Manipulative and empathetic people both adept at reading emotions
October 28, 2013
ANN ARBOR—People shouldn’t assume that someone who can easily read their feelings always has their best interests at heart. Although good emotion-recognition skills might seem like concern and empathy, some people might use these skills to manipulate others, new University of Michigan...
Revolution in brain science demands Higgs Boson-type collaboration
October 24, 2013
ANN ARBOR—Social and life scientists from the University of Michigan and other universities are calling for a new model of cross-disciplinary collaboration to advance understanding of the human brain.  Their paper, titled “Neuroscience meets population science: What is a representative...
EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT: Seminar series launches on causes and prevention of violence
September 3, 2013
EVENT: Seminar series launches on causes and prevention of violence DATE: Monday, September 9, 2013, 3:30 P.M. PLACE: U-M Central Campus, Institute for Social Research, 426 Thompson Street, Room 6050, Ann Arbor, MI, 48106-1248 Twitter Hashtag: #RCGDseminar DESCRIPTION: This seminar...
Facebook use predicts declines in happiness, new study finds
August 14, 2013
Photo by Thinkstock ANN ARBOR — Facebook use predicts declines in subjective well-being instead of enhancing it, a University of Michigan study shows. The study is the first published research examining the influence of Facebook on how happy people are and how satisfied they are with...
Buying behavior can be swayed by cultural mindset
July 15, 2013
ANN ARBOR—There are some combinations that just go well together: Milk and cookies, eggs and bacon, pancakes and syrup. But new research reveals that people with individualistic mindsets differ from their collectivist counterparts in ascribing value to those perfect combinations. The...
You’re so vain: Study explores links between social media and narcissism
June 11, 2013
ANN ARBOR—Facebook is a mirror and Twitter is a megaphone, according to a new University of Michigan study exploring how social media reflect and amplify the culture’s growing levels of narcissism. The study, published online in Computers in Human Behavior, was conducted by researchers...
Panapasa comments on negative health effects for Samoans of some high-fat imported foods
May 14, 2013
Sela Panapasa says inexpensive high-fat foods imported to the Republic of Samoa — for example, Spam, mutton flaps, and turkey tails — are the kinds of foods that have contributed to Samoa’s high rates of obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. A 2007 ban on several such products,...
Brain scans reveal first objective measure of physical pain
April 11, 2013
ANN ARBOR—For the first time, scientists have identified how much pain people feel by looking at images of their brains. The findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, may lead to the development of methods doctors can use to objectively quantify patients’ pain. Currently,...
Jerome Johnston directs ISR Research Center for Group Dynamics
January 24, 2013
Photo by Eva Menezes. ANN ARBOR—Jerome Johnston has been appointed director of the Research Center for Group Dynamics, part of the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research. “I am delighted to make this appointment. Jere has interesting new ideas for supporting junior faculty,...
Aspiration, assets can lead youth down path to college
November 16, 2012
ANN ARBOR—Aspiring to attend college is not enough for children who want to reach their goals. The chances of finishing high school and college are significantly higher for children for whom this aspiration is accessible and relevant in their daily lives, according to a new University of Michigan...