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Is Alexa sexist? In short, yes
Men sleep better than women
Eye-to-eye contact is rare but shapes our social behavior
COVID-19 pandemic and prison compounded risk of overdose deaths by up to 50 per cent
Identifying nutrition issues among Miawpukek youth
New action guide empowers people with dementia
It’s 2023, and coming out is, well, complicated
Western study uncovers toll of economic abuse on rural women
Social Sciences
Results 1 - 20 of 32.
Social Sciences - Computer Science - 07.12.2023

Popular virtual assistant technology reinforces stereotyped and sexist expectations of gendered labour, according to a new study University of Waterloo professor and Canada Research Chair in Technology and Social Change Dr. Lai-Tze Fan analyzed hundreds of Amazon's virtual assistant Alexa's voice-driven skills.
Health - Social Sciences - 29.11.2023

Topics Western researchers have unveiled crucial insights into the sleep health of middle-aged and older adults in Canada, identifying social determinants that contribute to disparities in sleep satisfaction, efficiency, and duration. The study revealed that men report sleeping better than women, and contrary to previously held beliefs, sleep actually improves with age.
Social Sciences - 08.11.2023

When speaking to one another, much of the communication occurs nonverbally - through body posture, hand gestures, and the eyes. Our eye gaze during conversations therefore reveals a wealth of information about our attention, intention, or psychological states.
Health - Social Sciences - 26.10.2023

People in Ontario who had recently been incarcerated were at far greater risk of opioid toxicity death during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study from a Simon Fraser University researcher. The study, published in the journal PLOS One , by SFU criminologist Amanda Butler and colleagues from McMaster University and the University of Toronto, assessed the impacts of the pandemic on opioid toxicity death rates for individuals exposed and not exposed to incarceration in Ontario.
Social Sciences - Health - 24.10.2023
A relational framework for microbiome research that includes Indigenous communities
Research and collection of microbiome samples from Indigenous communities has a history of exploiting and harming Indigenous peoples Research on the trillions of microorganisms that make up a person's microbiome can lead to medical breakthroughs to treat diseases like inflammatory bowel syndrome and diabetes.
Social Sciences - Health - 20.10.2023
A relational framework for ethical microbiome research that includes Indigenous communities
Research and collection of microbiome samples from Indigenous communities has a history of exploiting and harming Indigenous peoples Research on the trillions of microorganisms that make up a person's microbiome can lead to medical breakthroughs to treat diseases like inflammatory bowel syndrome and diabetes.
Social Sciences - Health - 19.09.2023

Two UdeM nutrition graduates went to the Newfoundland and Labrador community to identify nutrition problems among Indigenous youth. Last April and May, Université de Montréal researchers Ariane Lafortune and Milena Nardocci spent three weeks in Miawpukek , an Indigenous community in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Social Sciences - Health - 13.09.2023

More than 597,000 Canadians are living with Alzheimer's or another form of dementia, and yet big gaps remain in healthcare support. It's estimated that 85 per cent of people living with dementia are not receiving support after their diagnosis. And research shows being engaged in community is one of the biggest factors in slowing the condition's progression.
Health - Social Sciences - 22.08.2023
Why men, wealthy people and maritime residents are more likely to develop skin cancer
Study compares UV exposure and behaviours among different groups in with the goal of improving public health efforts aimed at reducing melanoma rates A new study led by McGill University examines why people living in Atlantic regions are more at-risk for developing melanoma than other Canadians, providing lessons on skin cancer prevention for the whole country.
Social Sciences - 03.08.2023

In an era of unprecedented LGBTQ2+ visibility coupled with incredible backlash, coming out as a sexual minority can be a deeply ambivalent experience, according to new research. In a study published in Theory and Society , sociologists Dr. Amin Ghaziani and Andy Holmes conducted in-depth interviews with 52 adult Vancouverites about their experiences coming out over the last five years.
Life Sciences - Social Sciences - 03.08.2023
Researchers partner on interdisciplinary salmon conservation
Reversing a 40-year decline in Pacific salmon populations requires a collaborative approach that combines traditional Indigenous knowledge with archaeology and genomics. A new project, funded by Genome BC, involves a team of researchers from the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, Simon Fraser University's Department of Archaeology and the University of British Columbia's Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries.
Health - Social Sciences - 19.07.2023
Early prevention program improves child mental health and language
Findings from the Children's Health Policy Centre's (CHPC) scientific evaluation of the program Nurse-Family Partnership have shown that it improved maternal-reported child language and mental health at age two years. Results from the long-term randomized-controlled trial-known as the BC Healthy Connections Project (BCHCP )-were published today in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.
Social Sciences - 16.06.2023
AI could replace humans in social science research
Researchers from Universities of Waterloo, Toronto, Yale, UPenn discuss AI and its application to their work In an article published yesterday in the prestigious journal Science , leading researchers from the University of Waterloo, University of Toronto, Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania look at how AI (large language models or LLMs in particular) could change the nature of their work.
Social Sciences - 05.06.2023
Water Back: A defining movement
Foregrounding Indigenous Knowledge Systems in Water research Faculty of Environment and the Water Institute The Land Back movement has called for global solidarity to address the oppression and dispossession of Indigenous Peoples' lands and territories. The alienation of Indigenous Peoples from Water has largely been absent from this call to action.
Social Sciences - Health - 31.05.2023
Research highlights alarming rates of sexual abuse among Indigenous Canadian children
A study led by Simon Fraser University criminology researchers has found that rates of child sexual abuse (CSA) among Indigenous Canadians surveyed were three to five times higher than global estimates, while those with parents or family members who attended residential schools are at significantly greater risk of experiencing CSA.
Social Sciences - Computer Science - 12.05.2023
University of Toronto researchers developing AI system to tackle harmful social media content
Hate speech and misinformation on social media can have a devastating impact, particularly on marginalized communities. But what if we used artificial intelligence to combat such harmful content? That's the goal of a team of University of Toronto researchers who were awarded a Catalyst Grant by the Data Sciences Institute (DSI) to develop an AI system to address the marginalization of communities in data-centric systems - including social media platforms such as Twitter.
Social Sciences - 08.05.2023

Challenges of gender-based violence in rural settings include loss of income, isolation, absence of financial autonomy Blocked from pursuing their careers and left without any source of income. Isolated from friends, coworkers and community. Low credit scores or resumé gaps that dog them for years after the abuse.
Criminology / Forensics - Social Sciences - 02.05.2023
STOPMTL.ca: unveiling of the first data on police stop experiences in Montreal
Participatory mapping project reveals that one in three citizens believe their appearance or identity contributed to their stop by the police The first research report from STOPMTL.ca , a participatory mapping project of police stop experiences, presents preliminary data contributed by citizens of Montreal.
Environment - Social Sciences - 06.04.2023
Second-hand cannabis smoke: Researchers investigate involuntary THC exposure in homes
University of Toronto researchers are investigating exposure to second-hand - and even third-hand - marijuana smoke in homes, including the THC that can collect on floors and surfaces. The researchers, in Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, have published a new study that models how THC - the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis - behaves and transforms once it is released in an indoor environment.
Social Sciences - 05.04.2023
Math can help people identify the bonds of friendship
April 5, 2023 Research is the first to test how people predict social connections using only statistical information New research reveals that math can help people identify the bonds of friendship. The work from the University of Waterloo found that people use statistical information to determine bonds between people.