Social trends in American life [electronic resource] : findings from the General Social Survey since 1972 / edited by Peter V. Marsden.

Cover image for Social trends in American life [electronic resource] : findings from the General Social Survey since 1972 / edited by Peter V. Marsden.

ISBN:

9781400845569

Title:

Social trends in American life [electronic resource] : findings from the General Social Survey since 1972 / edited by Peter V. Marsden.

Author:

Marsden, Peter V.

Publication Information:

Physical Description:

1 online resource.

Contents:

Introduction and overview / On the seemingly relentless progress in Americans' support for free expression, 1972-2006 / The real record on racial attitudes / Gender role attitudes since 1972 : are southerners distinctive? / Public opinion in the "age of Reagan" : political trends 1972-2006 / Crime, punishment, and social disorder : crime rates and trends in public opinion over more than three decades / Trends in confidence in institutions, 1973-2006 / Continuity and change in American religion, 1972-2008 / Trends in informal social participation, 1974-2008 / Income, age, and happiness in America / Religion and happiness / Labor force insecurity and U.S. work attitudes, 1970s-2006 / Population trends in verbal intelligence in the United States / Appendix : the General Social Survey Project

Local Note:

eBooks on EBSCOhost

Subject Term:

Public opinion -- United States.

Social surveys -- United States.

Geographic Term:

United States -- Social conditions.

Added Author:

Marsden, Peter V.

Format:

Electronic Resources

Electronic Access:

Click here to view

Publication Date:

2012

Publication Information:

Available:*

Shelf Number	Material Type	Copy	Shelf Location	Status
303.38 23	1:E-BOOK	1	1:ONLINE	Searching... Unknown

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

Changes in American social attitudes and behaviors since the 1970s

Social Trends in American Life assembles a team of leading researchers to provide unparalleled insight into how American social attitudes and behaviors have changed since the 1970s. Drawing on the General Social Survey--a social science project that has tracked demographic and attitudinal trends in the United States since 1972--it offers a window into diverse facets of American life, from intergroup relations to political views and orientations, social affiliations, and perceived well-being.

Among the book's many important findings are the greater willingness of ordinary Americans to accord rights of free expression to unpopular groups, to endorse formal racial equality, and to accept nontraditional roles for women in the workplace, politics, and the family. Some, but not all, signs indicate that political conservatism has grown, while a few suggest that Republicans and Democrats are more polarized. Some forms of social connectedness such as neighboring have declined, as has confidence in government, while participation in organized religion has softened. Despite rising standards of living, American happiness levels have changed little, though financial and employment insecurity has risen over three decades.

Social Trends in American Life provides an invaluable perspective on how Americans view their lives and their society, and on how these views have changed over the last two generations.

Author Notes

Peter V. Marsden is the Edith and Benjamin Geisinger Professor of Sociology, Harvard College Professor, and Dean of Social Science at Harvard University. He coedited the second edition of the Handbook of Survey Research .

Reviews (1)

Choice Review

The General Social Survey (GSS), initially conducted in 1972 and nearly every year since, is a collection of data on the social, economic, and political attitudes of a representative sample of adult Americans. As of 2011, over 17,000 research publications have been based on GSS data. A "replicating core"--questions asked every year--includes sociodemographic data and views on social problems, political issues, and the like; these provide information on trends, which is the subject of this book. Some results: in the period from 1972 into the 2000s, Americans became more supportive of free public expression, though this may be a generational effect. By the mid-1990s, Americans had become more accepting of the changes in women's roles, with little change since then. The average happiness of Americans has declined slightly. However, happiness does not increase with an increase in income; rather, it is affected by the increases in income in one's peers relative to increases in one's own income. There is less support for public expression of religious beliefs, e.g., prayer in public schools. An important book that should be on every social scientist's desk. Summing Up: Essential. Upper-division undergraduates and above. D. Harper University of Rochester