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The threat of infants being killed by unrelated males is the key driver of monogamy in humans and other primates. The study by academics from UCL, University of Manchester, University of Oxford and University of Auckland, is the first to reveal this evolutionary pathway for the emergence of pair living.

Where females are widely dispersed, the best strategy for a male is to stick with one female, defend her, and make sure that he sires all her offspring. In short, a male's best strategy is to be monogamous. Professor Tim Clutton-Brock Social monogamy, where one breeding female and one breeding male are closely associated with each other over several breeding seasons, appears to have evolved as a mating strategy, new research reveals.

Using new data from the UK's largest ever social survey, Understanding Society, the Personal Finance Research Centre (PRFC) at the University of Bristol and the International Longevity Centre-UK (ILC-UK) have produced preliminary findings about the 'oldest old' (aged over 85) and their levels of participation, wellbeing and health.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. You can change your cookie settings at any time. Otherwise, we'll assume you're OK to continue. More support is needed to ease the fears of family and friends of brain haemorrhage patients after new research suggested that their worries could inadvertently affect the recovery of their loved ones, scientists said today (Tuesday July 23).

Children are socially motivated to learn at a much younger age than previous studies have suggested, according to new research undertaken by the School of Psychology. Experimental studies have determined that from 15 months of age children begin to imitate the behaviour of other people more faithfully and less selectively than in earlier months.

Rape cases involving vulnerable victims, such as those with extensive mental health problems, are least likely to progress through the criminal justice system and not result in conviction. This is just one of the findings from a new University of Bristol study that investigated the high 'drop out' rate in rape cases.

Yoga can improve mood and mental wellbeing among prisoners, an Oxford University study suggests, and may also have an effect on impulsive behaviour. The researchers found that prisoners after a 10-week yoga course reported improved mood, reduced stress and were better at a task related to behaviour control than those who continued in their normal prison routine.

For the first time, a study has suggested that the position of grandparents in the British class system has a direct effect on which class their grandchildren belong to. It has long been accepted that parents' social standing has a strong influence on children's education, job prospects and earning power.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. You can change your cookie settings at any time. Otherwise, we'll assume you're OK to continue. The position of grandparents in the British class system has a direct effect on which class their grandchildren belong to, according to a new study by Durham and Oxford universities.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. You can change your cookie settings at any time. Otherwise, we'll assume you're OK to continue. One in five UK NHS staff report bullying by colleagues One in five UK NHS staff report bullying by colleagues, with almost half saying they have witnessed bullying, in the past six months, indicates research led by Durham University.

Researchers at the Universities of Liverpool and Warwick have shown that children in the UK have the highest number and longest duration of social , making them most at-risk for catching and transmitting infection. The team have, for the first time, mapped the daily networks of thousands of individuals to shed light on which groups may be at highest risk of contracting and spreading respiratory diseases.

A new study involving Oxford University researchers suggests that the migrant status of couples in Hong Kong is a key factor in their babies' birth weights. The study suggests that native couples have significantly lighter babies than parents who come from mainland China. Mainland Chinese mothers who give birth in Hong Kong are only half as likely to have low-weight children and just one-fifth as likely to have very low-weight children as Hong Kong-born couples.

A study of the experiences of cosmetic surgery tourists, led by the University of Leeds, challenges widely-held perceptions about the safety and motives of people travelling oversees for treatment. The two-year study, ‘Sun, Sea, Sand and Silicone’, is the first to use in-depth s, video and photo diaries and questionnaires to analyse cosmetic surgery tourism from the perspective of the patient’s experience.

Research suggests that it is Andy Murray's ability to manage goals, as well as his skill, drive and motivation that makes him such a successful athlete. Murray dropped out of the French Open after a back injury this year, missing out on his goal of playing in four grand slam finals in a row. But this decision has allowed him to recuperate in time for Wimbledon this month.

20 Jun 2013 The University of Manchester's social work degree programmes have become one of the first five higher education institutions (HEIs) to be endorsed by the College of Social Work. The College of Social Work has launched the endorsement scheme for higher education institutions aimed at providing a kite mark of quality to qualifying social work degree programmes.

A study suggests that money will continue to be wasted on research into social and psychological interventions unless the methods used by the researchers are fully reported in academic journals. Researchers from Oxford University and UCL (University College London) reviewed over 200 experiments across 40 of the leading journals in social and behavioural sciences (covering clinical psychology, criminology, education, and social work).

31 May 2013 A study by social scientists at The University of Manchester has revealed that Britain's most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods are also the healthiest. According to the team at the University's Centre on Dynamics of Ethnicity (CoDE), diversity is associated with higher social cohesion and a greater tolerance of each other's differences.

Women who have mental health disorders around the time of birth are more likely to have previously experienced domestic violence, according to a study led by researchers from Kings College London and the University of Bristol and published in this week's PLOS Medicine.

PA 151/13 Toddlers living in socially-deprived areas are at the greatest risk of suffering a scald in the home, researchers at The University of Nottingham have found. The study, published in the journal Burns, showed that boys aged between one and two years old and those with multiple siblings were statistically more likely to suffer a hot water-related injury, while children born to mothers aged 40 years and over were at less risk than those with teenage mums.

Mathematicians, historians and geographers have worked together to crack codes used by MI9 to conceal information going in and out of prisoner of war camps across Europe during the Second World War. They give a fascinating insight into how the Allies were trying to engineer escapes from the camps, but also show the PoWs were passing on vital military intelligence to their commanders back in London.