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Genetic study also reveals long-distance travelling in Neolithic societies An international team of researchers led by Pere Gelabert and Ron Pinhasi of the University of Vienna and David Reich of Harvard University has produced the most complete set of Early Neolithic genetic data from Central Europe to date.

A recent study by the Medical University of Vienna shows that adolescents with a history of non-suicidal self-injurious behaviour (NSSI) show increased attention to images of self-harm on social media. This attention bias - the increased and faster fixation on such content - increases the urge to self-harm.

When scientists acknowledge the limits of their knowledge, people trust them more and are more likely to follow scientific recommendations An international team led by the University of Pittsburgh and with the participation of the University of Vienna has investigated mechanisms of trust in science.

Long-term experiment shows that social narratives have an influence on performance In their new study, psychologist Christina Bauer from the University of Vienna and her international team show the influence societal narratives can have on students' self-image and their performance. The researchers presented reverse narratives to socio-economically disadvantaged students: instead of portraying them as weak, they emphasized their strengths.

Sustainable land use as a key to combating alien species The introduction of plant and animal species into new regions by humans is increasing rapidly worldwide. Some of these non-native species have a massive impact as they upset the balance of ecosystems. It was previously unclear whether there are differences in the spread of such invasive species between areas cared for by indigenous populations and other regions.

How distorted self-images carry a negative impact on chances of success Women from low socio-economic backgrounds consider themselves to be less talented than all other groups - even if they show the same performance levels. This is shown by a new study led by Christina Bauer at the University of Vienna.

By Birgit Baustädter Elisabeth Lex's research combines computer science methods with social science approaches, searching for clues to understand framing, polarisation and opinion clusters. More and more often, people are getting the feeling that society is increasingly polarised - regarding measures introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic, the question of vaccinations, elections, or environmental protection.

Socioeconomic background affects people's self-perceptions and associated chances of success People from lower socioeconomic backgrounds consider themselves to be less talented - even when they show the same performance as people from higher socioeconomic backgrounds. This misperception subsequently contributes to their further disadvantage.

How does competition influence moral behavior? Studies have so far found evidence for both a negative and a positive influence of competition on moral behavior. Researchers from Innsbruck, Vienna, Stockholm, and Amsterdam are using this unanswered question to conduct a meta-study that examines the extent to which different study designs can account for variability in scientific outcomes.

Eight hours without socializing can result in a similar drop in energy as eight hours without eating In a study conducted both in the laboratory and during COVID-19 lockdowns, subjects reported higher levels of fatigue after eight hours of social isolation. The results suggest that low energy may be a basic human response to a lack of social contact.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, people with partners and children were more likely to adopt precautions and to get vaccinated Having a partner and, to a lesser extent, having children, leads people aged 50+ to take greater precautions against COVID-19, starting with the choice to get vaccinated. In a study published in PNAS, University of Florence social-statistician Bruno Arpino in collaboration with Valeria Bordone (University of Vienna) and Giorgio Di Gessa (University College London) found that social control and support within the family leads to the adoption of healthy behaviours.

Medicine & Science As part of a study led by MedUni Vienna in cooperation with the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and the Karl Landsteiner Private University for Health Sciences (KL) in Krems, a comprehensive European allergy atlas was compiled for the first time using a newly developed test method.

New research provides evidence of demographic shifts in sub-Saharan Africa A new analysis of human remains that were buried in African archaeological sites has produced the earliest DNA from the continent, telling a fascinating tale of how early humans lived, traveled and even found their significant others.

By analyzing ancient DNA an international team of scientists with participation of Ron Pinhasi's team of the University of Vienna was able to retrace the world's oldest family tree. They took samples from a Neolithic tomb in Britain. In their study published they reveal undiscovered information about the structure of prehistoric families.

How do people's values and attitudes change over the course of a pandemic? Salzburg sociologists have played a major role in a worldwide longitudinal study on this matter. A year on, findings depict an increase of conservatism in Austria. The Values in Crisis (VIC) survey, carried out internationally, consists of 21 portraits to assess basic values, as well as some 300 other questions on political and social attitudes.

Women and the Global South are strikingly underrepresented Most publications in leading scientific journals are by male authors from English-speaking countries. This changes only slowly, according to a recent study on diversity in top authorship, concludes Bea Maas from the University of Vienna. Her new study examines the (non-existent) diversity in top authorship in science.

In humans, differences in personalities have been evident since the ancient times. Personality in animals has long been ignored, but recently this question has received increasing research interest as it has been realized that personality has evolutionary and ecological significance. An international team of behavioral biologists from Austria, Brazil and the Netherlands, with Vedrana Šlipogor from the University of Vienna as leading author of the study, designed a set of tasks to assess personality of common marmosets.

Taking a look at generosity within the crow family reveals parallels with human evolution. Working together to raise offspring and increased tolerance towards group members contribute to the emergence of generous behavior among ravens, crows, magpies and company - similarly as it did for our human ancestors.

By Ute Wiedner The current issue of the Graz Architecture Magazine (GAM) gathers together new collaborative living concepts under the title "gewohnt: un/common" and presents them for discussion as "rehearsal stages" for affordable living. Rising rents and the constantly growing struggle for living space show that the housing market in Europe, with its stereotypical floor plan typologies, is no longer able to react flexibly to changing requirements and the worsening social situation.

When are primary school children willing to share valuable resources with others and when are they not? A team of researchers from the University of Vienna lead by cognitive biologist Lisa Horn investigated this question in a controlled behavioural experiment. The motivation to share seems to be influenced by group dynamical and physiological factors, whereas friendship between the children seems to be largely irrelevant.