Popular Culture News

December 25, 2024

Top Headlines

World Cup Soccer Is Getting Faster for Men and Women Alike

Dec. 17, 2024 — If the experience of watching a FIFA World Cup soccer final is intense, spare a thought for the players, who are competing at an ever increasing intensity, according to a new ...

Soda Taxes Don't Just Affect Sales: They Help Change People's Minds

Dec. 10, 2024 — The city of Berkeley's first-in-the-nation soda tax a decade ago, along with more recent Bay Area tax increases on sugar-sweetened drinks, have not only led to reduced sales. They are also associated with significant changes in social norms and ...

Here's Something Americans Agree On: Sports Build Character

Nov. 21, 2024 — In a polarized nation, there is one thing that nearly all Americans agree on, according to a recent study: sports are good for us. Researchers found that more than 9 out of 10 Americans agreed that sports build character and improved one's health, ...

The Dangerous Pursuit of Muscularity in Men and Adolescent Boys

Oct. 30, 2024 — Men and adolescent boys are increasingly at risk of resorting to the dangerous use of anabolic steroids in a bid to achieve the desired muscular build modeled on social media, warn body image experts. A new review that focused specifically on men ...

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New Study Challenges Social Media's Mental Health Impact

Nov. 6, 2024 — A new study has challenged the perception heavy social media use has a significant impact on mental health, finding little to no relationship between the two. In fact, not only does the research ...

People Hate Stories They Think Were Written by AI: Even If They Were Written by People

Oct. 21, 2024 — AI-written stories are getting better, but people still distrust AI-generated ...

Manliness Concerns Impede Forgiveness of Coworkers

Oct. 17, 2024 — The more men are concerned about appearing masculine, the less likely they will forgive a co-worker for a transgression such as missing an important meeting, a study has found. What's more, such men ...

Eyes on the Fries: How Our Vision Creates a Food Trend

Oct. 2, 2024 — Research shows that how we rate food is influenced by 'serial dependence' -- our judgement cascades on from the food we've just ...

Among Viking Societies, Norway Was Much More Violent Than Denmark

Aug. 28, 2024 — A new study sheds light on how Viking Age societies in Norway and Denmark differed in their experiences with violence and the role social structures played in shaping those ...

Dungeons and Dragons Can Help Autistic People Gain Confidence and Find Their Inner Hero

Aug. 27, 2024 — A new study has shown the roleplaying game Dungeons and Dragons boosts autistic people's confidence and enables them to feel more comfortable with ...

We Can Be Heroes -- Research Reveals How Ordinary People Can Become 'Situational Heroes'

Aug. 6, 2024 — How we view real-life 'heroes' is changing according to new research, with more of a focus on acting heroically in certain situations, rather than ...

Interventions Against Misinformation Also Increase Skepticism Toward Reliable Sources

June 10, 2024 — Efforts to tackle false information through fact-checking or media literacy initiatives increases the public's skepticism toward 'fake news'. ...

New Anti-Counterfeit Technique Packs Two Light-Reactive Images Into One Material

May 30, 2024 — Growing concern about data theft and counterfeiting has inspired increasingly sophisticated security technologies, like hologram seals, that can help ...

YouTubers Cheer People Up More Than Casual Friends, Study Suggests

May 23, 2024 — One-sided relationships with YouTubers are more emotionally fulfilling than talking to casual friends, a new study ...

Power of Aesthetic Species on Social Media Boosts Wildlife Conservation Efforts, Say Experts

Nov. 8, 2024 — Facebook and Instagram can boost wildlife conservation efforts through public awareness and engagement, according to a new ...

New Study Sheds Light on the Role of Sound and Music in Gendered Toy Marketing

Nov. 6, 2024 — New research reveals that the music and soundscapes used in toy commercials are reinforcing rigid gender norms, shaping the way children perceive masculinity and femininity. The study uncovers how ...

The Harmful Frequency and Reach of Unhealthy Foods on Social Media

Oct. 31, 2024 — An analysis of social media posts that mention food and beverage products finds that fast food restaurants and sugar sweetened beverages are the most common, with millions of posts reaching billions ...

The Transformative Power of Movies

Oct. 21, 2024 — Docudrama can lead people to be more empathetic toward people who are stigmatized in society, a new study ...

Storms, Floods, Landslides Associated With Intimate Partner Violence Against Women Two Years Later

Oct. 2, 2024 — Climate change-related landslides, storms and floods are associated with intimate partner violence against women two years after the event, according to a new ...

Geographic Differences in U.S. Homicide Rates Have Decreased Since the 1970s

Aug. 28, 2024 — A new study finds that, counter to expectations, geographic disparities in rates of homicides in the US have decreased in recent ...

Dark Rituals: Understanding Society's Fascination With Death and Disaster

Aug. 14, 2024 — Understanding why the popularity of organized events steeped in themes of death, disaster and suffering, such as the well-known Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), Jack the Ripper Walking Tours and ...

Dance, Dance Revolution: Research Shows Dance and Movement Therapy Can Increase Emotional and Social Intelligence in Middle School Students

Aug. 5, 2024 — An assistant clinical professor developed a specialized dance and movement therapy (DMT) program to meet the unique needs of youth from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds to foster a sense of ...

Body Appreciation Varies Across Cultures

July 31, 2024 — People from different cultures show both similarities and differences in how body appreciation, sociocultural pressure, and internalization of thin ideals vary, according to a new ...

Can Doomscrolling Trigger an Existential Crisis?

July 18, 2024 — In a new study on the impact of doomscrolling from an existential perspective, researchers warn that habitual checking of disturbing stories on social media is linked with changes to how we view ...

Why Are Board Games So Popular Among Many People With Autism? New Research Explains

July 12, 2024 — Board gaming is a growing industry, and anecdotally popular among people who display autistic traits. Now new research has highlighted the science supporting the anecdote -- and the important reasons ...

User Control of Autoplay Can Alter Awareness of Online Video 'Rabbit Holes'

July 11, 2024 — A new study suggests that giving users control over the interface feature of autoplay can help them realize that they are going down a rabbit hole. The work has implications for responsibly designing ...

Enhancing Live Football Broadcasts by Eliminating Camera Operator Distractions With AI

July 10, 2024 — Researchers have developed an end-to-end system to enhance the viewing experience by eliminating visual distractions caused by overlapping camera ...

Study Traces an Infectious Language Epidemic

May 13, 2024 — A computer scientist has shown the power of language to predict harm -- this time to the nation's ...

Social-Media Break Has Huge Impact on Young Women's Body Image, Study Finds

May 1, 2024 — There's a large and growing body of evidence pointing to potentially negative impacts of social media on mental health, from its addictive nature to disruptions in sleep patterns to effects on ...

The Joy of Sports: How Watching Sports Can Boost Well-Being

Apr. 15, 2024 — Sports, beyond entertainment, foster community and belonging, benefiting both individuals and society. Despite its recognized positive effects, limited evidence exists on the link between watching ...

Climate Change Policies Lose Popularity When Combined With Pausing Regulations or Social Justice

Mar. 27, 2024 — Legislators love bundling things together. It lets them accomplish more with less hassle and attempt to make legislation more appealing to a broader group. But a new study suggests that this can ...

Study Tracks Shifts in Student Mental Health During College

Mar. 14, 2024 — Dartmouth researchers tracked more than 200 undergraduates for all four years of college to capture the most in-depth data yet on how students' self-esteem and mental health fluctuates during ...

Going Top Shelf With AI to Better Track Hockey Data

Mar. 11, 2024 — Researchers got a valuable assist from artificial intelligence (AI) tools to help capture and analyze data from professional hockey games faster and more accurately than ever before, with big ...

School Focus on Grades, Test Scores Linked to Violence Against Teachers

Feb. 23, 2024 — Violence against teachers is likely to be higher in schools that focus on grades and test scores than in schools that emphasize student learning, a new study has ...