[November 18, 2014] |
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New Research from NYU Stern and UCLA Anderson Reveals That People Experience Recurring Life Crises at the Start of Each New Decade in Age
NEW YORK --(Business Wire)--
New research from NYU Stern School of Business Professor Adam
Alter and UCLA Anderson School of Management Professor Hal
Hershfield shows that when adults approach a new decade in age
(i.e., at ages 29, 39, 49 or 59), they search for existential meaning
and behave in ways that can be constructive or destructive.
In six studies looking at exercise, extramarital affairs and suicide
rates among adults between the ages of 25 and 64, the researchers
determine that certain numerical ages inspire greater self-reflection
than others. Further, the authors suggest that people across dozens of
countries and cultures are prone to making significant life decisions as
they approach each new decade.
Background on the studies and key results:
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Studies 1 & 2: The authors examined data from 42,063 adults
from more than 100 countries, who completed the World Values Survey
and reported how often they questioned the meaning of life. They found
that people who were entering a new decade n their lives are more
likely to question whether their lives were meaningful.
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Study 3: Professors Alter and Hershfield categorized more than
8 million male users registered on a dating website that caters to
people who are seeking extramarital affairs. They found that men aged
29, 39, 49 and 59 were nearly 18% more likely than men at other ages
to register on the site.
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Study 4: The researchers examined the number of suicides per
100,000 individuals across the US from 2000 to 2011. Suicide rates
were 2.4% higher among individuals whose age ended in a 9 than among
people whose ages ended in any other digit.
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Study 5: The professors collected data from Athlinks, a website
that compiles running race times, and found that runners ran about 2%
faster at ages 29 and 39 than during the two years before and after
those ages.
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Study 6: The authors examined the ages of 500 first-time
marathon runners randomly drawn from the Athlinks website, and found
25% more "9-enders" than runners whose ages ended in any other digit.
"People are more apt to evaluate their lives as a chronological decade
ends, and, as a result, more likely to make life-altering decisions,"
explain the authors. "As we age, it's good to understand this propensity
so we're more likely to make constructive rather than destructive
choices." Professors Alter and Hershfield also posit that the
implications of their studies could be significant for consumers. "Our
research suggests that people who are nearing the end of a decade may be
more likely to make large purchases (e.g., buy life insurance, invest in
retirement savings, pursue cosmetic surgery, etc.). Being aware of the
tendency to do so can help consumers decide if they are making such
decisions for the right reasons."
The article, "People
Search for Meaning When They Approach a New Decade in Chronological Age,"
was published on November 17 in the Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences.
To speak with the authors, please contact them directly: Professor Adam
Alter at 212-998-0142 or [email protected],
and Professor Hal Hershfield at 650-269-9799 or [email protected];
or contact Carolyn Ritter in NYU Stern's Office of Public Affairs at
212-998-0624 or [email protected],
and Elise Anderson in UCLA Anderson's Office of Media Relations at
310-206-7537 or [email protected].
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