social behavior

Gossip has a bad rap. Sure, it can be catty and mean, but research is turning up ways it helps groups build cohesion — and can nudge some individuals to make positive changes in their lives.

OK, so they're not using Fitbits. But zoos across America are using software to minutely track the activity, behavior and physiology of captive elephants, and using that data to improve zoo life.

Loneliness and social isolation can affect health for the worse. A California hospital is training volunteers to provide companionship and friendly assistance.

Japan expects 7 million cases of dementia among its long-lived residents by 2025. It has started training pharmacists, bankers and postal workers in how to recognize the signs and be supportive.

An experiment in Chicago randomly assigned train and bus riders to either talk to the stranger next to them or commute quietly. The result? Even for introverts, silence leaves you sadder.

Psychologists have long known that children often model their behavior on the actions of parents or peers. But science has only recently begun to measure the influence of siblings. An older brother's or sister's behavior can be very contagious, it turns out — for good and for bad.