The Ethics of American Youth

I never trust these surveys. Not that I am disputing the findings, but I just think that these things tend to be wildly inaccurate either way.

Statistics are the math of marketing, they can easily be manipulated to provide shock and awe or sell an idea.

There's a little something called socially desirable response, and sometimes that includes looking like a "bad boy" on surveys.

I'd like to see the results overlaid with the youths' ethnic backround. We are a changing country, for better or worse.

Well, you know exactly what happens when studies do that. If they should add any specific groups to split the outcome, it should be poverty level. Ethnic background brings nothing to the table; it's all about the quality of life.

I don't find anything disturbing about this, really. Back in my high school I always became a victim of these questionnaire, and to be honest, a lot of students do lie on them because they don't find it important.

Aea, I agree that people are dishonest during these surveys for whatever reason the individual has. I remember hearing about a survey to parents asking them if they set days for family exercise. They then asked the children of those parents and 20% stated that the parents where lying. I am sure I probably don’t have the correct number since I can’t find a website related to the study, but I’m just spit balling a % just to get my point across.

socially undesirable response, statistics as a marketing tool. These comments are absolutely right.

However i for one trust these numbers completely... and you know why?

because it just concluded "Children lie"
HOLY COW BREAK OUT THE HEADLINES!
this is the most over convoluted method of explaining the embarrassingly simple fact that "Children are dishonest"...

Also here's a rule of thumb. read every sentence in a block of statistics in the WORST way possible and assume that the exact opposite of their point is true, Everything they don't mention or leave ambiguous is a direct counter to their argument so they didn't include it. Why do that? Because it's exactly what happened.

Hmm reminds me of a time when I was talking to a kid. Who happened to pull out a lighter. I asked him he he should be useing it and he told me "probabaly not."

So I asked him where he got it. I was told "I stoll it from the dollar store I do that stuff all the time."

That grossed me out but this made me close to througing up. It's a good thing my parents don't read this blog or else I'd be grounded for crimes I didn't commit.

I really liked all the emphasis put on the last sentence:

77 percent said that when it comes to doing what is right, I am better than most people I know.

That's the kind of high figure one should expect of *any* survey that compares the survey-taker to his peer group on *most any* positive metric. They even have a name for this specific phenomenon, though it escapes me. The social desirability bias only refers to looking good, not to looking better than others.

Many of the questions were tricky and vague. They almost seemed to be designed to get the result of "youth's questionable ethics". Take for instance,

"It's not worth it to lie or cheat because it hurts your character."

This question is nearly impossible to answer accurately as there are many situations where one is forced to lie - to protect the feelings of others, for example.

Another question I feel sets the subject up for failure is "My parents/guardians always want me to do the ethically right thing, no matter what the cost."

"ethically right thing" and "no matter what the cost" are very vague statements.

Therefore, the final question, "How many questions on this survey did you answer with complete honesty?" is probably impossible to answer accurately.

I think that the contents of the survey say more about what the surveyors' ideas of ethics are, rather than the ethics of American youth. It appears that blanket statements are, to them, a primary indicator rather than individual solutions to situations, and that the school system is the carrier of our great morality.

I, for one, believe ethics are relative. I mean, I still believe the results for stealing are WAY too high.

But lying about something significant to your parents? Everyone who doesn't have a storybook family has done it. I mean, I was a straight A student. I was never caught doing anything wrong. I never did drugs or drank in high school. But I did lie to my parents about my sexual orientation. And I also lied about my depression and self-injury. You can't expect children to be honest about things that society expects them to lie about.

And cheating? Like my Chemistry teacher used to say, "Work smart, not hard." But I don't agree with infringing on copyrights to finish an assignment.

Every House MD fan knows... People lie.

Gauldar,

Even with socioeconomic status factored in...you'd still see ethnic discrepencies. Its just like different breeds of dog or cats...some are more prone to be...well.."immoral" or "self serving" or even "intelligent" than others. Its an uncomfortable fact but one we should own up to.

I wouldn't take any stock in this survey.

I graduated in 2007, and when I was in high school, I had similar surveys given to me to take. These were on drugs and violence and sex. One of my good friends Christmas tree'd the answer sheet, and I personally said that I was a 90 lb anorexic coke/heroin/weed/every drug mentioned addict who was abused, had sex at 13, and I think I also said that I did some prostitution.

Of course, none of that is true at all.

I'm definitely not in the minority of kids to have put whatever answers I thought were amusing on that survey, and I'm sure that others who actually were on drugs or what have you were too scared to admit it on those surveys.

this is something that I'll have to bring up in my sociology research studies lecture this week...

"*More than one in four (26 percent) confessed they lied on at least one or two questions on the survey."

I found this to be a hilarious meta-survey.

What if they lied about the question that asks about whether or not they lied? OMG HEAD ASPLODE.

It may be that ethically, morally, we (americas youth) are content with our charachter because we believe that when it comes to what matters, we are generally, mostly good people (something about a few bad apples) when it comes to tests, or money matters, those are only as important as we let them be, and I for one dont see why all these surface matters that people survey us on have so much importance on our charachters and who we are. It just makes for more guilt about something that shouldnt require the feeling of guilt.

I took surveys in highschool too. I remember taking my own experiences and slightly changing them because i wanted to throw off the curve... one year for the better and the next for the worst... it was fun. You just didn't want to make it so obvious that you faked the answers, so i just lied alittle.

In my dealings with todays youth... thru school and work I would agree with the results of the survey.
I don't think they are scientifically correct... but I do think they are close to accurate.

I believe in general the kids today are of the opinion that they are not responsible for these kinds of actions. The parents don't or can't do anything to correct it. The teachers/coaches/principals can't really do much about it. So why not do it.

I've actually caught kids in the act of stealing at the store I worked at. I mean watched them tear off the tag put it in their pocket and walk out the door. I stop the and call the police and when the parent gets there to pick them up they refuse to believe me and swear their kid would never. We would take them to court press charges and get a conviction the whole time the parents are saying we are lying and their kid would never.

I think parents are mostly to blame.

Most every generation has said that the generation younger than them are worse. Too bad we don't have decades worth of surveys like this to compare against. We'll just have to keep taking older generations at their word.

I'm lying right now!

when i was in 6th grade they had us take a survey to find out what kinds of drugs we had done. all of the kids in the class had probably never taken drugs, but i can guarantee you the survey answers didn't reflect that.

keep that in mind when you see statistics saying children as young as 12 are doing drugs.

Where's their research methods statement? How is the data represent of the entirety of 'American Youth'? How did they control for biases?

Basically where's their proof that the results mean what they say they mean? Where's the science?

That's just it, DOJ, there is no science here.

Who really knows what's true? A lot of people here have stated that when they were younger, they would have lied to look like they were "cooler and badder" than what they actually were. I probably would have lied the other way because I never trusted adults enough to admit to anything I might have done wrong. I had enough fear and respect for my parents to always cover my tracks and deny all wrong doing. I wasn't even a bad kid, though I sure did get away with a lot more than I should have. So, there is no way to get an accurate result with this sort of survey.

Just from personal observation, I don't believe that kids are all that bad, or necessarily worse than previous generations. I'm pretty sure that my parents were no angels. It's what you learn from those not so angelic experiences that end up counting in the end anyway. Those that don't learn end up living lives that reflect that as adults.

I agree with DOJ.
Where was the sample taken? Was it spread out across the country? Or concentrated in one or two schools? Again, where is the science?

I absolutely HATE surveys like this one. They always end up stating some "Fact" about we lowly citizens that was either absolutely obvious, or flat out ridiculous. I've never believed that surveys can ever accurately represent a population (especially when those surveyed are just a tiny fraction of the total population). Plus who would take this seriously if they were in highschool? Would any one of you actually accurately portray yourself in this survey if youre in 5th period English and the teacher whips out another sheet of paper and says "Now class, we are going to take a survey. It is not graded." ???? I mean come awn.

Gauldar, don't feed the trolls. Just ignore them, and when no one responds, they will simply go away.

Our country is in need of another revival like we had in the 80s

was that a joke?
i dont think "revival" and "80's" can even grammatically work in the same sentence.

The survey doesn't suprise me. These things are cyclical too.

I thought people stopped using the word "revival" in the 1800's. :P

Wow, wow, wow... seems to be alot of denial embedded in the comments. Yes, numbers can be 'shaped' to say just about anyting, but does anyone really think we are really heading in the right direction as a society. Our next generation of leaders is our youth, and I worry that they are far from ready. The challenges they face in the world market are far greater than those we faced, and I question whether they are really ready. I really believe we are at a crossroads with regard to our country, and the next generation will ultimately define the outcome for the next 100 years. I see the results from this survey and several others like it to be very troubling.