Social Sciences

Driver education classes should be teaching young drivers that all kinds of mobile phones, both conventional and hands-free, are a dangerous distraction, says a University at Buffalo researcher, who studies driving behaviors.

In a study published in the most recent issue of the journal Sociological Inquiry, sociologists from four major research institutions focus on one of the most curious aspects of the 2004 presidential election: the strength and resilience of the belief among many Americans that Saddam Hussein was linked to the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

Stephen Marc, a noted African-American photographer and digital montage artist, has spent nearly a decade on the road in the U.S. and Canada documenting the places and people associated with America's Underground Railroad. The network of secret routes and safe houses used by escaping enslaved African Americans is the subject of "Passage on the Underground Railroad," an exhibition of complex digital montages that will be presented in the University at Buffalo Art Gallery.

A new project developed by the University at Buffalo's School of Social Work will help fill a statewide shortage of certified alcoholism and substance abuse counselors, making it easier for master's graduates to get approval for their training.

University at Buffalo researcher Catherine P. Cook-Cottone knows what works to stop the self-destructive cycle of teenage eating disorders. Now, she's expanding that protective web to help teenagers and parents cope with other demons that too often follow the wholesale pressures of growing up -- to win at sports, to be smart, to look good.

A new study of childhood obesity in the United States has found that some social factors, such as the presence of friends, may put overweight youths at greater risk of overeating.

A new study by psychologists at the University at Buffalo and the F. W. Olin College of Engineering finds that in the aftermath of national trauma, the ability to make sense out of what happened has implications for individual well-being and that the kinds of stories people tell about the incident predict very different psychological outcomes for them.

Three new studies by psychologists at the University at Buffalo have found that after receiving negative feedback about one's appearance, individuals who are highly sensitive to appearance-based rejection withdraw from social interactions and prefer to avoid even those with whom they have close relationships.

Experiencing chronic stress day after day can produce wear and tear on the body physically and mentally, and can have a detrimental effect on learning and emotion. However, acute stress -- a short stressful incident -- may enhance learning and memory.

The University at Buffalo Regional Institute has taken a comprehensive look at school district governance in its latest policy brief, including potential cost savings from consolidation, opportunities for expanded regional cooperation and new models for leveraging technology to bridge educational divides.