Nature Human Behaviour

Our October 2026 issue is now live! Check out the table of contents: http://dlvr.it/TW28x4

dlvr.itAI governance needs to consider users’ emotional responsesNature Human Behaviour, Published online: 26 October 2026; doi:10.1038/s41562-026-02620-3People will often trust or distrust an artificial intelligence (AI) output because of how it makes them feel, rather than how reliable it is. AI governance frameworks should require that platforms disclose design choices that target user emotions, allow users control over these, and include features aimed to calibrate trust.

AI governance needs to consider users’ emotional responses

dlvr.itDecredentialed jobs and upward mobility among non-college workers in the USANature Human Behaviour, Published online: 26 October 2026; doi:10.1038/s41562-026-02610-5Linking job postings to US Census earnings records from 2011 to 2021, Lyttelton et al. find that non-college workers hired into jobs that dropped degree requirements earned around US$4,600 more per year, yet employers rarely hired non-college workers after decredentialing.

Decredentialed jobs and upward mobility among non-college workers in the USA

dlvr.itWithin-family heritability estimates for behavioural and disease phenotypes from 500,000 sibling pairs of diverse ancestriesNature Human Behaviour, Published online: 26 October 2026; doi:10.1038/s41562-026-02599-xUsing the variation in DNA sharing between 500,000 sibling pairs with diverse genetic ancestries, Yengo et al. estimate the heritability of 14 complex traits.

Within-family heritability estimates for behavioural and disease phenotypes from 500,000 sibling pairs of diverse ancestries

dlvr.itGenerative AI and the temporary upskilling of knowledge workersNature Human Behaviour, Published online: 26 October 2026; doi:10.1038/s41562-026-02566-6This randomized trial by Wiles et al. shows that generative AI helps knowledge workers perform data science tasks outside their skill set, but workers do not retain the underlying knowledge when the tool is removed.

Generative AI and the temporary upskilling of knowledge workers

dlvr.itTuring-like tests for language and vision demonstrate a narrowing gap between humans and AINature Human Behaviour, Published online: 26 October 2026; doi:10.1038/s41562-026-02590-6Zhang et al. systematically compare humans and AI across three language and three vision tasks.

Turing-like tests for language and vision demonstrate a narrowing gap between humans and AI

dlvr.itLarge language models for computational social scienceNature Human Behaviour, Published online: 26 October 2026; doi:10.1038/s41562-026-02539-9This Review from Evans et al. documents the distinct roles that LLMs now have in computational social science and provides an overview of recent LLM-supported advances across fields including economics, psychology, political science, sociology and anthropology.

Large language models for computational social science

dlvr.itPrivileged representational axes in biological and artificial neural networksNature Human Behaviour, Published online: 23 October 2026; doi:10.1038/s41562-026-02515-3Khosla et al. show that both brains and neural networks consistently favoured certain axes for representing the natural world.

Privileged representational axes in biological and artificial neural networks

dlvr.itRefining a new movement by practicing it upside downNature Human Behaviour, Published online: 21 October 2026; doi:10.1038/s41562-026-02614-1In this study, participants improved at copying an unfamiliar alphabet character even though they only practiced writing rotated versions of it. The experiments reveal that the motor system can refine movements by creating an abstraction of their structure, and not only by repeating the same mechanical muscle commands.

Refining a new movement by practicing it upside down

dlvr.itUse AI to heterogenize scienceNature Human Behaviour, Published online: 19 October 2026; doi:10.1038/s41562-026-02618-xUse AI to heterogenize science

Use AI to heterogenize science

dlvr.itThe case for AI degrowthNature Human Behaviour, Published online: 19 October 2026; doi:10.1038/s41562-026-02617-yArtificial intelligence (AI), as it currently unfolds, is incompatible with a sustainable transformation of the economy, which arguably requires degrowth. AI is the growth paradigm reborn — built on enclosed commons, powered by fossil energy, and driven by a competitive logic that makes precaution structurally impossible. Limits to AI growth are not technophobia; they are our best chance for a liveable future for all.

The case for AI degrowth

dlvr.itMotor abstraction training generalizes to the refinement of specific movement patternsNature Human Behaviour, Published online: 19 October 2026; doi:10.1038/s41562-026-02597-zPracticing unfamiliar characters in rotated orientations improved upright writing as much as direct practice, showing that the motor system learns by abstracting a movement’s structure, not just its details.

Motor abstraction training generalizes to the refinement of specific movement patterns

dlvr.itTrait judgements of faces using a task without word labelsNature Human Behaviour, Published online: 19 October 2026; doi:10.1038/s41562-026-02605-2Xu et al. examine how people perceive faces as being associated with psychological traits, using a task that imposes no a priori labels.

Trait judgements of faces using a task without word labels

dlvr.itPetition style changes with AI writing support but outcomes do not improveNature Human Behaviour, Published online: 14 October 2026; doi:10.1038/s41562-026-02579-1In 2023, Change.org introduced an artificial intelligence (AI)-supported petition-drafting tool to their platform. With access to this tool, users’ petitions changed substantially, and their texts became more similar to one another. At the same time, overall petition outcomes did not improve, which shows the limits of AI integration into online advocacy communities.

Petition style changes with AI writing support but outcomes do not improve

dlvr.itResponsibilism and cultureNature Human Behaviour, Published online: 12 October 2026; doi:10.1038/s41562-026-02616-zPrevious research has widely associated East Asian cultures with higher levels of collectivism, which is often measured through self-report scales that emphasize warmth and prosociality towards all people. Talhelm et al. developed a responsibilism scale that captures duties and responsibilities in close relationships.

Responsibilism and culture

dlvr.itRecognizing Indigenous peoplesNature Human Behaviour, Published online: 12 October 2026; doi:10.1038/s41562-026-02619-wSettler states increasingly offer Indigenous peoples symbolic recognition, such as land acknowledgements, instead of political power or resources, yet the effects of these gestures are untested. Peyton and McNamee’s experiments in the USA and Australia find that land acknowledgements raise awareness of Indigenous peoples but reduce interest in learning more.

Recognizing Indigenous peoples

dlvr.itBoth selfish and prosocial actors distort their impact on others, but selfish-serving spin seems to spreadNature Human Behaviour, Published online: 12 October 2026; doi:10.1038/s41562-026-02584-4From consumers buying fair-trade products to policy makers funding science, people often do not know exactly how their actions will affect others. We show that selfish and prosocial actors alike may distort their impact in self-serving ways, but selfish-serving distortions catch on more readily than prosocial-serving distortions and increase followers’ selfishness.

Both selfish and prosocial actors distort their impact on others, but selfish-serving spin seems to spread

dlvr.itSimulated responses from large language models are weak proxies for human economic preferences across 74 countriesNature Human Behaviour, Published online: 12 October 2026; doi:10.1038/s41562-026-02611-4Simulating a global survey of economic preferences across 74 countries, this study shows that large language models reproduce some demographic patterns in human preferences but fail to capture cultural differences, especially in lower-income countries.

Simulated responses from large language models are weak proxies for human economic preferences across 74 countries

dlvr.itRecreational screen use and internalizing problems from preadolescence to young adulthood in a longitudinal twin cohort with co-twin comparisonNature Human Behaviour, Published online: 08 October 2026; doi:10.1038/s41562-026-02607-0Using longitudinal twin data, this study finds that associations between youth recreational screen use and internalizing problems are substantially reduced within twin pairs, suggesting shared familial contributions to the observed association.

Recreational screen use and internalizing problems from preadolescence to young adulthood in a longitudinal twin cohort with co-twin comparison

dlvr.itMicrodelays disrupt online learningNature Human Behaviour, Published online: 08 October 2026; doi:10.1038/s41562-026-02598-yAnalysing data from more than 80,000 students and aspiring coders, Mazar et al. show that microdelays, brief loading lags caused by slow internet connections, can impair online learning.

Microdelays disrupt online learning

dlvr.itAlgorithm-assisted personalized risk communication to encourage flu vaccination in the USA: three randomized field trialsNature Human Behaviour, Published online: 05 October 2026; doi:10.1038/s41562-026-02603-4Rosenbaum et al. show that targeted communications highlighting patients’ high-risk status increased influenza vaccination uptake. However, they did not find an additional effect of informing patients that a computer algorithm was used to identify their risk status.

Algorithm-assisted personalized risk communication to encourage flu vaccination in the USA: three randomized field trials

dlvr.itContract incentives and behaviours of medical consultants in IrelandNature Human Behaviour, Published online: 05 October 2026; doi:10.1038/s41562-026-02592-4Using Irish inpatient data, this study finds that private practice within public hospitals, when paired with contractual ratio limits, can incentivize consultants to increase public admissions, but may reduce care quality for public patients.

Contract incentives and behaviours of medical consultants in Ireland

dlvr.itGendered motives for group formidability among children and adultsNature Human Behaviour, Published online: 02 October 2026; doi:10.1038/s41562-026-02606-1Fonn et al. find that boys but not girls prefer larger groups by age three, and these preferences predict support for group-based hierarchy among adults. This suggests that gendered motives for intergroup formidability are rooted in earliest childhood.

Gendered motives for group formidability among children and adults

dlvr.itSelfish and prosocial individuals both distort their actions’ impact, but selfish distortions can be more contagiousNature Human Behaviour, Published online: 01 October 2026; doi:10.1038/s41562-026-02585-3In this study, Vollberg and Gross show that both selfish and prosocial individuals exaggerate the social benefits of their choices, with selfish-serving distortions proving to be socially contagious.

Selfish and prosocial individuals both distort their actions’ impact, but selfish distortions can be more contagious

dlvr.itIntrinsic rewards guide visual resource allocation via reinforcement learningNature Human Behaviour, Published online: 01 October 2026; doi:10.1038/s41562-026-02573-7Tangible rewards are known to sharpen visual processing of associated objects. Tomić et al. show that an internal sense of confidence—acting as an intrinsic reward—similarly biases attention, revealing how the brain prioritizes limited resources.

Intrinsic rewards guide visual resource allocation via reinforcement learning

dlvr.itIntroducing AI to an online petition platform changed outputs but not outcomesNature Human Behaviour, Published online: 30 September 2026; doi:10.1038/s41562-026-02580-8Corpus et al. examine how the introduction of an AI writing tool impacted Change.org petitions, finding that it increased petition homogeneity but did not improve petition outcomes.

Introducing AI to an online petition platform changed outputs but not outcomes

dlvr.itAI amplifies experts, not expertiseNature Human Behaviour, Published online: 29 September 2026; doi:10.1038/s41562-026-02604-3Acquiring knowledge and expertise is a long process. Today, artificial intelligence (AI) tools can amplify what people are able to do, but this may pose problems for the development of the next generation of experts, argues Sheng-Tun Li.

AI amplifies experts, not expertise

dlvr.itEffects of land acknowledgements on non-Indigenous audiences in Australia and the USANature Human Behaviour, Published online: 25 September 2026; doi:10.1038/s41562-026-02520-6McNamee and Peyton find that land acknowledgements raise awareness of, but not curiosity about, Indigenous nations. These practices improve organizational reputations, but their effects on political attitudes and support for reparations are insignificant.

Effects of land acknowledgements on non-Indigenous audiences in Australia and the USA

dlvr.itWhy girls have worse mental health than boysNature Human Behaviour, Published online: 22 September 2026; doi:10.1038/s41562-026-02577-3Analyses of data from more than 3,000 adolescents found that loneliness and desire for thinness contribute to the higher prevalence of depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation among girls than in boys. Young people’s perspectives informed the pathways that were investigated.

22 Sept

Why girls have worse mental health than boys

Why do #inequalities endure, and what does #fairness really mean? Published today, our new Focus issue, Inequality and Fairness in a Complex World, explores these questions and their implications for research and policy. [1/10] www.nature.com/collections/...

nature.comAn agenda for real-world fairness research to inform policy and organizations - Nature Human BehaviourIn this Perspective, Fehr and Wu argue that applying fairness research to markets, organizations and public policy requires solving fundamental unresolved questions about how fairness concerns are act...

What should fairness research focus on next? In this concluding Perspective, Ernst Fehr and Keyu Wu propose a forward-looking research agenda and call for more real-world research to inform policy and practice. [9/10] @econ.uzh.ch #fairness www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Finally, special thanks to our Art Editor Bethany Vukomanovic for the for the exceptional cover image and animation that brought the hand and dice to life. [10/10]

nature.comHow AI companions could deepen social inequality - Nature Human BehaviourArtificial intelligence (AI) companions promise connection at low cost, but their effects are not evenly distributed. When user vulnerabilities, platform control loopholes, and governance gaps coincid...

AI companions are often seen as tools for connection and support. In this Comment, @nliulab.bsky.social and colleagues discuss how they could also exacerbate existing social inequalities. [7/10] #AICompanions www.nature.com/articles/s41...

nature.comMeritocracy and inequality acceptance - Nature Human BehaviourThe idea of meritocracy — that income differences should reflect performance rather than luck or inherited privilege — can be used to justify inequality. Yet people who consider meritocracy to be fair...

Why are some forms of inequality seen as fair? In this Comment, Cappelen and Tungodden examine the link between meritocratic beliefs and the acceptance of inequality and what this means for policymakers. [8/10] @fair-thechoicelab.bsky.social #meritocracy www.nature.com/articles/s41...

nature.comTime to close the socioeconomic gap in access to childcare - Nature Human BehaviourSocioeconomic inequalities shape who accesses early childcare, even in countries that claim universal provision. This entrenched inequality limits child development, women’s employment and gender equa...

Socioeconomic inequalities are deeply intertwined with child development and gender equality. In this Comment, @lergetporer.bsky.social and colleagues propose helpful tools to close the gap. [5/10] #childcare www.nature.com/articles/s41...

nature.comRising health inequities require looking beyond health systems - Nature Human BehaviourGlobal health inequity is increasingly driven by the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. To address it, we must place health at the centre of climate and enviro...

Global health inequality is another major theme. In this Comment @joacimrocklov.bsky.social and colleagues argue that interventions should target both individual behaviours and structural drivers of inequality. [6/10] #healthinequality www.nature.com/articles/s41...

nature.comEmbryo screening and the new reproductive divide - Nature Human BehaviourNature Human Behaviour - Embryo screening and the new reproductive divide

In this Correspondence, @arnovanhootegem.bsky.social and colleagues discuss the implications of commercial embryo screening for reproductive inequality. [3/10] #embryoscreening www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Gender inequality in leadership remains persistent. In this Correspondence, @jennpiscopo.bsky.social makes a compelling case for gender quotas. [4/10] #genderquotas www.nature.com/articles/s41...

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