A unique study exploring popular ways to “self‑gift” has found that ordering a takeaway, or takeout, meal is a preferred treat regardless of whether people have had a good or a bad day at work.

Published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology and led by Dr Suzanna Forwood and Dr Annelie Harvey of Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) in the United Kingdom, the research is the first to compare how likely people are to choose a range of food and non-food options for both self-reward and self-consolation.

Research suggests that religion and spirituality may act as a protective factor against internet addiction and depression by providing meaning, social support, and reduced feelings of isolation. 

Experts long have known that strong social networks and physical activity help older adults stay healthier. Until now, however, little has been known about how these two factors interact to affect the health and well-being of this group.

Now, an in-depth literature review by health behavior experts with the Texas A&M University School of Public Health gives new insight into the topic — as well as suggestions for approaches to interventions to improve both factors.

Biases in AI’s models and algorithms can actively harm some of its users and promote social injustice. Documented biases have led to different medical treatments due to patients’ demographics and corporate hiring tools that discriminate against female and Black candidates.

New research from Texas McCombs suggests both a previously unexplored source of AI biases and some ways to correct for them: complexity.

“There’s a complex set of issues that the algorithm has to deal with, and it’s infeasible to deal with those issues well,” says Hüseyin Tanriverdi, associate professor of information, risk, and operations management. “Bias could be an artifact of that complexity rather than other explanations that people have offered.”