In the Netherlands, there is a growing need for long-term care. This is due to an aging population and a lack of staff. However, there is a way to ease this pressure. The solution might be closer than one thinks. It lies in the social networks that already exist within care facilities and their local communities. These networks include residents, their families, care...
Malaysia is a country that faces frequent floods and monsoon storms. This is due to its geography and climate. It is also a multiethnic and multireligious society. This mix of cultures plays a big role in how the country handles disasters. Many disaster management plans focus on technical and structural solutions. However, they often miss out on the sociocultural fac...
Older adults often face depression, but having a strong social network can help. This is not just about having lots of friends or family, but also about how often they are in touch and the quality of those relationships. A recent study looked at how different parts of social networks affect depression in older adults living in their communities. The study found that...
Let's talk about a troublesome trend that's becoming more common on the internet. People are using the web to commit crimes, and it's not just about stealing information or money. Sometimes, it's about hurting people in other ways. Now, imagine this: a person who is 27 years old, accused of some serious stuff, like image-based abuse and other crimes. The judge wanted...
Imagine scrolling through your social media feed and seeing a bunch of posts about politics. You might not know it, but some of those posts could be part of something called computational propaganda. Computational propaganda is when political actors use fancy tricks to influence what you see and think. This can include using fake accounts, or "bots" or mu...
In today's world, the quality of rural living environments is a big deal, not just for China but globally. It's tied to how well the regional economy is doing. So, understanding what makes rural residents take part in making their environment better is key. This study used two theories: what we plan to do and how our social networks help. They looked at data from 334...
Did you know that moms in home visiting programs have a lot of support? Almost all of them have at least one person who helps them stay healthy. Interestingly, having a partner or someone who lives nearby can make a big difference. Moms with higher incomes also tend to have more health supporters. But here's an intriguing fact: having a health supporter who lives clo...
Ever wondered how opinions spread like wildfire? It turns out, it’s not just about what we hear, but who we hear it from. Mass media theory says that opinions go through a two-step process. First, influencers, or opinion leaders, get the message from the original sources. Then, they pass it on to the rest of us, normal agents. But here’s the thing—most models only lo...
Imagine a lot of people, each with their own thoughts. They're all linked, like a big social network. The Deffuant model helps us understand how their opinions change over time. Here's an interesting fact: their thoughts aren't just numbers; they're specific and can vary by topic. When they chat with each other, something neat happens: their opinions start to change....
Imagine you're in a big group, and someone important—say, a news anchor—has an update. That person tells a few influential friends, who then share it with everyone else. This is how messages and opinions move around, according to something called mass media theory. Most models only look at how opinions change within one group. But life isn't that simple, right? So, ...