Social Sciences (Faculty & Staff)

More and more, teenagers are using social media and AI to manage their mental health. This issue has raised questions about how technology affects young people’s wellbeing. But technology can also help, when used carefully, according to a UC Berkeley Psychology study.

In his recent paper, “Advancing youth co-design of ethical guidelines for AI-powered digital mental health tools”, Berkeley Psychology Professor Giovanni Ramos found that...

In the early 20th century, prominent figures in psychology, psychiatry and pediatrics in the U.S. began to promote a new standard for mothers: that they should serve as a constant, unchanging and wholly nurturing presence in their children’s lives. It was the best way, they claimed, to raise healthy and successful children. This ideal marked a shift away from earlier traditions, where caregiving was often distributed among extended family members, hired help and community.

In her new book,...

Natural disasters are becoming an everyday threat in the United States. But the consequences extend far beyond immediate damages. From wildfires to floods, climate change is harming the systems that protect homeowners and renters.

Several Berkeley Social Sciences researchers gathered at the Social Science Matrix recently for a panel discussion to examine how climate change, urban planning and insurance instability are currently reshaping the nation’s housing landscape.

The “Financializing Disaster: Insurance and...

A UC Berkeley archaeologist is building a reference system that can expedite recovery of the remains of service members killed in World War II.

November 7, 2025

Jun Sunseri remembers his grandfather, Stanley, sharing stories about his service in World War II. A mechanic in the U.S. Army Air Forces, Stanley was deployed to North Africa and Italy, where he repaired bombers and fighter planes that flew across Europe.

Sunseri also recalls his grandfather’s sadness about the friends who never made it home.

Those stories, and ones from other relatives who...