News by Subject Social & Behavior

People with schizophrenia have a hard time integrating information about a reward -- the size of the reward and the probability of receiving it -- when assessing its value, according to a study in Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging.

When an advocate for one side of an issue announces that he or she now believes the opposite, can that message affect others' views? Research from the Annenberg Public Policy Center shows that such a conversion message can influence public attitudes. Using video of environmentalist Mark Lynas speaking about his change from an opponent of genetically modified crops to an advocate, researchers found that message had a greater impact than his direct advocacy message.

Nudging, the concept of influencing people's behavior without imposing rules, bans or coercion, is an idea that government officials and marketing specialists alike are keen to harness, and itis often viewed as a one-size-fits-all solution. Now, a study by researchers from the University of Zurich puts things into perspective: Whether a nudge really does improve decisions depends on a person's underlying decision-making process.

Scientists have identified 124 genetic variants associated with someone's willingness to take risks. They found evidence of shared genetic influences across a general measure of risk tolerance and many specific risky behaviors, such as speeding, drinking alcohol, tobacco and cannabis consumption, and sexual behavior. No variant on its own meaningfully affects risk tolerance or making risky decisions. Yet, taken together, they shed light on some of the biological mechanisms that influence such behavior.

Bad decision-making is a trait oftentimes associated with drug addicts and pathological gamblers, but what about people who excessively use social media? New research from Michigan State University shows a connection between social media use and impaired risky decision-making, which is commonly deficient in substance addiction.

The emotional underpinnings of political ideology motivated how the electorate sought and processed information about the 2016 presidential election and the major issue of climate change. "This has important implications for how political dialogue is shaped," said Janet Yang, an expert in the communication of risk information related to science, health and the environment. "It's not just what the candidates are saying; it's also how we communicate with one another."

New research shows for the first time that adults with autism can recognise complex emotions such as regret and relief in others as easily as those without the condition.