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UrduThe thought of illegal drug sales evokes images of deals done on shady street corners. But a new study from Case Western Reserve University exposes a critical but underreported element of the illegal drug market: so-called “peer-brokered” sales. Peer-brokered sales, in which people buy drugs for others within their social circles and take a cut—either as a share of the drugs or money by inflating the price—play a widespread and vital role in the distribution of illegal substances, according to the new study.
Tag: Social Networks
Tweeting during the pandemic
What can Twitter tell us about how people complied – or not – with public-health measures during the COVID-19 pandemic? Quebec researchers Hélène Carabin and José Denis-Robichaud investigate.
UC Irvine-led study examines the effect of restrictive immigration policies on women
Recent research has shown that immigration policies – often viewed as forms of structural racism – affect the social, economic, and health prospects for Latiné communities in the United States. In the past decade, there has been an increase in restrictive immigration policies from both political parties, which can substantially impact the well-being of individuals, families, and communities.
UArizona researchers examine the relationship between loneliness and being alone
In a world filled with endless connections and constant communication, the relationship between loneliness and aloneness is not always clear.
It’s a small world after all
Do you know someone who knows someone? We have all played this game, often to be amazed that despite the extreme scale of human society, random people can be linked through very small chains of acquaintances — typically, around six. Recently, a group of researchers from across the globe discovered that this magic of six degrees can be explained mathematically. The intriguing phenomenon, they show, is linked to another social experience we all know too well — the struggle of cost vs. benefit in establishing new social ties.
The AVID college prep program leads to lower substance use, better health behaviors among high school students, UCLA-led research suggests
New UCLA-led research finds that a college preparatory program for youth experiencing educational inequities that operates in about 13% of U.S public high schools has a positive effect on students’ social networks, psycho-social outcomes, and health behaviors. The findings, published Dec. 16 in the peer-reviewed journal Pediatrics, suggests that the Advancement via Individual Determination (AVID) program, aimed at increasing educational opportunities for under-represented and economically disadvantaged students, also significantly reduces substance use.
56% of young people are concerned about personal data security
Sociologists at the Ural Federal University (UrFU) have identified digital fears among young people.
Coping in College? Female Students Much More Stressed Than Their Male Counterparts
Researchers measured both the psychological perception of stress and evaluated how undergraduate males and females cope with stress. The differences are vast. Females experienced much higher levels of stress than males and used emotion-focused approaches to cope more than males. Females used self-distractions, emotional support and venting as coping strategies. Male students on the other hand sought much lower levels of support, since they either may lack the social network or may not have developed those skills.
Study shows users banned from social platforms go elsewhere with increased toxicity
Users banned from social platforms go elsewhere with increased toxicity, according to a new study featuring researchers from Binghamton University, State University of New York.
FAU Invention for Maximum Privacy of Sharing Files Online Gets U.S. Patent
While services such as Snapchat allow self-destructing messages or notify users when a recipient takes a screenshot of a message, there is no way to prevent someone from photographing or showing it to others on the screen. A new invention controls how and when shared documents are displayed and restricts individuals from viewing documents based on individual identity (e.g., face ID, a voice sample), their social network, and when and where the document is being viewed.
Pitch: Shutting down social media platforms somewhat effective in curbing hate speech, but not a long-term solution
While deplatforming (shutting down social media platforms) can be effective in reducing users and content produced, it’s not a long-term solution for what is a very complex issue, according to Jeremy Blackburn, assistant professor of computer science at Binghamton University,…
Businesses turn to social networks to build relationships during pandemic
Networking with clients over dinner and drinks or out on the golf course is not an option for many companies during the pandemic. A new Iowa State University study illustrates how businesses can still maintain and build those relationships using online social networks.
MAKING THE BEST DECISION: MATH SHOWS DIVERSE THINKERS EQUAL BETTER RESULTS
A Florida State University researcher published a new study today that tackles how groups make decisions and the dynamics that make for fast and accurate decision making. He found that networks that consisted of both impulsive and deliberate individuals made, on average, quicker and better decisions than a group with homogenous thinkers.
For vampire bats, social distancing while sick comes naturally
New research shows that when vampire bats feel sick, they socially distance themselves from groupmates in their roost – no public health guidance required.
For the Public, Data Collection during COVID-19 Offers Benefits — and Poses Hazards
Johns Hopkins Carey Business School Assistant Professor Itay Fainmesser, an economist specializing in social media and social networks, discusses the ways in which the coronavirus pandemic has affected digital communication.
Like Humans, Beluga Whales Form Social Networks Beyond Family Ties
A groundbreaking study is the first to analyze the relationship between group behaviors, group type, group dynamics, and kinship of beluga whales in 10 locations across the Arctic. Results show that not only do beluga whales regularly interact with close kin, including close maternal kin, they also frequently associate with more distantly related and unrelated individuals. Findings will improve the understanding of why some species are social, how individuals learn from group members and how animal cultures emerge.
Which Comes First: The Heavy Drinking Young Adult or the Alcohol-Saturated Social Culture?
Heavy-drinking peer groups increase young adults’ desire to drink, according to a study in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. Investigators used behavioral economic theory — the science of how people make choices — to assess motivations for consuming alcohol among a diverse sample of young adult drinkers. Young adults’ motivation to drink alcohol, as well as their likelihood of misusing it, is associated with how it is consumed within their social networks. But it is not well understood how these factors influence each other, and how those effects may vary depending on sex, race, and education level. For example, does the culture of heavy drinking in US colleges drive the high demand for alcohol there, or is alcohol demand high among young adults generally?
A Faster Way To Replace Inaccurate Information On Social Networks
Researchers have demonstrated a new model of how competing pieces of information spread in online social networks and the Internet of Things. The findings may be used to disseminate accurate information more quickly, displacing false information on anything from computer security to public health.
OLDER ADULTS FIND GREATER WELL-BEING IN SMALLER SOCIAL NETWORKS, STUDY FINDS
Are younger adults who cultivate numerous connections with friends, families and acquaintances through online social networks any happier than older adults who have smaller circles of face-to-face relationships? The answer may be no, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.