Social Sciences

News about UB’s social sciences programs, including anthropology, psychology and social work. (see all topics)

White supremacists emboldened by political rhetoric and policy, UB history professor says
8/15/17
The photos and videos coming out of Charlottesville, Virginia are all images this country has seen throughout its history, says Carole Emberton, UB associate professor of history.
Violent news videos can be a moral motivator, says UB researcher
8/8/17
Violent news events present editors with a troubling journalistic decision: How much of the violence should the audience see? New UB research suggests editors should include violent video in stories they consider to be newsworthy.
UB research shows how pronouns can be used to build confidence in stressful situations
7/31/17
A new study by a UB psychologist illustrates how the strategic use of language in the face of tension helps people feel more confident.
Archaeologists put sound back into a previously silent past
7/6/17
Many attempts to explain how past people experienced their wider world have focused on sight at the expense of sound, but researchers from the University at Albany and UB have developed a tool that puts sound back into the ancient landscape.
Ancient otter tooth found in Mexico suggests mammals migrated across America
6/13/17
The discovery is first fossil evidence of a theorized passageway for some mammals.
Three at UB named SUNY Distinguished Professors
5/16/17
UB faculty members Jonathan Dewald, Chunming Qiao and John E. Tomaszewski have been named State University of New York Distinguished Professors, the highest faculty rank in the SUNY system.
Study shows ‘walking a mile in their shoes’ may be hazardous to your health
5/11/17
When it comes to empathy, the idiom that suggests “walking a mile in their shoes” turns out to be problematic advice, according to new research published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology.
You need more than just a white hat to tell the hero from the villain
5/5/17
The Sopranos’ Tony Soprano and Walter White from Breaking Bad rank among recent television drama’s most notorious protagonists, each of questionable morality. So, here’s the question: Do you like them?
Staking self-worth on the pursuit of money has negative psychological consequences
4/27/17
Although people living in consumer-based cultures such as the U.S. often believe that they will be happier if they acquire more money, a new UB study suggest that there may be downsides to this pursuit.
Scientist to discuss groundbreaking Iceman research
4/7/17
Klaus Oeggl, one of the world’s leading authorities on the Tyrolean Iceman, will discuss recent research about the mummified Neolithic man of the Alps on April 10 at UB.