Latest Reports

Inside the Middle Class: Bad Times Hit the Good Life

MIddle Class
9 Apr 08 A new survey finds that most Americans say that in the past five years, they either haven't moved forward in life (25%) or have fallen backward (31%) - the most downbeat assessment in nearly half a century of polling by the Pew Research Center and the Gallup organization.

But when asked to measure their progress over a longer time frame, Americans are more upbeat. Nearly two-thirds say they have a higher standard of living than their parents had when their parents were their age. And most expect their children to do better in life than they themselves have done.

Economic Dreams and Nightmares

Wanna be a Millionaire?

Millionaire 30 Apr 08 Not all that much, claims the American public. Only 13% of adults say it's "very important" for them to be wealthy, according to a recent survey. Those who aren't wealthy are the most likely to say they want to be rich. Fully 22% of those with family incomes of less than $20,000 a year say it's "very important" for them to be rich, compared with 9% of adults who earn $100,000 or more a year.

You're Laid Off

16 Apr 08 One out of every seven U.S. workers fear they will be laid off in the next 12 months -- including four-in-ten Americans who were laid off or fired from a previous job last year. Fully a quarter of all working Hispanics say they fear they'll be let go in the next 12 months, significantly more than the proportion of non-Hispanic whites and blacks worried about layoffs.

Immigration to Play Lead Role in Future U.S. Growth

U.S. Population 1960-2050
11 Feb 08 If current trends continue, immigrants arriving from 2005 to 2050 and their descendants will account for 82% of the population growth in the United States during this period, according to new projections from the Pew Research Center.

The nation's racial and ethnic mix will change markedly by mid-century, the projections show, with the Hispanic share rising to 29%. Among non-Hispanic race groups, the Asian share will rise to 9%, the non-Hispanic black share will hold steady at 13% and the non-Hispanic white share will fall to 47%.

The nation's elderly population (ages 65 and above) will more than double in size from 2005 to 2050 and by mid-century will make up 19% of the total population.

Race, Ethnicity and Campaign '08

Blacks and Hispanics Table

Race Relations on an
Even Keel...

17 Jan 08 Race, ethnicity and politics can sometimes make for a volatile mix, as the presidential field of 2008 has begun to discover. But in the world beyond politics, race relations in this country are on a pretty even keel.

...But Do Blacks and Hispanics Really Get Along?

31 Jan 08 In general the nation's two largest minorities think well of each other, but there are differences, particularly over perceptions about discrimination against blacks and about inter-group relations, a Pew survey finds.

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Noted Elsewhere
Noted Elsewhere

Downbeat Boomers

Posted: 5 May 08
American Sociological Review
Baby boomers, at least those born from 1945-1960, “have experienced less happiness on average” than Americans born earlier or later, according to a study of 33 years of survey data by a University of Chicago sociologist. The study also reported that old people generally are happier than young ones, and that average happiness levels have changed little in recent decades.
Read the study

Forgive and Don't Forget

Posted: 28 Apr 08
Anxiety, Stress and Coping
People who decided they could forgive the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists, as well as those who decided they could not, have less distress than people who cannot make up their minds, according to University of Denver researchers. Their study of college students suggests that “it may not decrease distress for individuals to change from an anti-forgiveness view and work toward a pro-forgiveness attitude.”
Read the article

Do Violent Movies Take a Bite Out of Crime?

Posted: 21 Apr 08
National Bureau of Economic Research
Violent movies “deter almost 1,000 assaults on an average weekend,” according to two University of California researchers who report that violent crime declines in the days after large numbers of people watch bloodthirsty flicks. One reason, they say, is “voluntary incapacitation” – that is, potential criminals are spending those hours watching violent movies instead of drinking and assaulting others. They say their findings do not contradict laboratory experiments linking violent movies with heightened aggression levels.
Read the paper
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About the Project
The Pew Research Center's Social & Demographic Trends project studies behaviors and attitudes of Americans in key realms of their lives, including family, community, health, finance, work and leisure. The project explores these topics by combining original public opinion survey research with social, economic and demographic data analysis. Read more