Effects of seating arrangement on students‘ interaction

The spatial arrangement of classrooms is studied as an important factor influencing interaction and communication among students. To measure interactions in a field experiment in classrooms, Jakub Cigán, Jan Nehyba, and Libor Juhaňák innovatively utilized sociometric badges, which can measure taking turns in interactions and how long speech segments take, or how students intonate.

11 Oct 2021

Results of their interdisciplinary study show that students sitting in rows speak more often than students sitting in a circle; however, the rate of interactions also varied depending on student groups. Their data contradict the traditional research that simplistically suggests that sitting in a circle or semi-circle increases interactions en masse.

You can find the article here:

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00220973.2021.1954865

26 Jun

LEVYNA conducted field research in Mauritius

As is our good tradition, LEVYNA members conducted a research trip to Mauritius in May 2025.

This year’s Mauritian expedition combined research with rich cultural immersion.
17 Feb

Witchcraft, Envy, and Norm Enforcement in Mauritius

In a new study published in Human Nature, LEVYNA was part of a team lead by A.K. Willard, studying how witchcraft beliefs affect social norms and behaviors. Specifically, researchers investigated whether witchcraft is regarded to be motivated by envy and how this notion influences community interactions. The findings show that, while witchcraft accusations were common, they were mostly directed at persons suspected of acting out of envy.
28 Jan

Socioeconomic variation in motivations for ritual practice – a new study by LEVYNA & UConn

In an ethnographic survey-based study published in the journal Religions, D. Xygalatas and P. Maňo looked at variation in motivations for ritual practice and how it relates to the socioeconomic status of respondents. The findings indicate that whereas people of lower socioeconomic standing address more immediate concerns related to material security and safety in their ritual practices, people at the other end of the socioeconomic spectrum tend to focus on the fulfillment of spiritual, social, or cultural needs.
23 Jan

Experimentally testing the existential insecurity hypothesis

In a new Registered Report published in Collabra, M. Lang and R. Chvaja experimentally tested whether secular individuals would be willing to join religious groups when threatened with cooperative insecurity. The results showed that while this effect was weak in a behavioral test, a self-reported willingness to join was much stronger than anticipated.

All articles

Effects of seating arrangement on students‘ interaction

More articles

LEVYNA conducted field research in Mauritius

Witchcraft, Envy, and Norm Enforcement in Mauritius

Socioeconomic variation in motivations for ritual practice – a new study by LEVYNA & UConn

Experimentally testing the existential insecurity hypothesis