Social Sciences

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

  • Social Workers in Cyberspace: School of Social Work Pursues a Vision for the Profession's Digital Future
    11/8/11
    From text messages to making appointments online to the mysterious avatar alter egos in Second Life, Nancy Smyth would like to see social workers comfortable with all the tools in cyberspace in order to do their real work -- making a difference in people's lives -- in a digital age.
  • To Keep Social Drinkers Safe, One Tech Company Is Bringing Breathalyzers to the Bar
    11/7/11
    Buffalo Niagara and Canadian tech firm Ladybug Teknologies has launched a pilot program for the SipSmart Network, a breathalyzer kiosk that enables bar patrons to stay safe by checking their level of intoxication before they drive.
  • Anti-Bullying Center Offers Grounded Advice Amid the Outrage and Confusion
    11/7/11
    Although the passion and widespread sympathy for bullying victims is natural and admirable, those who want to stop bullying abuse need to act in ways that reflect good science and proven research if they want to contribute to a culture that does not condone this behavior, according to the director of the University at Buffalo's anti-bullying center. See video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5nUZOUbFHk
  • Why We Create Monsters
    10/21/11
    Experts in various aspects of the macabre include several University at Buffalo faculty members who specialize in what many cultures find horrible and terrifying.
  • UB Researchers Investigate Ways to Reduce College Drinking and Risky Sex
    10/20/11
    In a recent study conducted by scientists at the University at Buffalo's Research Institute on Addictions involving 154 heavy-drinking college students whose sexual behavior put them at risk for HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), there were two expected findings and one surprise.
  • Corporate Responsibility Initiatives: Helpful or Harmful?
    10/14/11
    Research in the field of geography has led to a better understanding of the pros and cons of corporate responsibility initiatives, according to a new paper on the topic by a University at Buffalo geographer, a corporate responsibility expert.
  • Sexual Assault Scenarios -- and How To Prevent Them -- Will be Studied by UB Researcher
    10/13/11
    Kathleen A. Parks, senior research scientist at the University at Buffalo's Research Institute on Addictions, who studies women's substance use and associated victimization, recently received a grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to continue her research on women's risks for sexual assault associated with heterosexual drinking situations.
  • In Yosemite, a New, High-Tech Tool for Mapping Changing Vegetation Patterns
    10/5/11
    Researchers from three universities have partnered to create a new, high-tech tool for mapping changing plant patterns at Tuolumne Meadows, a mountain meadow in Yosemite National Park.
  • Home Modifications: UB-Designed Renovations Are Changing Lives, One Home at a Time
    9/29/11
    Even the smallest of home renovations can change the life of someone with a disability. Widening a doorway or adding grab bars around a toilet can mean the difference between independence and dependence -- between comfort and discomfort in one's own home.
  • Gaga's Anti-Bullying Stance Can Help, Says Expert
    9/23/11
    Lady Gaga and other celebrities commenting on bullying have the chance to teach young people about the horrors of bullying abuse, says the director of the University at Buffalo's Alberti Center for the Prevention of Bullying Abuse, a power that makes it important they act responsibly.