Social Sciences (Faculty & Staff)

From immigration to abortion, UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies polls tackle pressing issues

October 1, 2024
By Aubrey Spowart

The UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies Poll is a go-to source for cutting-edge, non-partisan insights into California's public opinion. As the oldest public policy research center in the state, IGS tackles the most pressing issues, from immigration to abortion, that are shaping America today.

The IGS Poll was founded by Dr. Jack Citrin, Professor of Political Science at UC Berkeley, in 2011 and has since been expanded by Mark DiCamillo, Director of the IGS Poll. It was created to identify issues that extend across party lines,...

“Altruistic” doctors put patients before profits — and achieve better results, study finds

October 18, 2024
By Edward Lempinen

“Altruistic” doctors who prioritize patient care over income and profit achieve dramatically better health outcomes with older patients, a finding that has powerful implications for U.S. health care systems and policies, according to a new study co-authored at UC Berkeley.

The research, published today in JAMA Health Forum, found that when thousands of Medicare patients were treated by such doctors, they were far less likely to need preventable hospital admissions and emergency room visits. In addition, the patients’ annual medical payments were nearly 10% lower on average.

“...

https://news.berkeley.edu/2024/10/11/altruistic-doctors-put-patients-before-prof…

Berkeley’s Possibility Lab drives positive change in Oakland by elevating resident voices

October 21, 2024
By Jessica Ballardo

Editor’s Note: Berkeley Social Sciences faculty are turning their research into action, tackling Oakland’s most urgent challenges — from public safety to affordable housing. In this 3-part series, learn how they are partnering with the community to create lasting and meaningful change by addressing concerns from residents.

As many traditional approaches to Oakland’s complex issues continue to be ineffective, the city is in need of innovative solutions that address the real needs of its residents.

UC Berkeley’s...

In some people, psychopathy goes undetected. A recent UC Berkeley study offers a solution

October 30, 2024
By Anne Brice

In a June 2024 study, UC Berkeley psychology professor Keanan Joyner and his colleagues found that by using a combination of methods tailored to the multidimensional nature of psychopathy, we could transform how we identify and understand this personality disorder. “I think that it goes toward having a functional and positive society,” Joyner said. “Our collaboration is the substance of what makes humans so wonderful as a species.”

This year on Berkeley Voices, we’re exploring the theme of transformation. In eight episodes, we’ll explore how transformation — of ideas, of...

https://news.berkeley.edu/2024/10/28/berkeley-voices-transformation-episode-1-ps…

Hate all of the candidates? New UC Berkeley research shows how rejection can help get your vote out

October 28, 2024
By Sara Martin

A new UC Berkeley study has uncovered a possible solution to reduce low voter turnout among people who dislike their choices on the ballot by changing the way voting decisions are framed. The research shows that encouraging voters to vote against the worst options, rather than voting for the best one, could significantly reduce the number of people opting not to vote, especially in elections between unpopular candidates.

Berkeley Psychology Professor Amitai Shenhav and Psychology researcher Yi-Hsin Su explored the issue of "double haters" —...

Don’t worry. Study shows you’re likely a more creative writer than ChatGPT. For now.

October 28, 2024
By Jason Pohl

Imagine you decide to write a short story about a protagonist who creates an artificial human and then falls in love with it. What gender is your protagonist? What about the artificial human? Would you write a moving love story? A cautionary dystopian tale?

Would your story be more compelling than one written by ChatGPT?

Likely yes, says Nina Beguš, a researcher and lecturer in UC Berkeley’s School of Information and...

https://news.berkeley.edu/2024/10/28/dont-worry-study-shows-youre-likely-a-more-…

Can you ‘undo’ political polarization? Left and right might be closer than we think, study finds

November 4, 2024
By Robin Buller, The Guardian

You know that uncle whose political takes threaten to turn family gatherings into food fights? Don’t decline his Thanksgiving invitation just yet. When it comes to support for democracy, left and right in America are much closer than you might think.

As a historic US election approaches, both sides see each other as working to upend democracy. But it’s our assumptions about our political opponents – rather than their actual views – that drive polarization, according to new research. And if ...

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/03/reducing-political-polarization-…

UC Berkeley Economics and Public Policy Prof. Hilary Hoynes discusses her expansive work on California public policy

November 20, 2024
By Jessica Ballardo

Editor’s Note: The work of UC Berkeley Social Sciences faculty helps shape California public policy. In this series, learn more about their research and projects and how they resonate with state policymakers and address solutions to the most pressing issues facing California, from food access to homelessness.

UC Berkeley Economics and Public Policy Professor Hilary Hoynes uses her expertise in child poverty and the social safety net to influence California public policy and develop solutions to the state’s economic issues. ...

UC Berkeley's Script Encoding Initiative wins $1.3M in grants for advancing digital inclusion

November 7, 2024
By Aubrey Spowart

Anushah Hossain

The Script Encoding Initiative (SEI), led by researchers Anushah Hossain and Deborah Anderson in the Linguistics Department, recently received grants from the Internet Society Foundation ($300,000) and the Mellon Foundation ($1M) for research on digital inclusion of diverse writing systems. SEI aims to increase the number of writing systems...

UC Berkeley study uncovers the mafia’s role in Italy’s wildfire crisis

December 9, 2024
By Aubrey Spowart

Over the past few years, raging wildfires in Italy have become a common and deadly occurrence. In Southern Italy, intense, record-breaking heat waves and dry scirocco winds create the perfect conditions for wildfires—both natural and coordinated.

In the paper “Land on fire: The spatial production of the mafia,” published in a special issue of "New Geographies of Organised Crime" in Criminology & Criminal Justice, UC Berkeley Geography Ph.D. student Lauren Pearson links...