MTV AND THE ASSOCIATED PRESS RELEASE LANDMARK STUDY OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND HAPPINESS
In-Depth Research Reveals How Sex, Money, Race, Faith, Family and Technology Affect the Current and Future Happiness of America's Youth
Associated Press to Unveil Findings in a Series of Five Reports this Week
New York, NY - August 20, 2007 - MTV and The Associated Press today began releasing the findings of an in-depth, seven-month study into happiness and young people: how happy they are, what makes them happy and what they're doing to ensure future happiness. Overall the study shows that young people (13-24) today are generally very happy, optimistic about the future and have goals in place to achieve a happier tomorrow. At the same time, the results paint a complex portrait of today's youth, with happiness varying greatly along racial lines, faith and family playing an important role in the pursuit of happiness, and younger sexually active respondents reporting much lower levels of happiness.
The Associated Press today released its first report on the findings, offering an overview of the study's most compelling points and key themes. In the days ahead, the AP will more closely examine specific issues related to young people and their happiness, including racial dynamics, financial views, spirituality and stress / fears. Select findings from these and other areas are highlighted below. For a copy of the full study, click here to view the PDF.
1. General Happiness - The study found that overall, most American young people (aged 13-24) report being happy with their lives and are optimistic about the future. 65 percent of respondents say they are happy with the way things are going in their lives in general and 62 percent think they will be happier in the future than they are now. Only one out of five say they are unhappy. Young people who are non- Hispanic whites are happier than blacks and Hispanics by a wide margin: 72 percent of whites say they are happy with life in general, compared with just 56 percent of blacks and 51 percent of Hispanics.
2. Parents, Family and Relationships - Parents are seen as an overwhelmingly positive influence in the lives of most young people. Remarkably, nearly half of respondents mention at least one of their parents as a hero. When asked "What one thing in life makes you most happy?" 46 percent of respondents say spending time with friends, family and loved ones. 30 percent of blacks and Hispanics identified family as the one thing in life that brings them the most happiness, compared with 15 percent of whites.
3. Religion and Spirituality - Religion and spirituality are an integral part of happiness for most American young people. 44 percent say that religion and spirituality are either a very important or the single most important thing in their lives, with more than one in ten reporting the latter. And those for whom religion and spirituality play a bigger role in life tend to be happier. 80 percent of those who say spirituality is the most important thing in life say they are happy with life in general, compared with 60 percent of those who say that spirituality is not an important part of life at all.
4. Fortune and Fame - Money and its relationship to the happiness of young people is a complicated issue. Almost no respondents mentioned anything financial or material as a source of happiness when asked an unaided question about what makes them happy. But many young people report financial woes as a source of unhappiness. In looking to the future, 70 percent say they want to be rich - and nearly half think it's at least somewhat likely they will be someday - but just 29 percent want to be famous. Only 17 percent think they will be famous.
5. Technology - Cell phones, the Internet and other technologies are integrally woven into the lives of today's young people and nearly two thirds say they make people happier. Half of those young people polled say the Internet alone helps them feel happier. And contrary to popular views of technology as a source of stress, many young people would be more stressed out without technology, with nearly half saying they never turn off their cell phones - even when they're trying to chill out.
MTV has an esteemed research pedigree and this study is part of the network's ongoing commitment to maintaining an unparalleled understanding of the youth audience. The qualitative portion of the study was conducted by MTV and the DC-based research and consulting firm Social Technologies, began in January of this year, and included extensive field research with small discussion groups in diverse American cities around the country. The quantitative part of the study was conducted by Knowledge Networks, Inc. on behalf of MTV and the AP. 1,280 young people aged 13 to 24 years old were interviewed in late April of this year. The margin of error for the poll is +/- 2.7 percent.
MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks, with more than 130 channels worldwide, owns and operates the following television programming services - MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION, MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN, VH1 CLASSIC, LOGO, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, all of which are trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than 200 interactive properties worldwide, including online, broadband, wireless and interactive television services. The network also has licensing agreements, joint ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of its programming services can be seen worldwide.
The Associated Press is the essential global news network, delivering fast, unbiased news from every corner of the world to all media platforms and formats. Founded in 1846, AP today is the largest and most trusted source of independent news and information. On any given day, more than half the world's population sees news from AP. On the Net: www.ap.org.
Social Technologies is a global research and consulting firm specializing in the integration of foresight, strategy, and innovation. With offices in Washington, DC, London, and Shanghai, Social Technologies serves the world's leading companies, government agencies, and nonprofits. A holistic, long-term perspective combined with actionable business solutions helps clients mitigate risk, make the most of opportunities, and enrich decision-making. For more information visit www.socialtechnologies.com.