The January 2023 American Perspectives Survey sheds some light on dating preferences, experiences, and perspectives. The national survey of more than 5,000 adults age 18 and older, including nearly 800 single adults, finds that Americans have strong dating preferences when it comes to living at home, being unemployed, and smoking. Continue Reading →

American social and dating life has undergone a dramatic transformation in the past few years. Join AEI’s Daniel Cox as he presents findings from a nationally representative survey and moderates a panel discussion that includes the Washington Post’s Christine Emba, Pew Research Center’s Juliana Horowitz, and Ipsos’s Mallory Newall. Continue Reading →

A full work week. Hours on housework, yard work, time spent with your kids or partner. Then there’s all the time we spend online. Where is the time for friends? Continue Reading →

Commentary December 16, 2022

Women are More Likely to Make Friends at Work than Men. Here’s Why that Matters

Daniel A. Cox, Brent Orrell

Four cartoon black hanging lamps on a blue background, one light bulb is not working.

Research shows that the more friends we have, the less likely we are to be depressed or anxious, and work friendships boost productivity and worker retention Continue Reading →

Commentary November 18, 2022

How Hispanic Americans Think About Work and Identity

Brent Orrell

At Orange Bowl Stadium, immigrants demonstrate their patriotism during what could be the largest naturalization ceremony in American history. c. 1984 (GettyImages).

If we want to understand the evolving role of Hispanic Americans in American culture and politics, one useful on-ramp is studying Hispanics in the workplace. Continue Reading →

Blog November 7, 2022

The Class Divide in Family Dinner 

Daniel A. Cox

Family dinners—a once ubiquitous feature of American life shared across cultural, religious, and class lines—have disappeared in many households. Continue Reading →

Commentary October 31, 2022

The New Workplace Gender Imbalance: Social Capital and Job Satisfaction

Daniel A. Cox, Brent Orrell, Jessie Wall

A cartoon of three miniature persons sitting on another person's hands that has shrubbery on them.

New data suggests gender and education are the difference between liking and loving your job. But there’s a price to be paid. Continue Reading →

Survey report October 25, 2022

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

Brent Orrell, Daniel A. Cox, Jessie Wall

A cartoon showing a vibrant office from the ceiling view.

Over the past two decades, American social and civic life has been on an undeniable downward trajectory. New research finds that the workplace remains an increasingly important generator of social capital in the wake of this civic contraction. Continue Reading →

Blog October 24, 2022

Can Americans Find Common Ground on Abortion?

Karlyn Bowman

A cartoon of a red hand shaking a blue hand

Most Americans are willing to find common ground on abortion. Continue Reading →

Blog October 12, 2022

 A Moral Double Standard on Marital Infidelity 

Daniel A. Cox

An image of a broken wedding ring. There is a significant crack in the ring which is showed in the image foreground.

Men and women hold different views of the morality of marital infidelity depending on who commits it. Continue Reading →

Survey Reports

Daniel A. Cox, Kelsey Eyre Hammond
January 29, 2025

Romantic Recession: How Politics, Pessimism, and Anxiety Shape American Courtship

A new report by the Survey Center on American life finds that safety concerns and declining trust are reshaping modern dating, leaving many singles feeling pessimistic about their prospects. Sharp gender divides in attitudes toward dating apps, trust, and relationships reveal how these challenges are redefining the search for connection. Continue Reading →

gender divide banner

Daniel A. Cox, Kelsey Eyre Hammond
September 24, 2024

The Politics of Progress and Privilege: How America’s Gender Gap Is Reshaping the 2024 Election

Americans are increasingly divided on gendered issues. A new report by the Survey Center on American Life provides context for how these divisions might impact the results of the 2024 Presidential election. Continue Reading →

Daniel A. Cox, Sam Pressler
August 22, 2024

Disconnected: The Growing Class Divide in American Civic Life

Disconnected: Places and Spaces presents new survey findings that suggest Americans are less connected than ever before. Continue Reading →

Daniel A. Cox, Kyle Gray, Kelsey Eyre Hammond
May 28, 2024

An Unsettled Electorate: How Uncertainty and Apathy Are Shaping the 2024 Election

A survey of more than 6,500 US adults focused on the 2024 presidential election reveals a pessimistic and unsettled American electorate fractured by education, ideology, class, and gender. Continue Reading →