. This relationship is known as the gender-equality paradox. However, new research from Uppsala University now shows that it is not possible to draw these conclusions from the data studied. The paper, published in the journal PNAS, shows that the question is based on Western perspectives and conditions and cannot be applied to other countries.

Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Doctoral dissertation explores women’s roles in peacebuilding

Estonian Research Council
Reports and Proceedings

Women play a crucial role in peacebuilding in conflict affected societies, particularly through grassroot and civil society movements such as mediation and activism. However, they are rarely included in official peace negotiation teams. Julia Vassileva, a doctoral candidate at the School of Governance, Law and Society at Tallinn University, studied why women are still underrepresented in peace processes.