Friday, 06 Dec On this day ...
London's Restless Clock, public artwork created by Phil Lighting. Image via Ian Mansfield
Q1. In 1961, the average age in the US for a first marriage was 23 for men and 21 for women. Today it is 31 for men and 28 for women .
Do you think this shift in marriage to approximately 8 years later is a positive or negative development? (check all that apply)
Do you think this shift in marriage to approximately 8 years later is a positive or negative development? (check all that apply)
male
female
rep
ind
dem
18-29
30-44
45-64
65+
Positive for men
45%
35%
56%
26%
41%
61%
40%
45%
46%
48%
Negative for men
26%
36%
16%
43%
25%
11%
31%
31%
24%
18%
Positive for women
52%
36%
66%
26%
44%
74%
47%
56%
51%
52%
Negative for women
23%
32%
15%
43%
25%
7%
28%
22%
23%
19%
Positive for society
51%
37%
63%
23%
43%
75%
49%
55%
49%
51%
Negative for society
28%
39%
18%
54%
33%
7%
39%
25%
28%
24%
None of these
5%
5%
5%
7%
7%
4%
6%
3%
7%
4%
Don't know
6%
10%
2%
9%
7%
4%
6%
10%
5%
4%
Don't care
1%
2%
1%
1%
2%
1%
3%
0%
1%
1%
Q2. The timing of other milestones has also moved back, such as learning to drive, buying a first house, starting full-time work, and of course having children. Among the suggested reasons:
• "Slow life" theory - we live longer now, makes sense to wait longer
• Economic changes - e.g., housing is twice as costly today as a pct of income v 1980
• Societal changes - e.g. gender pay gap fell from 26% to 8% among 22-34 yr olds since 1980
• "Back in my day" - younger generations are more coddled, arrive at adulthood later.
Which do you think is most likely to be behind arriving at mileposts later today than previously?
• "Slow life" theory - we live longer now, makes sense to wait longer
• Economic changes - e.g., housing is twice as costly today as a pct of income v 1980
• Societal changes - e.g. gender pay gap fell from 26% to 8% among 22-34 yr olds since 1980
• "Back in my day" - younger generations are more coddled, arrive at adulthood later.
Which do you think is most likely to be behind arriving at mileposts later today than previously?
male
female
rep
ind
dem
18-29
30-44
45-64
65+
Strategic sense
2%
3%
2%
2%
3%
3%
3%
2%
2%
2%
Economic changes
34%
33%
32%
16%
37%
47%
49%
45%
24%
25%
Societal changes
15%
16%
14%
15%
15%
15%
19%
8%
15%
19%
Delayed adulthood
18%
21%
16%
36%
16%
4%
6%
20%
24%
16%
All contribute equally
28%
23%
34%
28%
27%
28%
20%
22%
33%
34%
None remotely explain
1%
1%
1%
2%
2%
1%
0%
0%
2%
2%
Don't know
1%
2%
1%
2%
1%
1%
0%
2%
1%
2%
Don't care
1%
1%
0%
0%
1%
1%
3%
0%
0%
Q3. Social observers often group people into generations such as Boomers, Gen X, and Millennials, based on birth years, and suggest that people within a generation share certain personality traits, and in that way differ from generation to generation.
If you agree people within a generation tend to share traits, what type of happenings or occurrences in the formative years of a given generation best explain their shared traits?
If you agree people within a generation tend to share traits, what type of happenings or occurrences in the formative years of a given generation best explain their shared traits?
male
female
rep
ind
dem
18-29
30-44
45-64
65+
Major events like Vietnam or 9/11
17%
15%
20%
18%
13%
17%
13%
23%
15%
18%
New technologies like TV or Internet
45%
45%
46%
43%
50%
45%
41%
36%
49%
51%
General level of prosperity
16%
18%
13%
14%
15%
18%
30%
18%
11%
12%
Other
8%
7%
10%
12%
8%
5%
7%
8%
11%
5%
No shared traits but age
9%
9%
7%
7%
10%
10%
7%
9%
8%
10%
Don't know
4%
5%
4%
6%
3%
3%
0%
5%
6%
3%
Don't care
1%
1%
0%
0%
1%
1%
3%
0%
0%
27 Comments on the Poll