Papers | Human Nature Lab | Human Nature Lab at Yale

Modeling roles and trade-offs in multiplex networks

5 | Honduras , Methodology , Multiplex Network , Sociocentric Network , Social Network

Citation:

Nakis, N., Lehmann, S., Christakis, N.A. et al. Modeling roles and trade-offs in multiplex networks. Nat Commun (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-68896-1

On the optimal integration of intelligent agents into network systems to steer cooperation

10 | Artificial Intelligence (AI) , Bots , Cooperation , Hybrid Systems , Methodology , PNAS , Position Intervention , Public Goods , Social Contagion , Social Network

Citation:

Fu F, Chen X, Christakis NA. On the optimal integration of intelligent agents into network systems to steer cooperation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2026 Mar 24;123(12):e2537939123. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2537939123. Epub 2026 Mar 16. PMID: 41838917.

Countering the Forgetting of Novel Health Information with ‘Social Boosting’

7 | Global Health , Honduras , LMIC , Maternal and Child Health (MNCH) , Social Contagion , Sociocentric Network , Trellis Software

Citation:

Krishna V, Christakis NA. Countering the forgetting of novel health information with ‘social boosting.' SSM Popul Health, 33 (2026); 101902

How malicious AI swarms can threaten democracy

7 | Artificial Intelligence (AI) , Bots , Cooperation , Hybrid Systems , Online Network , Public Goods , Science

Citation:

Schroeder DT, Cha M, Baronchelli A, Bostrom N, Christakis NA, Garcia D, Goldenberg A, Kyrychenko Y, Leyton-Brown K, Lutz N, Marcus G, Menczer F, Pennycook G, Rand DG, Ressa M, Schweitzer F, Song D, Summerfield C, Tang A, Van Bavel JJ, van der Linden S, Kunst JR. How malicious AI swarms can threaten democracy. Science. 2026 Jan 22;391(6783):354-357. doi: 10.1126/science.adz1697. Epub 2026 Jan 22. PMID: 41570131.

Characterization of gut microbiomes in rural Honduras reveals uncharacterized species and associations with human genetic variation

6 | Biomarker , Evolutionary Biology , Genetics , Honduras , LMIC , Microbiome

Citation:

Beghini F, Brito IL, Gerstein M, Christakis NA. Characterization of gut microbiomes in rural Honduras reveals uncharacterized species and associations with human genetic variation. Cell Rep. 2026 Jan 27;45(1):116724. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2025.116724. Epub 2025 Dec 18. PMID: 41420859.

Social Networks and International Migration in Honduran Villages

8 | Geographic Effects , Global Health , Honduras , LMIC , PNAS , Social Contagion , Social Network , Sociocentric Network

Citation:

Thomas LJ, Christakis NA, Garip F. Social networks and international migration in Honduran villages. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2026 Jan 6;123(1):e2505818122. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2505818122. Epub 2026 Jan 2. PMID: 41481447; PMCID: PMC12773785.

Network-cycle motif participation is associated with individual and collective wealth in Honduran villages

8 | Economics , Honduras , Inequality , LMIC , Methodology , Social Network , Sociocentric Network , Trellis Software

Citation:

Shridhar, S.V., Lee, S.T., Charette, Y. et al. Network-cycle motif participation is associated with individual and collective wealth in Honduran villages. Sci Rep 15, 27680 (2025).

Realism Drives Interpersonal Reciprocity but Yields to AI-Assisted Egocentrism in a Coordination Experiment

6 | Artificial Intelligence (AI) , Breadboard Software , Cooperation , Experiment , Methodology , Public Goods

Citation:

Hirokazu Shirado, Kye Shimizu, Nicholas A Christakis, and Shunichi Kasahara. 2025. Realism Drives Interpersonal Reciprocity but Yields to AI-Assisted Egocentrism in a Coordination Experiment. In CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI ’25), April 26–May 01, 2025, Yokohama, Japan. ACM, New York, NY

Cognitive representations of social networks in isolated villages

11 | Friendship , Honduras , Indigenous Social Network , Genetics , LMIC , Methodology , Multiplex Network , NAC Favorite , Social Network , Sociocentric Network , Trellis Software

Citation:

Feltham, E., Forastiere, L. & Christakis, N.A. Cognitive representations of social networks in isolated villages. Nat Hum Behav (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-025-02221-6

Antidepressant use in spatial social networks

5 | Geographic Effects , Happiness , Health Services Research , Online Network , Social Network

Citation:

Lengyel B, Tóth G, Christakis NA, Bíró A. Antidepressant use in spatial social networks. Sci Adv. 2024 Dec 6;10(49):eadr0302. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adr0302. Epub 2024 Dec 6. PMID: 39642229; PMCID: PMC11623294.