RESEARCH_FILE
Daniel A. Cox
Survey Center on American Life, American Enterprise Institute
Known for:Survey research documenting the American 'friendship recession' and the steep decline in men's close friendships
SEE THE PRACTICE
Turn a thought this research explains into one clear move.
THE THOUGHT
“Being sincere would kill the vibe”
YOUR RECORDED RESPONSE
“I can say one plain thing and keep the joke alive after.”
ONE PRIVATE MOVE
On a scrap of paper or notes app, write one sincere sentence you wish you had said today, then write the same sentence without any joke around it. Keep both versions and notice how short the plain one can be.
Key findings
- 2021
In the May 2021 American Perspectives Survey, 12% of Americans reported having no close friends — versus 3% in 1990 — and Americans reported having fewer close friends, talking to them less often, and relying on them less for personal support than in decades past. The State of American Friendship: Change, Challenges, and Loss ↗
- 2021
Men's friendships declined most sharply: the share of men with six or more close friends fell from 55% in 1990 to 27% in 2021, men with zero close friends rose fivefold from 3% to 15%, and men were far less likely than women to report recently receiving emotional support from a friend. American Men Suffer a Friendship Recession ↗