EurekAlert! News by Subject: Social & Behavior

Social & Behavior

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 16-Jun-2026 05:16 ET (16-Jun-2026 09:16 GMT/UTC)

15-Jun-2026

Americans strongly support regulations on AI

Johns Hopkins University
Reports and Proceedings

Most Americans, even those who most appreciate AI, strongly support more regulation of it, a new survey by Johns Hopkins University researchers finds.

More than 70% of Americans want the right to interact with a human rather than an AI in medical, legal, educational and government settings. This proposed regulation and others were endorsed across party lines and by both regular users of AI and novices.

15-Jun-2026

Notions of genius and national character behind prestigious classical music programmes

Uppsala University
Book Announcement

In the new book "Nation and Gender in Higher Classical Music Education: Intersectional Perspectives", Swedish researchers describe how some of the most prestigious higher education in classical music in Europe still inform inform both the teaching and the repertoire about male genius and national character. The study focuses on the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music (1875) in Budapest, Hungary; the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (1919) in Tallinn, Estonia; and the Sibelius Academy (1882) in Helsinki, Finland. Their identity is largely based on notions of nation and gender. This can be partly explained by the countries’ ongoing struggles for independence at the time when the academies were founded.

15-Jun-2026

EEG-interactive VR meditation improves concentration, relaxation, and emotional regulation in students

KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A study of 52 college students found that VR mindfulness meditation improved emotion regulation, relaxation, and mindful attention more than audio-only practice. The strongest results came from a self-developed EEG-interactive VR forest that changed in response to users' brain signals, while lavender scent improved relaxation but appeared to reduce concentration.

Funder: National Center for Mental Health and Mental Hygiene of China (General Support Project), National Natural Science Foundation of China (General Program)

15-Jun-2026

Australia must tackle unemployment to reduce suicide rates

Adelaide University
Reports and Proceedings

More than 3000 Australians die by suicide each year, yet one of the strongest known drivers of suicide risk – unemployment – remains largely overlooked in Australia’s suicide prevention programs.

Funder: Medical Research Future Fund

14-Jun-2026

Healthy lifespan cut short by sex-dependent depressive symptoms in older adults

Tohoku University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Based on their 18-year long cohort study, researchers at Tohoku University have found which depressive symptoms have the most impact on the “healthspan” (remaining years of healthy living) of older adults, and how this differs for men compared to women.

Journal: Journal of Psychiatric Research

14-Jun-2026

Laxative drug could improve depression-related memory and attention issues

University of Birmingham
Peer-Reviewed Publication

People with depression who find that it affects their memory or attention span could benefit from an existing licensed drug currently used to treat chronic constipation, according to a new study published in Psychological Medicine by academics from the University of Birmingham and University of Oxford.

Journal: Psychological Medicine

13-Jun-2026

Grandparents are a vital resource in the child mental health crisis, says leading child psychologist

Taylor & Francis Group
Book Announcement

As more than 40% of American teenagers report persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, a leading child psychologist says grandparents and extended family have a vital role to play.