WASHINGTON, DC — July 16 — Americans' circle of close confidants has shrunk dramatically in the past two decades according to a new study by sociologists at Duke University and the University of Arizona. The mean number of people with whom Americans can discuss matters important to them dropped by nearly one-third, from 2.94 people in 1985 to 2.08 in 2004. The number of people who said they had no one with whom to discuss such matters more than doubled, to nearly 25%. The number of hours that family members spend at work and the influence of Internet communication, may contribute to the decrease in the size of close-knit circles of friends and relatives. The number of people who depend totally on their spouse has increased from about 5% to ~9%. Data from General Social Survey (GSS), conducted by National Opinion Research Center, funded by National Science Foundation and the CIRCLE Foundation. Changes in work and the geographical scattering of families may foster a broader, shallower network of ties. New technology allowing people to connect over larger distances might diminish the need for face-to-face visits.
The full article was originally published at ASA Net, but is no longer available.
Mark Brooks: And as a society we're not as happy as we were 20 years ago. The solution: turn off the computer, spend time with friends, face to face, …and cut back that 80 hour work-week for goodness sakes. Your soul will thank you for it.