image of a man sitting before a cyber-like face
Commentary

The Price We’ll Pay for Our AI Future: More Loneliness

Daniel A. Cox June 7, 2023

Americans are trapped in a loneliness epidemic and AI chatbots like ChatGPT could make it even worse. Continue Reading →

A young woman wrapped in a blanket stares pensively out the window.
Blog

The Childhood Loneliness of Generation Z

Daniel A. Cox April 4, 2022

There’s a growing concern that young adults today are experiencing an epidemic of loneliness, social isolation, and disconnection. A lot of blame is being placed on social media, or more recently the pandemic. Delayed family formation is another likely factor—young adults are marrying later than they once did. But what if Gen Z is lonelier Continue Reading →

A child looks through a window of a car on a rainy day.
Blog

The Problem with Parental Favoritism

Daniel A. Cox February 10, 2022

There is no shortage of advice for parents. The Internet is awash with parenting tips, tactics, and strategies to meet every conceivable exigency. But for all the varying recommendations provided to parents, perhaps one of the most critical is something to be avoided—picking favorites. A new survey suggests that parental favoritism, or even the perception Continue Reading →

bridge between college graduates and those without a degree
Survey report

The College Connection: The Education Divide in American Social and Community Life

Daniel A. Cox December 13, 2021

Despite concerns about rising student debt, the economic value of a college education has never been clearer. College graduates are more socially connected, civically engaged, and active in their communities. College graduates have more extensive systems of social support, a larger number of close friends, and feel lonely and isolated less often than those without a degree. Continue Reading →

Photo of a group of friends posing together for a fun photo.
Survey report

A loneliness epidemic? How marriage, religion, and mobility explain the generation gap in loneliness

Daniel A. Cox, Ryan Streeter September 26, 2019

Conventional wisdom holds that loneliness is a serious problem in America today. Yet data from the Survey on Community and Society (SCS) suggest that such characterizations of loneliness are overblown and possibly wrong. Continue Reading →

Survey Reports

Generation Z and the Transformation of American Adolescence Cover Image

Daniel A. Cox, Kelsey Eyre Hammond, Kyle Gray
November 9, 2023

Generation Z and the Transformation of American Adolescence: How Gen Z’s Formative Experiences Shape Its Politics, Priorities, and Future

This report explores the foundational differences between American generations through their formative adolescent experiences. Continue Reading →

Young man sitting in a dark room before a wall featuring various conspiracy theory-related items illuminated by a computer screen

Daniel A. Cox, M. Anthony Mills, Ian R. Banks, Kelsey Eyre Hammond, Kyle Gray
September 28, 2023

America’s Crisis of Confidence: Rising Mistrust, Conspiracies, and Vaccine Hesitancy After COVID-19

America is experiencing a crosscutting crisis of expertise and scientific distrust accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic that poses significant challenges to democratic debate and public decision-making Continue Reading →

A cartoon showing a vibrant office from the ceiling view.

Daniel A. Cox, Brent Orrell, Kyle Gray, Jessie Wall
September 14, 2023

The Social Workplace: Social Capital, Human Dignity, and Work in America, Volume II

The Social Workplace, Volume II examines Americans’ expectations and experiences surrounding work, the workplace, and key job-related priorities such as pay and interpersonal connections. Continue Reading →

An empty debate stage featuring red and blue podiums below a stage light face an audience of nearly-empty seats.

Daniel A. Cox, Ruy Teixeira
June 29, 2023

The 2024 Presidential Election: Evolving Political Coalitions and Familiar Partisan Divisions

Ahead of the 2024 presidential election, the AEI Survey Center on American Life conducted a national survey of Americans that explored a wide range of political attitudes, current voting preferences, and perceptions of the political parties. Continue Reading →