Social Policy

Researchers have identified personality traits and psychological processes that make certain individuals more vulnerable to violent extremism, even in identical circumstances. The finding challenges security and counter-extremism strategies that assume extremists are mentally ill, suggesting instead that personality-driven motivation and social perception differences drive radicalization—requiring fundamentally different intervention approaches.EN

A new international committee is connecting early-career surgeons across specialties to increase research output and mentor the next generation. The initiative addresses a persistent gap in surgical training networks and could reshape how surgical knowledge spreads globally.EN

A study of 738 Indonesian high school students reveals that student interest in STEM careers depends equally on math skills, motivation, and family background—with family income and parents' education playing as large a role as academic ability. The finding suggests education policies focused solely on improving STEM instruction may miss critical socioeconomic barriers limiting talent pipeline development.EN

A study of incarcerated women receiving trauma treatment found hybrid video therapy delivered comparable results to in-person sessions on symptom improvement and group bonding. The finding could reshape how corrections systems—already operating on tight budgets—deliver mental health care to vulnerable populations.EN

A new study shows that when people are paid for accuracy, their views on factual data become far less polarized than their stated beliefs suggest. The findings challenge assumptions about deep ideological divides and suggest that perceived polarization may stem more from what we think others believe than from genuine disagreement—a distinction with major implications for policymaking and business strategy.EN

Incarcerated women showed strong preference for trauma treatment that doesn't require them to disclose personal abuse stories, especially those with severe PTSD symptoms. The finding challenges standard practice and suggests tailoring mental health interventions to individual needs could improve outcomes—a shift with implications for prison healthcare policy and broader trauma treatment protocols.EN

A review of 11 studies finds that teaching social work students to interact with AI-powered avatars in virtual reality improves their practical skills and confidence in handling difficult client situations. The finding could reshape how professional service sectors—from healthcare to counseling—prepare staff for high-stakes human interactions without the cost and risk of live practice.EN

A new study finds that humanities graduates gain measurable psychological empowerment from digital literacy courses before entering the workplace. Information literacy training proved most effective, particularly at helping graduates find meaning in their work—a factor companies increasingly recognize as critical for retention and performance in competitive business services roles.EN

A study of 414 parents in Pakistan's largest city reveals a puzzling pattern: many who vaccinated their children against COVID-19 remain hesitant about the shots. The finding suggests vaccine confidence gaps persist even after uptake, signaling potential challenges for health authorities planning future immunization campaigns and public messaging strategies.EN

A comprehensive analysis of official statistics, job postings, academic publications, and airline data reveals that mobility between the UK and Europe fell sharply after the Brexit referendum. The findings suggest policymakers and businesses underestimated how quickly the decision would reshape labor flows and cross-border movement.EN

A study of how students understand epigenetics found that the way scientific diagrams are drawn—including color, visual features, and layout—directly shapes whether they grasp the concept. The findings suggest textbook and curriculum designers should rethink visual communication, with implications for science education effectiveness and workforce readiness.EN

A new study shows fake news about COVID-19 triggers significantly more negative emotions than accurate reporting—and that emotional patterns can help machine learning algorithms detect false claims. The finding offers social media platforms and health authorities a practical tool to combat misinformation at scale during public health crises.EN

Researchers tracking nearly 280,000 people discovered that social ties extending beyond one's hometown are linked to lower antidepressant use—a finding that challenges conventional wisdom about mental health. The effect is strongest among young people and suggests that geographic diversity in social networks may be as important as local community bonds for mental wellbeing.EN

A massive trial across 63 countries tested 11 behavioral interventions on nearly 60,000 people, finding that most messaging strategies produce minimal results—and some actually backfire. The findings challenge climate communicators and policymakers to rethink how they motivate action on emissions reduction.EN

A new study reveals the Sámi population in Sweden has deep-seated distrust of state and industry actors managing hydropower projects—driven by concerns the technology damages Sámi culture and excludes them from decisions. The finding challenges a common assumption that collaboration initiatives automatically rebuild trust with Indigenous groups.EN

A study of 1,300 Chinese adolescents reveals that spontaneous decision-making—not careful reasoning—better predicts who will get a tattoo. The findings challenge how health educators and policymakers approach youth behavior change, suggesting campaigns must address gut-level impulses, not just rational arguments.EN

# Algoritmiska beslut kräver systemblic perspektiv Forskargruppen vid Lunds universitet analyserar hur algoritmer integreras i offentliga och privata beslutsprocesser, och pekar på ett kritiskt gap mellan teknisk design och samhällelig påverkan. Studien behandlar vad författare kallar det "socio-tekniska problemet" — motsättningen mellan algoritmers tekniska logik och de sociala konsekvenser de skapar. Arbetets relevans för beslutsfattare ligger i kartläggningen av hur algoritmiska system påverkar rättvisa, transparens och demokratisk kontroll. Forskarna från Lund University bidrar med ett ramverk för att förstå varför implementering av algoritmiska verktyg ofta misslyckas eller skapar oönskade bieffekter i offentlig förvaltning. För kommunledningar och policyrådgivare blir slutsatsen tydlig: algoritmutveckling kan inte lösas rent tekniskt. Regelefterlevnad och ansvarsfulla anskaffningar kräver tidigt engagemang från både administrativ och juridisk sida för att kartlägga systemets samhällspåverkan före införande.

Newsrooms across 13 countries are reorganizing beats around themes like technology and health rather than locations, according to new research. The shift signals how legacy news organizations are adapting to digital disruption—but full-time reporters remain central to their operations, suggesting tradition still constrains newsroom innovation.EN

Nine years after India overhauled its indirect tax system, a new analysis confirms the Goods and Services Tax (GST) has delivered on its core promise: slashing red tape and cutting compliance costs for businesses. However, the paper flags persistent challenges in execution that policymakers and investors need to address to unlock the reform's full economic potential.EN

A new study of Qatar World Cup broadcasts reveals how Swedish media portrayed the Middle East as culturally backward and threatening to Western values—a pattern that shapes public perception and policy debates. The findings expose how sports coverage actively constructs geopolitical divisions, with implications for how media outlets frame international stories and influence audience attitudes toward non-Western nations.EN

Researchers have created the first systematic way to evaluate whether government return programs succeed — combining legal design, implementation capacity, and real-world outcomes. The tool matters because billions in EU migration spending depends on whether these policies deliver results, and accountability has been nearly impossible to assess.EN

A new study of Swedish small businesses reveals that remote and flexible work arrangements sharply increase individual productivity but simultaneously erode the informal communication that holds teams together. The finding suggests companies cannot simply adopt flexibility policies and expect seamless operations—they must deliberately rebuild collaboration rituals to make it work.EN

A major study of nearly 3,000 Swedish journalists reveals that emotional stress and anticipated regret—not professional judgment—are the main reasons reporters suppress their own stories. The finding suggests that online harassment is reshaping newsroom culture in ways that traditional support systems aren't designed to fix.EN

Swedish stakeholders backing small modular reactors are downplaying radiation risks and delaying emergency preparedness planning, a new study reveals. The gap could create vulnerabilities as the country races to deploy SMRs, and suggests regulators need to embed safety planning into reactor development from day one, not retrofit it later.EN

A new framework clarifies what it means to be complicit in wrongdoing, settling decades of philosophical disagreement. For boards, compliance teams, and policymakers, the breakthrough offers clearer guidance on when institutions bear responsibility for harms they didn't directly cause—from supply chain abuses to regulatory capture.EN