Division of Social Sciences

Do your friends make you fat?

Or keep you slender? According to research by James Fowler of Political Science, the short answer on both counts is “yes.” Cited as one of Foreign Policy’s “Top 100 Global Thinkers” and nicknamed “Jimmy Jam” by Stephen Colbert, Fowler is perhaps best known for his work on social networks and how our ties to other people influence all sorts of phenomena.

How does a language start?

What are its essential elements? MacArthur ‘genius’ grant winner Carol Padden – a Linguistics alumna now on the Communication faculty – is gaining new insights into these age-old conundrums from a language created in a small village in Israel's Negev Desert.

Can people change their ways?

Yes. But don’t bother preaching. Or outlawing. Neither will work – or not for long. Gerald Mackie of Political Science, founding co-director of the UC San Diego Center on Global Justice, says that when it comes to harmful social practices you must empower a community to change its norms.

Can you cure autism?

No. And while some argue that autism is not something to be cured at all, the general consensus is that it encompasses a spectrum of disorders, one end of which can be quite challenging. For 40 years, Laura Schreibman of Psychology has been dispelling myths about autism and helping both diagnosed children and their families.

The Division's contributions include:

Graduating nearly 50 percent of UC San Diego’s undergraduates

Developing one of the most effective behavioral treatments for autism

Studying the causes and impacts of terrorism

Connecting to the region through 500 community-based programs

Cleaning toxic waste along San Diego’s border

Exploring and harnessing the power of social contagion

Changing education of the deaf

Investigating the remarkable plasticity of the human brain

Monitoring elections and improving governance

Helping reduce harmful social practices

Preserving endangered languages

Saving world heritage sites for future generations

News and Events

40th Faculty Excellence Awards: Leslie Carver of Psychology wins the award for Excellence in Graduate Teaching and is recognized for her “wise and inspiring” leadership. More news for Carver: a paper by her and undergraduate alumna Chelsea Hays, published in Developmental Science, shows that children who have been lied to are themselves more likely to cheat and lie.

You can catch a mood online? A study led by James Fowler of Political Science shows that Facebook feelings are contagious. Also, postive posts are more viral than negative ones. Coverage includesTIME, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, BBC and many others.

April 29

2014 Papdopoulos Lecture: South African photographer and visual activist Zanele Muholi on the visual expression of the Black Queer Born Frees. Presentation begins at 6 p.m.; reception follows at 8.

A lever for local STEM education: The STEM Success Initiative, led by CREATE, aims to gather community and university resources to lift the region’s K-20 education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Dedicated to developing practical solutions for our nation’s most pressing problems: The Yankelovich Center for Social Science Research.

Stay informed – and add your voice to UC San Diego’s strategic plan.

More News

Do your friends make you fat?

How does a language start?

Can people change their ways?

Can you cure autism?

The Science of Society: Research,
Teaching and Service in the Public Interest.

The Division's contributions include:

Departments and Programs

Departments

Interdisciplinary Programs

Other Interdisciplinary Programs and Studies

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