Geiger studies young adults’ perception of future
Young adults see the environment as a key term for understanding the future, according to a paper co-authored by assistant professor Nathaniel Geiger.
“Young adults face the future of the United States: perceptions of its promise, perils, and possibilities,” by Joseph Kantenbacher, Deidra Miniard, Geiger, Landon Yoder and Shahzeen Z. Attari, was published in ScienceDirect this month.
The team used in-person paper surveys. In 2019, they asked nearly 200 students ages 18-26 to describe their best, most likely and worst possible futures for the United States in either the year 2050 or 2100.
The participants’ images of the future were heavily infused with concepts related to environmental sustainability, technology and social dynamics, according to the article. Participants frequently expressed the belief that governance, technological developments and individuals were key factors that will determine the future realities.
The images of the future collected can help to engage productively with young adults in addressing today’s pressing challenges, the paper said.
Other conclusions from the research include:
- Waste, not climate change, is the most prominent environmental issue
- Government and technology are viewed as most likely factors to shape the future
- Reported optimism about the future, but depictions of the future were less optimistic