Web 2.0: Young people are wired in real time · fitness coaching pursuing my hobbies learning complicated instructions or subjects getting involved in politics/society voting making

Credit Suisse Youth Barometer

Pragmatic, flexible generation with security

needs

Sixth Credit Suisse youth barometer

on behalf of the Credit Suisse Bulletin 2015

Project team

Lukas Golder Political and Media Scientist

Claude Longchamp Political Scientist,

Lecturer at the Universities of Bern, Zurich and St. Gallen

Cloé Jans Political Scientist

Martina Mousson Political Scientist

Stephan Tschöpe Political Scientist

Meike Müller Sociologist and Media Scientist

Philippe Rochat Political Scientist

Marcel Hagemann Social Scientist

Aaron Venetz Political Scientist

Johanna Schwab Secretariat and Administration

Sabrina Schüpbach Social Scientist

Web 2.0: Young people are

wired in real time

2

Contents 1 SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS ...................................................................... 3

2 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................ 15

2.1 Objectives ........................................................................................... 15

2.2 The respondents ................................................................................. 16

2.3 The database ....................................................................................... 16

2.4 "Young people" and generation concepts (Generation Y, millennials) 17

2.5 The principles of international comparison ......................................... 18

2.6 Country profile .................................................................................... 20

3 FINDINGS ................................................................................................... 21

3.1 Digitalization of different spheres of life ............................................. 21

3.1.1 Interim assessment ................................................................ 29

3.2 Lifestyle, leisure time, communication and interaction ...................... 30

3.2.1 Trends in all spheres of life: in & out ...................................... 30

3.2.2 Staying in the loop: communication and media usage ........... 33


3.3 Education, career, economy and finance ............................................ 46

3.3.1 General information on education and work .......................... 46

3.3.2 Dream job and goals in life ..................................................... 53

3.3.3 Finances .................................................................................. 59


3.4 Politics; views, problems and concerns .............................................. 63

3.4.1 Basic attitude to politics ......................................................... 63

3.4.2 Perception of problems .......................................................... 67


3.5 Views of life and values ...................................................................... 76

3.5.1 Values of young people and their nations .............................. 76

3.5.2 Landscape of values ............................................................... 79

3.5.3 Classification of values ........................................................... 83


4 SUMMARY ................................................................................................. 92

5 APPENDIX .................................................................................................. 96

5.1 gfs.bern Team ..................................................................................... 96

Bern, 7 July 2015

Copyright by gfs.bern

For publication

3

1 Summary of key points

Objective and method

Four countries, six metrics, one target group studied and real-life insights into

young people in the different countries over time. The Credit Suisse youth ba-

rometer aims to give an insight into the lifestyles and views of 16 to 25-year-

olds living in the USA, Brazil, Singapore and Switzerland. The structured ques-

tionnaires include sections on lifestyles, hopes, trends, work, social coexist-

ence and communication behaviour. Questions were also asked about careers

and the way individuals deal with goals. A new point of emphasis this year lies

in the digitalization of individual spheres of life and also the different possibili-

ties and practices in the way young people today communicate and interact

with one another. In view of the great affinity for the web among young people,

the survey was conducted online, although the participants were recruited in

various ways. The online survey itself took place between April and June 2015.

The database covers 1000 respondents each in Brazil, Singapore and the USA

as well as 1009 respondents from all regions of Switzerland. The surveys out-

side Switzerland were conducted by the research company Evalueserve. On

the assumption that socially weaker households would be more likely not to

have an internet connection, a combination of methods was used in Brazil in an

attempt to compensate for this distortion. Young Brazilian people could take

part in the study either online or by phone. The population surveyed comprised

young people aged between 16 and 25. The results were analysed on the basis

of a weighted data set, so that the structure of the sample was optimized with

regard to gender, education and language region.

Digitalization of life

The internet permeates the lives of everyone. This is most especially true of

the generation of young people who are now 16 to 25 years of age; the genera-

tion of so-called digital natives. Almost all young people in Brazil, the USA, Sin-

gapore and Switzerland have easy access to the internet; usually every day and

at any time thanks to smartphones, which are now extensively available.

Despite this constant availability of the internet and all the numerous opportuni-

ties it offers for communication and networking, the web does not inform every

sphere of life to the same degree. There are also clear differences between the

individual countries in the way this digitalization is actually taking shape.

4

Fig. 1

In Switzerland areas such as job searches, product comparisons and payment

transactions in particular, and possibly also information acquisition and learning,

are more heavily impacted by digitalization than they are in the other countries.

The migration of these spheres of life to the internet amounts primarily to a

practical opportunity to increase efficiency and to handle everyday processes

more easily. In spheres of life that are focused more on social interaction, such

as flirting and dating, or where a high degree of trust is required (financial ad-

vice), young Swiss people set much greater store by "analog" solutions.

Fig. 2

The picture looks somewhat different in the USA, Singapore and especially also

Brazil: Here, digitalization permeates deep into precisely these spheres of life.

International Comparison Lifestyle Online vs. Offline (1) "Now think about your personal lifestyle. There are more and more online services for sharing ideas and getting things done. How much do you rely on an online service for the following activities and for which activities do you prefer offline solutions?"

in % inhabitants between 16 and 25 years (sum of completely online/mostly online)

17

16

19

21

27

27

25

31

41

43

29

30

31

31

25

36

42

45

43

49

19

21

25

26

27

33

36

45

45

48

51

18

13

43

12

12

67

14

13

10financial advice

earning money/working

flirting/dating

looking for a job

fitness coaching

pursuing my hobbies

learning complicated

instructions or subjects

getting involved in

politics/society

voting

making payments on the move

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland

gfs.bern, youth barometer, April-June 2015 (N USA = 1000 / N BR = 1000 / N SG = 1000 / N CH = 1009)



10

18

9

17

12

16

18

17

14

21

25

22

21

20

25

35

35

30

26

26

10

11

11

12

14

17

17

17

17

19

11

14

21

20

14

74

14

21

23

6purchasing food/drink

dealing with the authorities

purchasing cars

relaxing in my spare time

comparing products

maintaining friendships

purchasing clothes

working on projects in a team

insurance advice

life advice

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland


5

The focus is not only on the efficient fulfilment of a task, but also on the indi-

vidual person. Here it is much more about social interaction, and leisure time

takes place on the web to a greater extent that it does in Switzerland, and

young people are therefore more carefree in its use.

Lifestyle, leisure time, communication and

interaction

The sphere of life that is more affected by digitalization than all others is com-

munication and interaction with friends in the narrower sense and with society

in the broader sense. The internet here shapes not only how young people

speak to each other, but also what they talk about. Almost all everyday things

given a top ranking for their "trendiness" are products and services that are in-

separably linked to the internet. In many countries, YouTube, WhatsApp and

similar services have supplanted the more classical "meeting up" with friends.

But here, too, young people in Switzerland are more reticent than young people

in Singapore, the USA and Brazil. The digitalization of communication here is

only seen as a replacement for social get-togethers and communication among

friends to a limited extent.

Fig. 3

Symptomatic of the increasing migration of certain social aspects and interac-

tions to the virtual world is also the rapid spread of the messaging service

WhatsApp. In contrast to the classical SMS, several people can take part in a

chat at the same time using this service, and unlike Facebook, where you have

to log in and actively download messages, this exchange takes place in real

time and in privacy.

International Comparison Ways to Contact Friends "What ways do you use to contact your friends? Please list the types of media used for keeping in touch with your friends in the order of importance."

in % inhabitants between 16 and 25 years

(important and second most important type of media)

2

85

3

8

5

23

27

39

80

5

9

2

36

56

9

4

3

5

14

6

39

37

72

3

84

2

6

3

50

17

24

22

iO/Viber

WhatsApp

Push to talk*

landline telephone

email

Twitter

mobile telephone

Facebook

text messages

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland

gfs.bern, youth barometer, April-June 2015 (N USA = 1000 / N BR = 1000 / N SG = 1000 / CH = 1009) *only polled in USA

6

Fig. 4

"Real time" is also the expression that serves as an illustrative example of the

way young people today get the most important information. The immediate

processing of information and transactions helps to shape the way young peo-

ple adopt innovations and increasingly also determines their content. Through

news apps and push notifications on smartphones or the newsfeed on Face-

book, you find out in real time, as it were, about an event that is already old

news when it is broadcast on TV during prime-time evening news.

Fig. 5

28

75

61 62

6771

29 2926

31

20

9

46

3539

70

75 73

40

2824

4 3 4

11

49

80

66

79

85

66

80 84

Aug.-Oct. 2010 May 2011 March/April2012

April/May2013

April-June2014

April-June2015

SMS USA

SMS Brazil

SMS Singapore

SMS Switzerland

WhatsApp USA*

WhatsApp Brazil*

WhatsApp Singapore*

WhatsAppSwitzerland*

Trend International Comparison Ways to Contact Friends

gfs.bern, youth barometer, April-June 2015 (N = approx.1000)

* polled since 2013

"What ways do you use to contact your friends? Please list the types of media used for keeping in touch with

your friends in the order of importance."

in % inhabitants between 16 and 25 years (important and second most important type of media)

International Comparison Filter: Most Important Source of Information "Which is the most important information source for you?"

in % inhabitants between 16 and 25 years (who inform themselves at least very occasionally)

12

12

58

14

19 21

2

113

221

5

22

17

27

1 11

2227

56

35

6

1

1

12

14

1

57 8

2132 2

5 4

USA Brazil Singapore Switzerland

don't know/no comments

other sources

weekly magazines

Twitter/social networks (other thanFacebook)

Facebook

purchased newspaper

blogs and mail services

free newspapers

radio

news apps on smartphone/tablets

TV

internet: news pages/newspaperpages

gfs.bern, youth barometer, April-June 2015 (n USA = 963/ n BR = 1000 / n SG = 962 / n CH = 998)

7

The internet is becoming increasingly relevant as a primary information medium

in inverse proportion to the loss of relevance for television. In all countries – but

in Switzerland to a much less extent than in the USA, Singapore and Brazil – a

transformation of Facebook is also taking place; moving away from its role as a

purely social network towards a news platform.

Education, career, economy and finance

Self-fulfilment and a job that is fulfilling and is in keeping with one’s talents

remain very strong needs of today’s 16 to 25-year-olds, so in this respect at

least the respondents matches the classical pattern of Generation Y. The char-

acteristics of this generation are especially marked in the USA and in Switzer-

land. These values are also discernible in Brazil and Singapore, but to a lesser

extent. For despite all the love of freedom in these countries, other tunes are

also audible. Material security such as the possibility to earn enough money to

save or buy a house is a key need.

Fig. 6

This is especially the case in Singapore, Brazil and the USA, but is also an issue

for the young people in Switzerland, who are economically very privileged

comparatively speaking. So there is not simply a blanket continuation of the

unequivocal trend towards post-materialistic values among young people.

The persisting economic crises in Europe and the USA and the generally rather

uncertain global situation are shaping the socialization of the generation that is

now growing up. For example, the different financial commitments that a sub-

stantial proportion of young people have are a burden for many.

International Comparison Financial Statements "Do the following financial statements apply to you?"

in % inhabitants between 16 and 25 years (sum of those who agree entirely)

24

28

35

36

38

76

86

83

13

23

34

24

61

76

77

90

14

18

27

31

43

64

79

9

9

27

60

82

62

83

83

I invest my money in shares

I invest my money in investment

funds or mutual funds

I use store credit cards (Wal-Mart,

Victoria’s Secret, Best Buy, Home

Depot)

I donate part of my money to a

charitable cause

I own a credit card

I save regularly

I would like to be wealthy later on

I would like to own my own

house/own apartment/condo

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland

gfs.bern, youth barometer, April-June 2015 (N USA = 1000 / N BR = 1000 / N SG = 1000 / N CH = 1009), *only polled in USA, Brazil and Singapore

8

Fig. 7

The generation of young people who are now 16 to 25 years of age is therefore

actively approaching the jobs market with great interest in most cases and with

a certain awareness of and striving for a career. Only clear minorities in all

countries agree with the statement "The world of work leaves me cold", and

also the view that leisure time is more important than work or education is not

shared by large majorities.

Fig. 8

Young people want to work and to pursue a career of their own. Nevertheless,

the young people today are also are far from prepared to make unconditional

sacrifices for a job. They have very clear wishes and requirements of their em-

International Comparison Full Index Economic Orientation Index constructed from items concerning economically relevant questions.*

having lots of money / ju3g: ideas determining life having a good career / ju3u: ideas determining life leisure is more important than work / education and training / ju14a: statements job/education the most important thing about work is to earn as much money as possible / ju14b: statements job/education interest in news about the economy / ju30: Interest daily events full-time occupation / ju7: occupation I would like to be wealthy later on / ju49a: financial statements I invest my money in shares / ju49d: financial statements I invest my money in investment funds or mutual funds / ju49e: financial statements


1118 19

7

39

4448

29

39

3028

41

11 8 5

24


very weak

fairly weak

fairly strong

very strong

gfs.bern, youth barometer, April-June 2015 (N USA = 1000 / N BR = 1000 / N SG = 1000 / N CH =1009)

*Details on the construction are provided in the methodological section of the final report.

International Comparison Filter Statements on Profession and Education: All "How well do the following statements apply to you? Respond by entering a number from 0 to 100%."

professional future uncertain "I don't know what sort of professional future awaits me." current situation satisfies all my wishes today "The current situation satisfies all my wishes today." career landscape leaves me cold "The career landscape leaves me cold."

mean values for inhabitants between 16 and 25 years

14.8

57.2

40.6

38.9

43.9

45

24.7

39.8

34.4

33.3

44

42.3

career landscape leaves

me cold

current situation satisfies

all my wishes today

professional future

uncertain

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland

gfs.bern, youth barometer, April-June 2015 (N USA = 1000 / N BR = 1000 / SG = 1000 / N CH = 1009)

9

ployers, want good bosses and modern, flexible workplaces with a good at-

mosphere. Workforce mobility is also not simply a given: while young people in

Brazil and Singapore, for example, would be prepared to move abroad for a job,

this prospect meets with little enthusiasm in Switzerland and the USA, where

young people would prefer to stay in their own region.

Politics; views, problems and concerns

Politics in the real sense of the word is only of marginal interest to today’s 16

to 25-year-olds. A small minority in all countries surveyed can be described as

effectively politicized or politically socialized at most. Membership of parties is

low, as is a willingness to take part in political demonstrations. Few young peo-

ple are able to pigeon-hole their own personal views on the left/ right axis of

the classical party spectrum – except in Switzerland. For most young people

this categorization has no meaning.

Fig. 9

It also fits with this latent disenchantment with politics that young people do

not express trust in their governments in any country and - here too with the

exception of Switzerland - most feel there is a need for reform.

Fig. 10

International Comparison Full Index Political Commitment Index constructed from items concerning politically relevant questions.*

being committed politically / ju3w: ideas determining life interest in news about politics / ju30: Interest daily events taking part in political demonstrations / ju52af: activities/lifestyle political parties / ju52bd: activities/lifestyle sympathy for a party given/ ju42: party preference political orientation given / ju45: left-/right classification


8 114

2024

1320

28

27

3228

4438

52 48

3


very weak

fairly weak

fairly strong

very strong



International Comparison Pride of Country "How proud of USA/Brazil/Singapore/Switzerland are you?"


2228 27

37

8

53 53

8

2

3 8

25

54

13 7

8

33

3 5

3


not proud at all

not really proud

don't know / nocomments

fairly proud

very proud


International Comparison Image own Country abroad "In your opinion, how is the USA/Brazil/Singapore/Switzerland perceived abroad or what is its image abroad? Is it very positive, fairly positive, fairly negative or very negative?"


6

1926

22

11

6455

15

11

84

39

44

81318

32

2

2

1


very negative

fairly negative

don't know/nocomments

fairly positive

very positive


10

This "aversion" to political participation in the classical sense certainly does not

mean, however, that young people are not concerned with everyday events,

are not aware of trends in society and are unable to express their concerns for

the future of this society and the consequent need for action. Both in Brazil and

in Singapore, the USA and Switzerland, young people year after year clearly

identify those problem areas which they perceive as affecting them most. The

fact that these are very similar every year and changes usually show up in long-

term trends indicates that this selection is anything but random and bears tes-

timony to a youth for whom political and societal involvement is very much

present.

Table 1

Trend International comparison of five main concerns

"In the list below you'll see several topics which have been discussed and written about a great deal recently. Read

through the entire list and choose five points which you personally feel are the biggest concerns in Switzerland/the

USA/Brazil/Singapore."

Switzerland USA Brazil Singapore

foreigners/freedom

of movement/

immigration

51% → unemployment 50% ↘ corruption** 73% →

aging of indige-

nous population/

low birth rate

39

%

old-age pen-

sions/retirement

provisions

43% → terrorism 33% ↗ unemployment 59% ↗

inflation/currency

devaluation/

inflation

36

% ↘

refugee/asylum

issues 38% ↗ racism/xenophobia 30% ↗

inflation/currency

devaluation/

inflation

29% ↗ unemployment 33

% ↘

protection of the

environment/climate

change/ecological

disasters

25% → corruption** 29% → urban violence 29% → pay 32

% ↘

EU/Bilateral Agree-

ments/European

integration issues*

23% → fuel/oil price 25% ↘ fuel/oil price 28% ↗

health is-

sues/health insur-

ance/premiums

26

% →

© gfs.bern, youth barometer, April-June 2015 (N USA = 1000 / N BR = 1000 / N SG = 1000 / N CH = 1009),

*only polled in CH, **only polled in USA, BR and SG

→ = changes within sampling error

The perception of problems both in Switzerland and in Singapore is shaped by

the way the population is structured and the resulting consequences for social

order. Dealing with foreigners and migrants is perceived to be difficult and un-

certainties also prevail with regard to solidarity between generations, the way

old-age pensions are organized and the aging of the population in general. Pre-

viously key issues of a rather economic nature have become less salient both in

Switzerland and in Singapore (albeit from a relatively high level).

In the USA and Brazil, however, the predominant concerns are those that have

more to do with the organization of the institutions. In particular, corruption and

the security situation (terrorism and urban violence) are perceived as problems.

In Brazil, economic factors such as unemployment, inflation and the price of

petrol are also currently seen as much bigger concerns than they were last

year.

Profiles and values

The values held by young people in the four countries have remained markedly

stable over the years. This could be a reflection of values that are essentially

the same, are simply associated with that age group and express the specific

requirements of youth. But this would be short of the mark. The assumption

11

that Generation Y is disoriented with regard to objectives and is corresponding-

ly fickle can be discounted on the basis of the statements.

Fig. 11

The focus on stability is to be understood partly as a reaction to the religious,

political or economic system of the person’s own country, but ultimately these

influences have also remained stable to date. Even in the case of challenges or

disappointments in their own country, young people are strictly guided by this

sense of stability. The exception is Brazil, where dissent is expressed against

the prevailing political and administrative system with its high levels of corrup-

tion. With their marked detachment from the political system, young people in

Brazil are seeking new syntheses of values in the direction of honesty, social

solidarity, environmental protection and material self-fulfilment, as well a will-

ingness to take risks, which distinguishes them from the other countries. There

is still a feeling here that something should change and values in the whole

should system should be lived up to better.

International Comparison Most Important Aspirations (Comparison Top Ten) "Spontaneously speaking, of all these things that are very important to you, which is the most important of all?"


15 1713

21

34

1317

6

16

126

13

3

7

5

3

17

5

4

3

4

3

3

4

3

3

3

8

4

4

2

4

3

8

4

54

3

3

85

33

20

1317

23

4

3

3

2

5

43

2

4


others

buying a house

fighting grievances and injustice around the world

being my own boss/being independent

having lots of money

having a good career

getting a good education and(or further training

being respected as a person

achieving set goals with hard work

being able to live according to my religious andspiritual values

having an exciting job

living and acting responsibly

loyalty

seeing as much of the world as possible

living healthily

honesty

enjoying life to the full

having friends I can count on

leading a good family life/relationship


12

Fig. 12

Legend: the scale for the landscape of values ranges from -3 to +3. The minus scores indicate those values that tend to be less important.. The

positive scores indicate the value orientations of young people. A mean value of 0 to 1 indicates rather weak to modest leanings towards the value

in question, while a mean value of 1 to 2 indicates moderate leanings. The indices are an aggregation of various questions on values.

Overall, young people today show marked value orientations that may be suita-

ble as a constant for the identification of a generation.

Young people are very heavily oriented towards family and thus stability in pri-

vate life, but not automatically towards conservative or materialistic values. On

the contrary; they are much more likely to be slightly modern in orientation. The

only conservative setting is found among right-leaning young Swiss people and

also possibly among right-leaning young people in the USA. All others – espe-

cially those politically on the left - are more or less modern in orientation.

Finally, despite certain parallels, there are marked differences according to

country. These point to values being highly structured by religion where young

people live their religion. This is true of conservative and family-oriented values.

If these values are less clear-cut, then the way is open for more of an orienta-

tion towards materialistic values, as is the case in Singapore. A characteristic of

the USA is the high importance attached to religion and hence only an average

level of materialistic orientation. The openness to take risks (for example in

professional or private life) is less marked in the USA than in the other coun-

tries.

Hypotheses

The orientation of young people in Switzerland, the USA, Singapore and Brazil

towards certain values is strikingly stable. The differences are not fundamental,

but are particularly marked in respect of nations and not in respect of basic

values or social strata. A certain self-image of post-materialistic values associ-

ated with Generation Y is discernible in all countries, albeit not equally pro-

nounced everywhere. Another characteristic common to young people is their

strong aspiration for economic integration. But the extent to which this aspira-

1.0

0.4

-0.2

2.1

1.5

-0.4

1.4

1.1

1.5

0.9

0.4

2.4

1.8

-0.6

1.9

1.5

0.8

0.4

0.2

1.9

1.7

-0.6

1.2

1.1

1.1

0.7

0.1

2.4

1.0

-0.4

1.4

0.1

-3

0

3postmaterialism

risk

hedonism

family/friends

materialism

conservatism

altruism

religousness

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland

Trend Values International Comparison 2015Aggregation of different questions concerning values, where -3 is the minimum score and +3 the maximum

© gfs.bern, youth barometer, April-June 2015 (N USA = 1000 / N BR = 1000 / N SG = 1000 / N CH = 1009)

13

tion eclipses the other values varies widely. In this respect, Switzerland is a

special case, since the young people living here can consider themselves to be

in relatively high economic security.

The generation is particularly characterized by its flexibility - for example, in its

approach to Web 2.0 or work - and its pragmatism. This helps to shape how

young people communicate and interact and determines what innovations are

adopted and discussed.

Finding 1: The trend is called Web 2.0

Digital, mobile and social interaction shapes the zeitgeist of young people. This

zeitgeist is closely associated with global brands and web offerings such as

YouTube, Facebook and WhatsApp and thus reflects a focus on digital con-

sumption and communication. But the digitalization of various spheres of life

has not led to the emergence of a social euphoria.

Finding 2: Differences of emphasis with general materialism

Material security has less priority only in Switzerland, thanks to good economic

integration and little debt. Nevertheless materialism and consumerism are gen-

erally characteristic of present-day youth.

Finding 3: Social orientation instead of individualism

The major importance of digital interaction on Web 2.0 is also reflected in a

relatively strong social orientation, at least in the personal family setting or cir-

cle of friends. Only in Singapore is Individualism more important.

Finding 3: Politics as key priority in Brazil, but nowhere a part of lifestyle

The political situation in Brazil is very strained and young people are against the

existing system, making it possible that the youth will force through a radical

change. This would emphasize sustainability and honesty. In other countries,

politics is less of a systematic priority and is considered out, which is most

clearly expressed in Switzerland.

Finding 4: Switzerland and Singapore with identity as small states

Both in Singapore and in Switzerland, problems that fall under the heading

"population structure" are more salient than in Brazil or the USA. Issues such as

migration and aging of the population are less important in these large coun-

tries than they are in tiny Switzerland or the city state of Singapore.

On this basis we present the following hypotheses for discussion.

Hypothesis 1: Web 2.0 does not shape a generation, but is a social accel-

erator

Web 2.0 is a communications lubricant and thus acts as an accelerator within

peer groups. But what this acceleration brings about in terms of generation

forming is heavily dependent on local, cultural and economic circumstances. In

democratic structures, a strengthening of the focus on civil society is possible.

Hypothesis 2: Economic situation helps to shape awareness of genera-

tions

The economic developments of the last ten years, with (subsiding) crisis symp-

toms in the USA, a good economic situation in Switzerland and Singapore and

economic ascendency in Brazil, decisively help to shape the awareness of gen-

erations in contrast to the political situation.

14

Hypothesis 3: Pragmatic and flexible Generation Y as fitting concept in

the USA and Switzerland

Flexible pragmatism guided by a sense of stability is characteristic in the USA

and Switzerland. The assumptions concerning Generation Y are most accurate

in these countries, where the constant response to the question of meaning

(why?) is flexibility and the wish for personal and economic stability.

Hypothesis 4: Brazil’s youth will become emancipated

In Brazil, an emancipation process is under way against a corrupt political sys-

tem, which in a democratic system will inevitably lead to radical change.

Hypothesis 5: Web 2.0 will not change the structure of Singapore

The response of young people in Singapore to the prevailing authoritarian struc-

tures is an individualistic and material focus on security. Web 2.0 will not

change this.

15

2 Introduction

2.1 Objectives

The sixth Credit Suisse Youth Barometer aims to give an insight into the life-

styles and views of 16 to 25-year-olds living in the USA, Brazil and Singapore

compared with those living in Switzerland. The following specific areas are of

most interest:

What sort of life do young people want and what are their hopes? What

are their concerns?

How do young people live together and what do they do in their free

time? How do they get on with different groups? How do they feel about

foreigners, equality and older people?

What is the zeitgeist of young people in different spheres of life? What is

'in' and what is 'out'? How active are the young people of today?

How do young people find out about things and what channels do they

use for inter-personnel communication? What media do young people

use and what content are they interested in?

From 2012, in-depth questions were asked on life plans, sociological

background and career goals. Associated areas of interest are education,

work, career and finances: How happy are young people with their work

and how do they handle their money?

There was a special section devoted to the digital identity of young peo-

ple. What information do they disclose and how important are digital

identities against a social and professional backdrop? What do they de-

mand of politicians in relation to the internet?

These questions will be asked every year to give a picture of developments

over time. This should be important above all in the assessment of trends,

where a certain dynamic can be expected. Such trend statements were possi-

ble for the first time for 2013, as trends can only be reliably interpreted from at

least three measurement points.

The questionnaire was developed based on research by gfs.bern, with input

from the 15th Shell Youth Study (Germany), multiple expert interviews and,

finally, several interviews with young people from Switzerland. The question-

naire was tailored to the specific requirements of the client. The questionnaires

for Brazil, the USA and Singapore were evaluated by local experts and adjusted

where necessary due to cultural differences, political circumstances or other

customs. It was considered important that the surveys were as comparable as

possible. The graphics clearly show if comparisons could not be made based on

the questions. The selected countries were specified by the client, but repre-

sent four different country types with regard to the represented values. The

selection can be extended in future to improve the international comparison

system.

16

2.2 The respondents

Various social science definitions can be applied to young people. Generally,

those aged between 13 and 21 are defined as young. We have aimed the ques-

tionnaire at people who are three to four years older. This adjusts the conven-

tional social science definition upwards a little bit. This can be explained both by

the fact that education is taking an increasingly long time and also by the aim of

the study to focus on the period after compulsory schooling and on education

and career choice – which also explains why the lower age limit for the survey

was 16 years.

In this report, we therefore use the term "young people" to describe 16 to 25-

year-olds living in Switzerland, the USA, Brazil and Singapore.

2.3 The database

In view of the high affinity that young people have with the internet, we opted

for an online questionnaire again in 2015. As in the last two years, the survey

was carried out in the USA and Brazil (and since 2013 also in Singapore) by the

international research company "Evalueserve".

The online questionnaires themselves were carried out between April and June

2015. The fact that the survey took a little longer can be attributed to the fact

the recruitment process started a little later in Switzerland. The analysis covers

exactly 1000 people aged between 16 and 25 surveyed in the USA, Brazil and

Singapore and 1009 in Switzerland. For the analysis, the Swiss data was

weighted to optimize the sample structure in terms of gender, language, age

distribution and level of education. The data from the international comparator

countries was not weighted.

Following experiences in Brazil in the first two years, a combination of methods

was again applied this year to optimize the sociological composition of the

sample. This was due to the distortion of the sample in the year 2010. In that

year we included too many highly educated Brazilians in the sample. Based on

the assumption that socially disadvantaged households were less likely to have

an internet connection, a combination of methods was applied to compensate

for this distortion. Young people in Brazil were able to participate in the study

either online or via face to face interviews. Our partners in the field were also

instructed to provide a representative sample with respect to both gender and

social class for the USA and for Brazil and Singapore. These methodological

improvements meant the data generated for all three comparator countries in

2015 was valid and representative.

An incentive system for participants was also devised for the surveys in Brazil,

the USA and Singapore. This approach with incentives, quotas and a mixture of

methods proved successful and will be used again in 2015. Clear improve-

ments have been made to data quality since 2010, which meant that there was

no need to weight the data from the USA, Brazil and Singapore.

In most cases, we feel the quality of responses was high. Individual cases with

quality issues were either excluded by means of programming or deleted dur-

ing the quality control phase for the responses. Both data validity and data reli-

ability were checked. Based on the results and comparison with, for example,

the concerns barometer, the Shell Youth Study 2006 and the data and experi-

ences gathered in the last two years, we can assume that the data is valid and

allows genuine conclusions about the actual situation. Despite adjustments to

the method in Brazil and the USA, we feel the results of the preliminary test in

2010 are reliable enough to allow comparisons over time. Overall, the quality of

the sample has clearly been improved since the beginning of the study.

17

Table 2

Brief technical report

Overall population Residential population of Switzerland / USA / Brazil / Singapore

between 16 and 25 years old

Sample size

Total sample CH N = 1009

Total sample USA N = 1000

Total sample BR N = 1000

Total sample SG N = 1000

Survey type

CH: Online survey

USA: Online survey

BR: Online and face-to-face survey

SG: Online survey

Selection method Random selection based on various procedures, partially as

panel and international questionnaires

Survey duration April – June 2015

Theoretical

sample error ±3.2 percent at 50/50 and 95 percent probability

Usability Publication by Credit Suisse

©gfs.bern, Credit Suisse Youth Barometer, April-June 2015

2.4 "Young people" and generation

concepts (Generation Y, millennials)

Various social science definitions can be applied to young people. Generally,

those aged between 13 and 21 are defined as young. We have aimed the ques-

tionnaire at people who are three to four years older. This can be explained

both by the fact that education is taking an increasingly long time and also by

the aim of the study to focus on the period after compulsory schooling and on

education and career choice – which also explains why the lower age limit for

the survey was 16 years

In this report, we therefore use the term "young people" to describe 16 to 25-

year-olds living in Switzerland, the USA, Brazil and Singapore.

Generation concepts are a subject of some dispute in sociology, but they are

very common in everyday media use. In many cases, however, there is no clear

distinction in so-called cohort and lifecycle effects.

Lifecycle effects are typical as a life phase for all young people, regardless of

the year in which they were born, whereas cohort effects form groups of peo-

ple born in the same year that that are independent of age. Only when cohorts

of people born in the same year show systematic differences from other co-

horts is it possible to speak of a generation. The waves of the CS Youth Ba-

rometer to date do not allow such a statement and can be seen as a contribu-

tion to the discussion on present generation concepts.

We use different generation concepts depending on the situation. Essential

parameters of the concepts most used are the question of meaning (Genera-

tion X, Y and Z) and the approach to digitalization (digital natives and digital im-

migrants). For the sake of simplicity we use the same age cohorts in this study

as a working definition.

Generation X includes people born between 1960 and 1976. This is the first

generation that grew up after the Second World War. In Germany it is also

sometimes called the couldn’t/care-less generation or Generation Golf. Their

rejection of consumerism and the classical career focus on security is charac-

teristic of this generation. They have to learn to cope with an economic step

backwards compare with their parent’s generation. They are also the so-called

18

digital immigrants, because they have often come into contact with personal

computers and the potential of digitalization from a very early age

The generation of millenials or digital natives (born from 1977 to 1999) is also

known as Generation Y1 with reference to Generation X. The Y stands for

"why?" and the search for meaning that characterizes this generation. They

became familiar with the opportunities of the first-generation web (networked

computers and the internet) early on and soon came into contact with Web 2.0,

where computers were linked with social networks, as with Facebook and

Twitter. To date, only members of this generation have been interviewed in the

CS Youth Barometer.

The next generation is sometimes already referred to as Generation Z and in-

cludes people born after 2000. They have not featured in the CS Youth Barom-

eter so far. Generation Z have probably been shaped more heavily since birth

by the opportunities of the internet and Web 2.0 and also by smartphones, and

thus feel a greater urge than Generation Y to present themselves to the outside

world.

Over the last few years, the web has developed further in the direction of Web

3.02. Here, computers instead of humans are connected to form self-learning

networks that only interact with humans in specific ways and otherwise can act

autonomously. This will bring with it digitalization of further spheres of life. An

example of Web 3.0 is the self-driving car. None of the generations discussed

here have so far come into intensive contact with such opportunities.

2.5 The principles of international

comparison

The comparisons between the countries are based on the most striking paral-

lels and differences compared with young Swiss people. For the sake of sim-

plicity, we interpret differences of more than five percentage points between

the countries as existing tendencies. Differences of more than 10 percentage

points are interpreted as differences which would, in all probability, also show

up in reality. Since the third survey more in-depth analysis has been possible,

focusing more on country-specific baseline situations and cultural backgrounds.

However, the selection is still too limited to assume a comparative international

approach which allows valid conclusions to be drawn beyond the individual

countries.

Nevertheless, the selection of the original three countries (USA, BRA, CH) rep-

resents three different culture types. In terms of evaluating difference with

respect to religion and values relating to materialism and self-fulfilment, the

ideal reference is the World Value Survey including the World Map produced by

Roland Inglehart and Christian Welzel3 based on surveys of the entire popula-

tion in 43 countries.

1 Minimal definition as cohorts of people born in certain years: Generation X those born in 1965-

1976, Generation Y 1977-1999, Generation Z: 2000-…For the discussion of this topic see the ex-

planations this report and the Wikipedia entries in English and German. 2 cf. e.g. http://www.nzz.ch/finanzen/der-computer-als-intelligente-maschine-1.18363342

3 Ronald Inglehart and Christian Welzel, "Changing Mass Priorities: The Link Between Moderniza-

tion and Democracy." Perspectives on Politics June 2010 (vol 8, No. 2) page 554. Quoted from:

http://www.worldvaluessurvey.org/wvs/articles/folder_published/article_base_54.

19

Fig. 13

The WVS Cultural Map of the World4

The survey focuses both on the polarity of traditional religious and rational secu-

lar values and on the juxtaposition of values relating to collective survival and

individual self-development.5 Based on this, the USA is within the group of

English-speaking countries which have a strong link between traditional reli-

gious values, low levels of secularization and a strong focus on individual self-

development. In Protestant-dominated Europe, the shift in global values is most

advanced. Although much less so than Sweden, Switzerland is strongly secular-

ized and individualized. Brazil is in the middle of the group of Latin-American

countries. These countries demonstrate relatively low levels of secularization

and a mid-range value shift towards self-development. For the last two years,

we have also been collecting data from Singapore in order to represent a fourth

type with a South-East Asian perspective

4 http://www.worldvaluessurvey.org/wvs/articles/folder_published/article_base_54

5 http://www.zoonpoliticon.ch/blog/Kategorien/umfrageforschung/page/5/

20

2.6 Country profile

In order to better interpret the results, here is a brief overview of the key social

and economic indicators of the four selected countries

Table 3


population 8,061,516 318,892,103 202,656,788 5,567,301

proportion of youth (under 24) 26.5% 33.1% 40.3% 31.2%

growth rate population 0.78% 0.77% 0.80% 1.92%

median age 42.0 37.6 30.7 33.8

life expectancy in years 82.4 79.56 73.28 84.38

fertility rate (child per woman) 1.54 2.01 1.79 0.80

urban population 73.7% 82.4% 84.6% 100%

net migration rate (per 1000 inhab.) 5.43 2.54 -0.15 14.55

proportion of GDP spent on education 5.2% 5.4% 5.8% 3.0%

unemployment rate 3.2% 7.3% 5.8% 1.9%

proportion of tertiary education (degrees)* 35% 42% 12% --

mobile connections 10,460,000 310,000,000 248,324,000 8,063000

internet users 6,152,000 245,000,000 75,982,000 3,235,000

© gfs.bern, Credit Suisse Youth Barometer, April –June 2015

Source: CIA World Facebook, www.cia.gov (Juli 2014), * OECD indicators of education

We would like to draw particular attention to a parameter which is relevant for

the labour market: the unemployment rate among young people in the individu-

al countries.

Of the four surveyed countries, the USA has the highest youth unemployment

rate at 15.5 percent, followed by Brazil with 15.0 percent. Youth unemployment

in Singapore was considerably down. It is now lower than in Switzerland. Youth

unemployment in Switzerland is still among the lowest anywhere, virtually as

low as in Japan and Germany.

Fig. 14

6.7 6.97.9 8.5 9.2 9.2 9.3

10.5 10.7 1112.2

13.1 13.715 15.5 15.5

1920

23.6 23.7 23.9

27.3

29.6

33.6

38.140

55.5

58.3

15.6 16.2

25.323.3

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

Unemployment among Youth in Selected Countries

© gfs.bern, youth barometer, April-June 2015: source: OECD (June 2015) *source BR: CIA World Factbook (June 2015)

21

3 Findings

The structure of this final report on the international part of the youth barome-

ter is based on the structure of the report on Swiss youth, which is generally

considered to be the benchmark.

Overview:

Digital identity and the digitalization of different spheres of life are cov-

ered in the first part (section 3.1)

Section 3.2 is concerned with lifestyles, leisure time and crucially the

communications and use of media by young people

Section 3.3 covers the education, career wishes and financial situation of

young people

Politics, perception of problems and social views form the content of

Section 3.4

Sensitivities and value orientations of young people from the USA, Brazil,

Singapore and Switzerland are covered in the final part (Section 3.5)

3.1 Digitalization of different spheres of life

The internet has played a key role in the daily life of people for many years, and

the more deeply and the longer the internet is anchored in day-to-day life, the

greater the advances made by digitalization into different spheres of life. As so-

called digital natives, the younger generation serves as a spearhead of this digi-

talization in many respects, because they are very naturally acquainted with the

digital, internet-based handling of different services, transactions and processes

and have never known anything else. In all the countries studied, well over 80

percent of respondents say the internet plays an important role in their daily

lives or even that they would not on any account want to do without it. Over

the years – and also at present – the level of importance has also remained at

the same high level in all countries. The only exception is the. Here, 3 percent

more than in the previous year say the internet plays an unimportant if not neg-

ative role in their lives. However, it can be assumed here that it is not so much

a question of the importance of the internet decreasing as a case of the role of

the internet – especially in the USA in light of the NSA scandal – being seen

more negatively.

22

Fig. 15

Although the internet and the handling of processes online now form part of

the younger generation’s staple diet, it is nevertheless not the case that every

sphere of life is equally affected by digitalization. Moreover, life would seem to

have shifted more clearly in the direction of online activities in some countries

and areas than it has in others. The handling of payment transactions online is

the sphere of life where migration to the internet has been comparatively

marked and on an approximately similar scale in all countries. Otherwise, at

times quite different digitalization patterns emerge in the various countries.

One finding that stands out is that, as a country, Brazil is much more digitalized

on average than the other three countries and in some spheres of life, such as

financial advice, purchasing clothes and food and also cultivation of friends, is

positively drifting apart from the other countries.

International Comparison Importance of Internet in Everyday Life "How important is the internet to your everyday life?"


31

42

27

54

50

61

56

5

14 2

9 6 81 1

34

71


the internet plays anunimportant or negativerole

the internet only plays arole occasionally

I don't know/nocomments

the internet plays animportant role

I would not want to haveto cope without theinternet


23

Fig. 16

If the values of Switzerland are compared with those of the USA, Brazil and

Singapore, it is particularly noticeable that those spheres of life that are associ-

ated with civic culture, i.e. the political and societal values, have undergone

markedly less digitalization: Voting in elections and referendums, political and

social engagement or hobbies are spheres of life in Switzerland today that re-

main much more "analog" than they are in the other countries. One reason for

this could – as the well-known civic culture researchers Almond and Verba

(1963) have postulated – lie in the many and much frequented clubs and asso-

ciations in Switzerland. By contrast, Switzerland has seen considerable digitali-

zation in the areas of job searches and product comparison, for which the inter-

net is simply a more efficient tool.



17

16

19

21

27

27

25

31

41

43

29

30

31

31

25

36

42

45

43

49

19

21

25

26

27

33

36

45

45

48

51

18

13

43

12

12

67

14

13

10financial advice

earning money/working

flirting/dating

looking for a job

fitness coaching

pursuing my hobbies

learning complicated

instructions or subjects

getting involved in

politics/society

voting

making payments on the move

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland


24

Fig. 17

A further indication of advancing digitalization in other spheres of life can also

be seen in the expressed importance that young people attach to their self-

presentation and image in the digital world – their own internet profile. In keep-

ing with the observations already made above that the digitalization of life in

Switzerland is particularly pronounced in "practical" areas such as product com-

parisons, job searches or knowledge transfer (instructions/learning of topics),

less importance is also attached to having an interesting internet profile. How-

ever, precisely in those spheres of life where there is a greater focus on the

individual person, the personal profile in the digital world plays a greater role –

i.e., for example, in the case of political and social engagement, hobbies, fit-

ness coaching, life coaching or also flirting and dating. It thus comes as little

surprise that the importance of an interesting personal profile in is considered

more crucial in the USA, Brazil and Singapore than in Switzerland. However, in

these countries, too, the proportion of young people who consider this to be

fairly, every or even extremely important remains (in Singapore only just) in the

minority.



10

18

9

17

12

16

18

17

14

21

25

22

21

20

25

35

35

30

26

26

10

11

11

12

14

17

17

17

17

19

11

14

21

20

14

74

14

21

23

6purchasing food/drink

dealing with the authorities

purchasing cars

relaxing in my spare time

comparing products

maintaining friendships

purchasing clothes

working on projects in a team

insurance advice

life advice

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland


25

Fig. 18

Regardless of the difference in the degree to which digitalization has penetrat-

ed the various spheres of life of young people in the four countries; all young

people everywhere are agreed that each individual has primary responsibility for

the protection of his or her own personal data.

Across almost all countries it is also apparent that young people in Singapore

and Brazil attach more importance to this issue than young people in Switzer-

land and the USA tend to do. In the USA, somewhat greater emphasis is still

placed on the relevance of the market (entrepreneurs, internet providers or

suppliers of computers/smartphones/tablets), while in Switzerland the focus is

more on the state, politicians, school or other educational institutions as guardi-

ans of privacy. Nevertheless; in all countries the contribution of almost all ac-

tors is considered relevant for data privacy. Only people like Julian Assange and

Edward Snowden are seen by only a (slim) minority as quite or very important

for personal data protection.

International Comparison: Ideas of Life "Each individual person has certain ideas that determine their life and behaviour. When you think about what you strive for in your life, how important are the following things for you personally?"

having an interesting personal online profile


8 8 5

8 11 17

2

1716

23

9

27

34

29

31

15

1613

23

31

21

13 10

44 2 3



not important at all

not important

not that important

fairly important

very important

extremely important


26

Fig. 19

The anchoring of young Swiss people in so-called civil society, as already dis-

cussed above, is also manifested in the comparatively pronounced sense of

belonging to one’s own family, circle of friends, society in general or a club. In

all these areas, the sense of belonging among young Swiss people ranks (in

some cases) well ahead of that among young people in the other countries. In

these areas, Brazil follows Switzerland in second place.

Fig. 20

In Brazil, however, the sense of belonging to the more traditional social units of

partnership, marriage or relationship or to a religious community is felt more

strongly than in the other countries. But interestingly it is also Brazil where the

International Comparison Importance Players in Protecting Individuals and Personal Data "The way information is handled in the digital world can represent a safety risk for some individuals. What importance would you ascribe to the following players when it comes to protecting individuals and their personal data?"

in % inhabitants between 16 and 25 years (sum of those who find it extremely & very important)

46

73

76

81

84

82

80

83

49

74

77

81

79

81

80

86

44

58

71

71

69

71

71

78

87

77

69

77

68

64

54

50

people like Julian Assange or

Edward Snowden

associations, interest groups,

NGOs

providers of computers, tablets

and smartphones

internet providers

government/politics

business

schools and other educational

establishments

each individual

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland


International Comparison Feeling of Belonging to Social Units "To which of the social units in this list do you feel you belong? For each of the social units listed, please list whether you feel you really belong, belong a little, do not really belong or do not belong at all."

in % inhabitants between 16 and 25 years (sum of those who really belong/belong a little)

37

60

24

64

73

27

78

94

94

38

34

44

52

63

46

62

79

86

37

46

54

69

64

66

81

85

92

40

41

58

55

52

67

75

81

der EU/Mercosur/ASEAN

a club (e.g. sports club or cultural

society)

a religious community

your partnership/marriage/

relationship

the society

an online community

humanity

your circle of friends

your family

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland


27

sense of belonging to the more modern social unit of the online community is

far more widespread than in Switzerland, in Singapore or the USA.

In the USA and Singapore it would seem that young people generally feel less

sense of belonging to social units. However, a closer assessment of the re-

sponse pattern among the young people questioned shows that in these two

nations it is not necessarily the lack of an expressed sense of belonging, but

rather an absence of clearly focused opinions on one’s own sense of belonging.

In both Brazil and Switzerland, young people are very clear in expressing

whether they feel a sense of belonging to a certain social unit or not. In the

USA and Singapore, however, this is much less the case, and the respondents

opt more often in all cases for the category "don’t know" or even refuse to an-

swer. These differences in expressed opinion are sometimes less (belonging to

a circle of friends) and sometimes greater (belonging to the online community)

– but they are always present.

Fig. 21

The ever broader digitalization of life brings with it both advantages and disad-

vantages. The young people questioned in all countries are agreed that the

advances that have been achieved through the internet and ever greater con-

nectivity are very largely to be seen as positive. They are likewise agreed in the

USA, Brazil, Singapore and Switzerland that these advantages are greater for

the individual than for society on the whole.

International Comparison Feeling of Belonging to Social Units (1) "To which of the social units in this list do you feel you belong? For each of the social units listed, please list whether you feel you really belong, belong a little, do not really belong or do not belong at all."

your circle of friends


4350

36

63

32

35

43

317

3

1

139

12

5 3 4

5

41


I don't feel I belong at all

I don't really feel I belong


I feel I belong a little

I really feel I belong


International Comparison Feeling of Belonging to Social Units (9) "To which of the social units in this list do you feel you belong? For each of the social units listed, please list whether you feel you really belong, belong a little, do not really belong or do not belong at all."

an online community


2433

126

28

33

34

21

16

8

20

9

1916

21

28

13 10 13

36


I don't feel I belong at all

I don't really feel I belong


I feel I belong a little

I really feel I belong


28

Fig. 22

Insecurity with regard to the personal impacts of digitalization is most apparent

in the USA, while the advantages are most strongly felt in Brazil.

Fig. 23

The effective discrepancy between personal advantages on the one hand and

advantages for society on the other, however, is nothing like as great in any

other country as it is in Switzerland (13%). The proportion of respondents who

believe this development is more of an advantage for society higher here than

in any other country.

International Comparison Impact of Digitalization Personally and Society "The impact of digitalization on people’s lives is growing: electronically networked data is playing an increasingly important role in all activities. For you personally, is this...?/For society, is this…?

in % inhabitants between 16 and 25 years (sum of those for whom it is a big advantage/fairly advantageous)

66

79

75

77

83

86

60

72

for society

for you personally

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland


International Comparison Impact of Digitalization Personally "The impact of digitalization on people’s lives is growing: electronically networked data is playing an increasingly important role in all activities. For you personally, is this...?


29

47

24 22

43

39

53 57

17

6

124

7 915

4 2 2 26


a big disadvantage

fairlydisadvantageous

don’t know/nocomments

fairly advantageous

a big advantage


29

Fig. 24

3.1.1 Interim assessment

The internet permeates the life of everyone and most especially of young peo-

ple - the so-called digital natives. Almost all young people in all four of the coun-

tries covered by this study have easy access to the internet; usually every day

and all day via the smartphones that are now in extensive use.

Despite this constant availability of the internet and all its possibilities for inter-

change and networking, not every sphere of life takes place online to the same

extent, and there are also differences between the various countries.

In Switzerland, digitalization is mainly used as a practical opportunity for in-

creased efficiency and for easier handling of processes, such as job searches or

product comparisons. In spheres of life that are geared to social interaction,

such as flirting and dating, or for which a high level of confidence is required

(financial advice), young Swiss people still set great store by "analog" solutions.

The picture in the USA, Singapore and especially Brazil is rather different: Here,

digitalization penetrates deep into precisely these spheres of life. Online it is

often not the efficient fulfilment of a task that has priority in these countries,

but the individual person and social interaction; leisure time is spent on the

internet to a greater extent than in Switzerland and the use of the web is thus

more carefree.

International Comparison Impact of Digitalization Society "The impact of digitalization on people’s lives is growing: electronically networked data is playing an increasingly important role in all activities. For society, is this…?


25

48

2720

35

35

48

46

16

6

12

6

16

11

24

83 2 4

8


a big disadvantage

fairlydisadvantageous


fairly advantageous

a big advantage


30

3.2 Lifestyle, leisure time, communication

and interaction

3.2.1 Trends in all spheres of life: in & out

The permeation of everyday life by the internet and all its applications is also

reflected in what young people in the private lives describe as "in" and "out" and

what they also regularly use. All the everyday things that are ranked top in

terms of their trendiness and are also frequently used are products or services

that are inseparably associated with the internet. The only exception is in the

91 percent of respondents in Switzerland who report that meeting friends is in

(ranked 3rd together with YouTube) and that they do this frequently. Meeting

friends is nevertheless ranked in all countries among the top ten spheres of life

that are considered in and often done, if not in the top 3.

Fig. 25

While "holiday abroad" in the tow small countries of Switzerland and Singapore

are likewise in and often pursued, this is less of an issue in the USA and Brazil,

both large and expansive countries. In the USA, television plays much more of

a role, and as many as three of the top 10 in activities that are pursued most

frequently have something directly to do with television. By contrast, young

people in Switzerland ad Brazil go to the cinema more often and like to get to

know new people. These two activities are not among the top 10 activities

pursued either in the USA or in Singapore.

Fig. 26

69

69

69

69

72

77

77

79

80

85

getting to know new people

going to the movies

email

being yourself and notpretending to be someone else

meeting friends

downloading music

smartphone such asiPhone/Android/Blackberry

Facebook

WhatsApp

YouTube

in and used

Top-Ten: Trends All Areas of Life: In and Used Brazil"We have put together a list of very different things in life. Please judge whether these things are 'in' or 'out' in

your personal circle and also what your own opinion of them is."


gfs.bern, youth barometer, April-June 2015 (N = 1000)

68

71

73

74

79

88

91

91

94

95

airplanes

email

being yourself and not pretending to besomeone else

going to the movies

getting to know new people

going on holidays to foreign countries

YouTube

meeting friends

WhatsApp


in and used

Top-Ten: Trends All Areas of Life: In and Used Switzerland"We have put together a list of very different things in life. Please judge whether these things are 'in' or 'out' in




59

61

62

63

63

69

77

82

84

87

going on holidays to foreign countries

meeting friends

watch television and usesmartphone/tablet at the same time

downloading music

public transport (train, bus)

email

Facebook

YouTube

WhatsApp


in and used

Top-Ten: Trends All Areas of Life: In and Used Singapore"We have put together a list of very different things in life. Please judge whether these things are 'in' or 'out' in




64

66

67

68

69

69

71

73

83

83

meeting friends

watch television and usesmartphone/tablet at the same time

being yourself and not pretending to besomeone else

watching TV series

Facebook

Netflix/other TV streaming services

watching television

email


YouTube

in and used

Top-Ten: Trends All Areas of Life: In and Used USA"We have put together a list of very different things in life. Please judge whether these things are 'in' or 'out' in




31

What can be described as trendy in terms of society as a whole, but will play

less of a role in the life of individual respondents is indicated in the following

charts. As shown here, these are not so much the big trends in communication

as primarily illustrated above, but rather quite concrete and often expensive

hobbies or articles and vehicles, such as sports cars, which are described as

trendy in Switzerland, Singapore and the USA, even though the majority of

people do not effectively have (want) such a thing. But this category also in-

cludes various forms of biking or cycling, which are mainly an issue in Brazil and

Singapore, while they are less of a topic in Switzerland and are not a topic at all

in the USA.

Fig. 27

Especially in the USA and in Switzerland, on the other hand, the use of Tinder

or other dating apps and active involvement in youth organizations or sports

clubs appear to have become socially established, without them having so far

penetrated the individual lives of the respondents all too deeply.

Fig. 28

In Brazil, public transport, the use of landline phones and also writing SMS

messages are among the things that are not commonly regarded as trendy, but

are nevertheless engaged in. To a somewhat lesser extent, young people also

foster traditions and engage in charitable organizations. Only 11 percent of re-

spondents drink alcohol.

47

47

49

50

50

50

53

53

54

55

mountain bikes and bicycles/fixies (fixed gear bikes)

bikes with electric motors

NGOs (e.g. WWF, Amnesty International)

4x4 vehicles, SUV

electric cars (e.g. Tesla)/hybrid cars

sports cars

swimming

surfing

biking/cycling

martial arts

in and not used

Top-Ten: Trends All Areas of Life: In and Not used Brazil"We have put together a list of very different things in life. Please judge whether these things are 'in' or 'out' in




43

44

44

46

46

54

55

56

58

58

Netflix/TV-Streaming

Instagram

Tinder/dating apps

Spotify

sports clubs

football



Twitter

sports cars

in and not used

Top-Ten: Trends All Areas of Life: In and Not used

Switzerland"We have put together a list of very different things in life. Please judge whether these things are 'in' or 'out' in




32

32

32

33

33

33

39

40

41

42

biking/cycling

mountain bikes and bicycles/fixies(fixed gear bikes)

fitness training

wellbeing activities such as visiting spaand sauna and massage centres


going to clubs/to parties

4x4 vehicles, SUV


smartwatches/Apple Watch

sports cars

in and not used

Top-Ten: Trends All Areas of Life: In and Not used Singapore

"We have put together a list of very different things in life. Please judge whether these things are 'in' or 'out' in




31

32

35

35

36

36

41

43

43

45

Twitter

youth organizations (e.g.Scouts)

sports clubs

gay community (gay andlesbian)

Tinder/dating apps

4x4 vehicles, SUV

military

electric cars (e.g. Tesla)/hybridcars

smartwatches/Apple Watch

sports cars

in and not used

Top-Ten: Trends All Areas of Life: In and Not used USA"We have put together a list of very different things in life. Please judge whether these things are 'in' or 'out' in




32

Fig. 29

In Switzerland, however, things associated with tradition are often mentioned

as such which are not considered in within a person’s circle but which that

person nevertheless likes to do or make use of. Activities mentioned here are,

for example, handwritten letters, holidays in Switzerland, fostering Swiss tradi-

tions and engagement with religion. Interestingly, Facebook is also one of the

things considered not very trendy, but nevertheless keenly used, like public

transport – presumably both services that already form too much a part of eve-

ryday life for them to be described explicitly as trends.

Both in Singapore and especially also in the USA, hobbies in the classical sense

are again listed here. Neither surfing, martial arts nor baseball are described as

particularly in, but a significant proportion of respondents nevertheless describe

these activities as things they like to do themselves.

Fig. 30

Smoking and the use of drugs or performance-enhancing substances are things

that fall flat among respondents in all four countries and are hardly engaged in.

In Brazil and in Switzerland, political engagement is not very widespread.

11

12

13

13

13

14

15

19

20

22

drinking alcohol

supporting Braziliantraditions

being involved with acharitable organization

handwritten letters

watching television

email

being offline for a day

text messages

landline telephone


used but out

Top-Ten: Trends All Areas of Life: Used but Out Brazil"We have put together a list of very different things in life. Please judge whether these things are 'in' or 'out' in




15

15

15

16

22

22

23

26

26

35

public transport (train,bus)

dedicating yourself toreligion

Facebook

supporting Swisstraditions

going on holiday in yourown country

email


landline telephone

handwritten letters

text messages

used but out

Top-Ten: Trends All Areas of Life: Used but Out Switzerland"We have put together a list of very different things in life. Please judge whether these things are 'in' or 'out' in




15

16

16

16

18

18

18

19

21

26

watching TV

actively supporting environmentalissues

martial arts


email

handwritten letters

surfing

being involved with a charitableorganization

landline telephone

text messages

used but out

Top-Ten: Trends All Areas of Life: Used but Out Singapore"We have put together a list of very different things in life. Please judge whether these things are 'in' or 'out' in




13

13

13

14

14

15

16

16

18

22

being involved with a charitableorganization

baseball

biking/cycling

skateboarding

becoming a housewife andconcentrating on raising children


landline telephone

swimming

bowling

handwritten letters

used but out

Top-Ten: Trends All Areas of Life: Used but Out USA"We have put together a list of very different things in life. Please judge whether these things are 'in' or 'out' in




33

Fig. 31

An anti-trend is also discernible for the former pioneers of social networks

Myspace and Orkut and for the military, which - except in the USA - does not

enjoy a lot of popularity in any of the countries.

Fig. 32

3.2.2 Staying in the loop: communication and

media usage

The communication options most used among young people in all four coun-

tries reflect the repeatedly observed trends of digitalization and above all also

connectivity: On the one hand Facebook continues to play a major role; never-

theless by far the most commonly used form of communication in Switzerland,

Brazil and also Singapore at present is WhatsApp. This service adds to the clas-

sical SMS messaging service with characteristics of classical networks, making

it possible to communicate in groups, where many people can take part in a

discussion at the same time. By contrast, Twitter is not nearly so widespread.

One reason for this could lie in the fact that, conceptually, Twitter is not geared

to private communication, but is geared rather to a broad public.

35

35

37

40

41

47

49

60

63

63

military

gay community (gay and lesbian)

becoming a housewife andconcentrating on raising children

consumption of alcoholbefore going out (pre-drinking)

political parties

handwritten letters

consuming performance-enhancing substances (e.g. Ritalin)

smoking

Orkut

taking drugs

out and not used

Top-Ten: Trends All Areas of Life: Out and Not Used Brazil"We have put together a list of very different things in life. Please judge whether these things are 'in' or 'out' in




42

45

46

48

49

50

52

55

55

59

youth organizations (e.g. Scouts)

handwritten letters

smoking

military

4x4 vehicles, SUV

taking part in political demonstrations

political parties

dedicating yourself to religion

taking drugs

consuming performance-enhancingsubstances (e.g. Ritalin)

out and not used

Top-Ten: Trends All Areas of Life: Out and Not Used

Switzerland"We have put together a list of very different things in life. Please judge whether these things are 'in' or 'out' in




45

45

46

46

47

52

52

54

57

60

military

NGOs (e.g. WWF, AmnestyInternational)

alternative communities

youth organizations (e.g. Scouts)


gay community (gay and lesbian)

smoking

political parties

Orkut

MySpace

out and not used

Top-Ten: Trends All Areas of Life: Out and Not Used

Singapore"We have put together a list of very different things in life. Please judge whether these things are 'in' or 'out' in




38

41

41

41

42

45

47

47

50

68

hockey

Hi5


motorsports

landline telephone


smoking

taking drugs

golf

MySpace

out and not used

Top-Ten: Trends All Areas of Life: Out and Not Used USA"We have put together a list of very different things in life. Please judge whether these things are 'in' or 'out' in




34

Fig. 33

Relative passive and less flexible communication channels such as landline

phones or email are likewise used less often. It is interesting to see that

WhatsApp in the USA has not by any means outstripped classical SMS mes-

saging at present or is not even used as a service.

Fig. 34

In general it is apparent that the last few years have seen a steady and signifi-

cant increase in the spread of smartphones in all the countries studied. While

International Comparison Ways to Contact Friends "What ways do you use to contact your friends? Please list the types of media used for keeping in touch with your friends in the order of importance."


(important and second most important type of media)

2

85

3

8

5

23

27

39

80

5

9

2

36

56

9

4

3

5

14

6

39

37

72

3

84

2

6

3

50

17

24

22

iO/Viber

WhatsApp

Push to talk*

landline telephone

email

Twitter

mobile telephone

Facebook

text messages

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland

gfs.bern, youth barometer, April-June 2015 (N USA = 1000 / N BR = 1000 / N SG = 1000 / CH = 1009) *only polled in USA

28

75

61 62

6771

29 2926

31

20

9

46

3539

70

75 73

40

2824

4 3 4

11

49

80

66

79

85

66

80 84


April/May2013

April-June2014

April-June2015

SMS USA

SMS Brazil

SMS Singapore

SMS Switzerland

WhatsApp USA*

WhatsApp Brazil*

WhatsApp Singapore*

WhatsAppSwitzerland*

Trend International Comparison Ways to Contact Friends


* polled since 2013

"What ways do you use to contact your friends? Please list the types of media used for keeping in touch with

your friends in the order of importance."

in % inhabitants between 16 and 25 years (important and second most important type of media)

35

only a (bare) minority used smartphones five years ago, the proportion today

stands at almost 80 percent and in Switzerland even at almost 100 percent of

respondents. These devices allow quasi-multifunctional communication via

various networks, suppliers and service providers. However, the last few years

show the relevance of Facebook alone stagnating and for the first time since

the last survey in 2012 actually declining across the board.

Fig. 35

Although the internet plays an extremely important role in all four countries

studied, differences are nevertheless also apparent in the way it is effectively

used. In Brazil, more than half of young people spend more than three hours on

the internet every day, while in the USA and Singapore the proportion stands at

around 40 percent. Well over half of all respondents in these countries spend at

least two hours on the internet every day. The pattern is somewhat different in

Switzerland, where the young people surveyed spend much less time online

than their peers in the USA, Brazil and Singapore. The proportion of young peo-

ple who even spend no time on the internet, however, is negligibly small in all

countries.

74

8176

65

7369

58 56

71

7779 7977

79

77

77 8181

74

6560

43

52

68 67

75

83

36

48

61 64

71

77

8187

87

47 53

77

8694

95


April/May2013

April-June2014

April-June2015

FB USA

FB Brazil

FB Singapore

FB Switzerland

smartphones USA

smartphones Brazil

smartphones Singapore

smartphonesSwitzerland

Trend International Comparison Communication


"We have put together a list of very different things in life. Please judge whether these things are 'in' or 'out' in


Facebook (FB) and smartphones

in % inhabitants between 16 and 25 years, judging the media as 'in'

and using it themselves

36

Fig. 36

The suggestion that is sometimes put forward that young people will slowly

but surely turn their backs on Facebook and follow new trends, such as Insta-

gram or Twitter, in particular, is not (yet) reflected in this data. Young people in

all four countries still spend much more time with Facebook than with Insta-

gram.

Fig. 37

International Comparison Use of Media (1) "On an average day, how long do you use the following media for personal use?"

Internet in general/total time


42

54

42

20

17

9

14

19

1511

18

41

1220

13

184

1

3

110

510

1



not at all

less than one hour

between one and two hours

between two and three hours

more than three hours



Facebook/MySpace


7

19

6 3

7

11

55

18

20

2018

41

39

4852

17

6

10

22

105

11



not at all

less than one hour





37

Fig. 38

The fact that the use of Facebook - as described above - is somewhat less pro-

nounced in the USA and Switzerland also correlates with the slightly lower

membership rates of this social network in these two countries. Nevertheless,

Facebook is and remains a mass phenomenon in all countries and the absolute

majority of all young people are themselves members of the social network.

Fig. 39

In Brazil, young people are clearly less concerned that personal information on

Facebook could fall into the wrong hands than is the case in the other three

countries. But the discrepancy is noteworthy, as is the fact that 91 percent of

respondents in Switzerland are acutely aware of this risk. A majority in all coun-

tries are also of the opinion that, as a service, Facebook is changing the world –

although the great popularity of the network in the eyes of many is just a pass-

ing trend. In Switzerland, Facebook also represents a strong link to the "real"

offline world far more than in the other countries: 63 percent of respondents

state that they have already taken part in parties or events thanks to Facebook.

Young people in the USA (41%) are somewhat more affected by cyber bullying

or troublesome harassment than is the case in Brazil or Singapore (33% in each

case). Here, too, Switzerland stands out with its comparatively very low score.


Instagram


1 2 2 1

7 7 7

36

3847

29

46

46 3258

115

11

1

1 2 315



not at all

less than one hour






Twitter


1 2 1

30 2735

9

5562 48

87

115

12

1

1 1 1 2333



not at all

less than one hour





International Comparison Member of Facebook "Are you a member of Facebook?"


85

95 96

81

15

5 4

19


no

yes


38

Nevertheless, about one in five young people in Switzerland have already been

harassed on Facebook.

Young people in Singapore particularly have several Facebook profiles at the

same time, while this is much less the case in the USA, Brazil and above all

also in Switzerland.

Fig. 40

Usage behaviour in the case of chat services goes hand in hand with the pene-

tration of these services in the society of the country concerned: in the USA,

where WhatsApp is hardly used, young people also spend little time with it.

However, in the other countries, where the service has largely replaced the

classical SMS, young people will easily spend one or two hours talking with

friends on WhatsApp or other chat services.

By contrast, other services such as YouNow and the new Snapchat are not a

widespread topic in any of the countries.

International Comparison Statements about Facebook "Please tell me if the following statements about Facebook (FB) are true in your opinion."

data can fall into hands of wrong people "I'm aware that my data on Facebook can fall into the hands of the wrong people." changing the world "FB is changing the world." passing trend "FB is a passing trend." events and parties "I've already attended events and parties through Facebook." bullying "I've experienced bullying or annoying people trying to chat me up on FB." multiple FB profiles "I have multiple FB profiles."

in % inhabitants between 16 and 25 years (sum of those for whom definitely &

generally the case)

17

33

48

59

73

88

9

33

54

50

52

47

11

41

48

55

59

82

5

18

63

57

52

91

multiple FB profiles

bullying

events and parties

passing trend

changing the world

data can fall into hands of

wrong people

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland


39

Fig. 41

Clear majorities of young people in all four countries studied get information on

current events at least once a day and often even several times a day. This

remains more or less unchanged compared with the previous year or at most

shows a slight increase (in the USA and Singapore), while the proportion of

people who never or only rarely get information shows a downward trend.

Fig. 42

Young people, especially in Brazil and the USA, are particularly interested in

rather easily digestible topics such as music, computers and games, new prod-

ucts and brands.


WhatsApp or other chats (e.g. iO/Viber)


28

12 11

10

8 12

17

25

34

12

3042

40

73

102

311

511

112



not at all

less than one hour





International Comparison Information about Daily Events "How often do you use the media to inform yourself about daily events?"


35

4942 41

29

29

28 29

17

10

15 16

5

43

695

96

12

2 23 1 1



never

seldom

once a week

several times a week

daily

several times daily


40

Fig. 43

Young people in Switzerland, the USA and Brazil are also clearly more interest-

ed in the weather, general culture and politics than young people in Singapore.

On the other hand, regional activities or the economy are also much less of a

topic in the USA than in the other countries, especially Switzerland.

Fig. 44

The internet is not only the key factor that shapes communication among

young people, but apart from this opportunity for social interaction it also

serves as the primary source of information: in the USA, 35 percent of re-

spondents describe the internet as the most important source of information, in

Filter: Daily Events of Interest (1) "What interests you about the daily events?" Multiple answers possible


28

33

43

35

23

47

43

56

42

49

47

66

44

46

50

58

61

45

42

31

24

65

44

36

politics

culture

new products/brands

computer/games

weather

music

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland

gfs.bern, youth barometer, April-June 2015 (n USA = 943 / n BR = 974 / n SG = 963 / n CH = 998)

Filter: Daily Events of Interest (2) "What interests you about the daily events?" Multiple answers possible


4

29

32

24

34

42

37

11

42

41

54

24

29

33

36

36

1

43

28

43

35

60

1

2


business

people/VIPs

sports

events/parties/going out

regional news

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland


41

Brazil it is as many as 56, while in Singapore it stands at 27 and in Switzerland

at 22 percent.

Fig. 45

Essential as the internet is in all four countries studied, so too is it clear that the

general pattern of information procurement in Switzerland differs from that in

the other four countries: In the USA, Brazil and Singapore, Facebook plays a

crucial role as a source of information alongside news apps on smartphones

and, to a somewhat lesser extent, also television,. In Singapore, young people

actually get their information to the same extent on the internet in general as

they do specifically on Facebook. The phenomenon of the transformation of

Facebook from a trendy contact medium to a major new channel is accordingly

much more advanced in the other countries than it is in Switzerland. One cru-

cial reason for this probably lies in the fact that free newspapers are still regu-

larly consulted by very many young people and are regarded as an important

source of information. The radio also plays a bigger role in Switzerland than it

does in the USA, Singapore or Brazil. On balance, it is clear that young people

in Switzerland still put a lot of trust in offline sources of information – even

though they are constantly online.

An assessment of how important various sources of information are considered

in all four countries shows that the internet has been one of the absolutely

most important sources of information in all four countries ever since the start

of these surveys.

In Switzerland it is also striking that the relevance of television has declined

over the years, while the importance of news apps has increased in almost

inverse proportion. Young people in Switzerland thus consult news and (target-

ed) information on their smartphones and via their apps during the day, so the

evening news broadcast at home has hardly anything new to offer and is con-

sequently no longer ranked as important to the same extent as it was previous-

ly. The relevance of free newspapers, however, remains intact and radio is

consulted somewhat more again than it was. Facebook has increased slightly in

its importance as a source of information, but it remains marginal in its im-

portance.

International Comparison Filter: Most Important Source of Information "Which is the most important information source for you?"


12

12

58

14

19 21

2

113

221

5

22

17

27

1 11

2227

56

35

6

1

1

12

14

1

57 8

2132 2

5 4



other sources

weekly magazines

Twitter/social networks (other thanFacebook)

Facebook

purchased newspaper


free newspapers

radio

news apps on smartphone/tablets

TV


gfs.bern, youth barometer, April-June 2015 (n USA = 963/ n BR = 1000 / n SG = 962 / n CH = 998)

42

Fig. 46

Fig. 47

The picture looks quite different in this regard in Singapore. Here, the im-

portance of Facebook – in parallel with the internet in general – is enjoying a

positive upward trend. No other medium is so pivotal, and the relevance of the

news apps that have become so important in Switzerland seems rather to be

24

2023 22 23

22

1820 20 20

18

22

5 712

16

2221

1111

12 8

1211

2124

14 1510 8

5 2 2 33

58

87 7 6 5

2 1

4

3 12

1 1 1

2

2 2 2 2 12 2 2 1 1

Aug.-Oct.2010

May 2011 March/April2012

April/May2013

April-June2014

April-June2015

free newspapers

internet: newspages/newspaper pages

news apps on smartphone(iPhone/iPad/Android/

Blackberry)*radio

TV

Facebook

purchased newspapers

weekly magazines

other sources

Twitter/social networks (otherthan Facebook)**


Trend Filter Most Important Source of Information

Switzerland"Which is the most important information source for you?"


gfs.bern, youth barometer, April-June 2015 (n = approx. 990),

*up to 2014: news apps on smartphone (iPhone/iPad/Android), **up to 2014: internet: social networks

17

18

2717

2227

23

21

199

9 89

957

6 46

532

3 11 1 11 10 0 010 0

April/May 2013 April-June 2014 April-June 2015


Facebook

news apps on smartphone(iPhone/iPad/Android/Blackberry)

Twitter/social networks (other thanFacebook)*

TV


free newspapers


radio

other sources

monthly magazines

weekly magazines

Trend Filter Most Important Source of Information Singapore

"Which is the most important information source for you?"



*up to 2014: internet: social networks

43

on the decline again in Singapore. All other sources of information remain con-

tinuously low or have slightly decreased in relevance.

Fig. 48

In the USA, too, both Facebook and the internet in general have long been

among the most important information channels for young people aged be-

tween 16 and 25 years. Here, too, however – just as in Switzerland – there has

been a clear decrease in the relevance of television as a medium, while news

apps have shown a tendency to become more important.

Since the start of the surveys in 2010 the increase in the relevance of the inter-

net as a source of information has nowhere been as marked as it has been in

Brazil. The web there was always the main news bringer, but after a slump in

relevance around 2012 an unequivocal trend was recorded, restoring it to by far

the most important information medium again. Facebook is also becoming ever

more important, with as many as 17 percent citing the social network as the

first source of information, but at a much lower level compared with the inter-

net. The relevance of television here – as in all countries – is steadily declining,

and other sources such as free newspapers and also the otherwise so im-

portant news apps are rather negligible or almost non-existent.

31

3028

25

2535

1518 16 19

23 22

6

7

27

14 1214

2322

1218

1712

23 4 7

6 73

21 2

33

4

3

1

3 2 23

2

44

42

1

2

1 2 1 12 2

1 2 11 1


April/May 2013 April-June2014

April-June2015

internet: news pages/newspaper pages

Facebook


Blackberry)TV

Twitter/social networks (otherthan Facebook)*

other sources

radio


free newspapers


weekly magazines

monthly magazines

Trend Filter Most Important Source of Information USA





44

Fig. 49

On the other hand, much less television is watched in Switzerland than in Brazil

or Singapore. Here Switzerland is again to be compared rather with the USA as

TV country par excellence.

The steady decline in the relevance of television is a constant that can be seen

in all countries and in some cases is very marked. Indeed, less time is spent

watching television every day in all countries today than was the case last year

(more than three hours, two to three hours and one to two hours altogether)

and the proportion of young people who watch less than one hour of television

daily is falling.

48

37

3034

45

56

7 11 17 14 15

1720

31

22 24

15 12

2 2

8 9 6 65 4 6

53

1

54

4 43

1

2 3 2

6

2

11

2

1 1

2 1

1

211 1 1 11 1 1 1 1

Aug.-Oct.2010

May2011

March/April2012

April/May2013

April-June2014

April-June2015

internet: news pages/newspaper pages

Facebook

TV


Blackberry)Twitter/social networks(other than Facebook)*


free newspapers

radio

free newspapers

weekly magazines

other sources

Trend Filter Most Important Source of Information Brazil





45

Fig. 50


The internet and its constant availability via smartphone have had an incompa-

rably strong influence in shaping how young people today communicate and

what they talk about. It is the lubricant, as it were, that oils the machine of the

society in which young people move and keeps it running. All the everyday

things that are ranked top for their trendiness and are also frequently used are

products or services that are inseparably linked with the internet and resonate

widely as brands. In many respects and in many countries, YouTube,

WhatsApp and so on have replaced the more classical options for meeting up

with friends. But here, too, young people in Switzerland are somewhat more

reticent than those in other countries when it comes to the digitalization of

communication.

One expression of the increasing shift in certain social aspects, such as talking

with friends in the virtual world, is also the rapid spread of the messaging ser-

vice WhatsApp. In contrast to the classical SMS, WhatsApp allows several

people to take part in group conversations and unlike Facebook this conversa-

tion takes place in real time and in private without having to log in.

Immediate processing of transactions in real time strongly influences the way

young people get information and adopt innovations. Here, too, they immedi-

ately learn of events via news apps and push notifications on smartphones, so

when prime-time daily news is broadcast on the television it is already old

news. The marked increase in the relevance of the internet as primary infor-

mation medium is in direct inverse proportion to the loss of importance of tele-

vision. In all countries – but to a much lesser extent in Switzerland than in the

USA, Singapore and Brazil – a transformation is also taking place in Facebook;

away from a purely social network towards a news platform.


watching television on a TV set


18 156 4

1210

11 12

19

17

1826

22 38

30

36

18

15

24

22

115

11



not at all

less than one hour





46

3.3 Education, career, economy and finance

3.3.1 General information on education and work

An index consisting of nine different sub-questions on the individual attitude on

economic issues shows that young people in Brazil and Singapore are more

economically oriented than young people in the USA and Switzerland. With the

exception of some minimal changes, this finding is largely in keeping with the

results of the youth barometer in 2014 and underlined the comparability of the

two waves of questionnaires.

Fig. 51

Yet the strength of economic orientation does not automatically correlate with

the extent to which young people are in employment. For example, most

young people in Brazil are in full or part-time employment at 77 percent of re-

spondents (just ahead of the USA at 76 percent). In Singapore, the proportion is

substantially lower at 63 percent. Nevertheless, it has to be borne in mind that

only between 22 and 35 percent of respondents report not pursuing work in

any form. That is a relatively low number, when one considers that a substan-

tial proportion of young people are still likely to be in education in one form or

another. Especially in the USA, where the proportion of part-time employees is

relatively high, this probably reflects the fact that it is common practice for

young people there to take employment in parallel with their initial education.

International Comparison Full Index Economic Orientation Index constructed from items concerning economically relevant questions.*

having lots of money / ju3g: ideas determining life having a good career / ju3u: ideas determining life leisure is more important than work / education and training / ju14a: statements job/education the most important thing about work is to earn as much money as possible / ju14b: statements job/education interest in news about the economy / ju30: Interest daily events full-time occupation / ju7: occupation I would like to be wealthy later on / ju49a: financial statements I invest my money in shares / ju49d: financial statements I invest my money in investment funds or mutual funds / ju49e: financial statements


1118 19

7

39

4448

29

39

3028

41

11 8 5

24


very weak

fairly weak

fairly strong

very strong



47

Fig. 52

The information on the level of education and the school grades achieved gives

a relatively nuanced picture in Switzerland compared with the other countries.

This is especially true of the proportion of people who are still in school at pre-

sent. It is further noteworthy that the proportion of people in Switzerland who

state that they have only attended compulsory school education is extremely

high compared with the other countries. The reason for this probably lies in the

dual education system in Switzerland, where most young people decide after

their compulsory schooling to opt for an apprenticeship as a step on the path to

a career.

Fig. 53

International Comparison Occupation "Are you currently working or not?"


51

61

4352

25

16

20

20

22 22

35

27

2 1 2 1



no

yes, part time

yes, full time


International Comparison Schooling "Now let's talk about your training and education or your job. What school leaving qualification do you have?."


Jahren

43

3

27

34

26

19

33

22

25

36

25

3644 41

5

522

2 11

2



I’m in 10th grade*

I’m still in high school*

I'm still in secondary school

I've finished college/university

I've finished secondary school/high school

I've finished primary school

I did not finish school

gfs.bern, youth barometer, April-June 2015 (N USA = 1000 / N BR = 1000 / N SG = 1000 / N CH = 1009), *only polled in Switzerland

48

The open and thus multifaceted education system of Switzerland is also no-

ticeable with regard to the education and further training currently being pur-

sued. The statements of young Swiss people are much more diverse than the

statements in the other countries. Institutionalized further training opportuni-

ties, as for example in the framework of vocational training at higher education

institutions, are hardly available in the USA, Brazil or Singapore. Further training

in these countries usually consists in a language course, university or another

higher education institution. But once the initial education at school is complet-

ed, it is not usual in these countries to engage in active further education. This

is especially true of the USA but is also the case in Brazil and Singapore.

Fig. 54

At present, four of ten young people in the USA aged between 16 and 25 are

actively looking for work and almost as many in Brazil are looking for a (new)

job. In Singapore the proportion is much lower, while the percentage of young

people looking for a job in Switzerland is clearly the lowest at 19 percent. But

there is more to job search statistics than meets the eye: In Switzerland, most

of the young people concerned (10%) are looking for a new job while already in

employment. A somewhat smaller proportion (7%) are in part-time employ-

ment and looking for a new job or for a career entry after their education. The

proportion of people who are effectively unemployed is very low at 3 percent.

Fig. 55

International Comparison Filter Training and Further Education "Are you currently undertaking one of the following courses of training or further education?"

in % inhabitants between 16 and 25 years (sum of those who have completed school)

30

25

6

16 1418

20

4

19 9

2

5

13

8

16

66

50

61

17

94 2 1

1



no

other

IT courses

language courses

university

technical college*

higher vocational training*

apprenticeship with university entrancequalification*

apprenticeship or full-time vocational college*

gfs.bern, youth barometer, April-June 2015 (n USA = 582 /n BR = 539 / n SG = 565 / n CH = 854), *only polled in Switzerland

3 2 3 3 3 34 2 1 2 2 34

5 4 5 4 4

76 8 7 7

10

78 83 82 81 8278

4 2 2 2 2 2

Aug.-Oct.2010


April/May2013

April-June2014

April-June2015


not looking for a job

working full-time:looking for a job

working part-time:looking for a job

not working, butstudying/in training:looking for a job

not working, notstudying/in training:looking for a job

Trend Job Search Switzerland"Are you actively looking for a job at the moment?"


gfs.bern, youth barometer, April-June 2015 (N = approx. 1000)

5 5 6

6 4 5

97

7

1010

11

66 69 66

4 5 5

April/May2013

April-June2014

April-June2015







Trend Job Search Singapore"Are you actively looking for a job at the moment?"



49

Both in the USA and in Brazil, the proportion of people who currently have no

job is higher than in Singapore and especially in Switzerland.

Fig. 56

The chart below paints a basically positive picture of young people regarding

the world of work and the educational situation in Switzerland: While more than

40 percent of respondents are unclear about their own future careers, this is

not necessarily to be seen as something negative, since almost 60 percent say

they are very satisfied with their present situation. And only a comparatively

very small proportion of respondents give a negative overall assessment with

regard to the world of work, saying that it leaves them cold.

In Singapore and in the USA, the future career is also unclear to an even great-

er proportion of respondents than it is in Switzerland. Moreover, the proportion

of people who are completely satisfied with the present situation is smaller in

America than it is in Switzerland. As the case of Brazil shows, it is also wrong

to assume that a clear vision of one’s future career will automatically lead to

greater satisfaction with the current situation: In no other country studied is the

future career as clear to a similarly large proportion of young people as it is in

Brazil, but nowhere does the personal situation correspond less to actual wish-

es.

24

11 12 12 13 12

10 8 712

9

11

9 12 127

7

12

14 12 12 1110

5353 52 52 55

59

3 4 5 2 3

Aug.-Oct.2010


April/May2013

April-June2014

April-June2015







Trend Job Search Brazil"Are you actively looking for a job at the moment?"



28

12 9 10 12 14

16

9 910

10

912

13 1012 11

85 24

13 6 5

5551

44

55 56 54

4 1 3 4 6

Aug.-Oct.2010


April/May2013

April-June2014

April-June2015







Trend Job Search USA"Are you actively looking for a job at the moment?"



50

Fig. 57

Young people in all countries are (in some cases very) satisfied with the educa-

tional situation in general. A large proportion are convinced that education will

get them closer to their career objectives and also that they will be able to

complete the education that matches their personal dreams. But among all the

positive findings it is noticeable that the enthusiasm for one’s own educational

opportunities is lower in Singapore than in the other countries on almost all

questions. Only on the question of whether one’s own education is primarily an

interim step on the path to further training do young people in the USA tend –

albeit not by a large majority – towards the view that the present education is

also the final step.

Fig. 58

International Comparison Filter Statements on Profession and Education: All "How well do the following statements apply to you? Respond by entering a number from 0 to 100%."

professional future uncertain "I don't know what sort of professional future awaits me." current situation satisfies all my wishes today "The current situation satisfies all my wishes today." career landscape leaves me cold "The career landscape leaves me cold."


14.8

57.2

40.6

38.9

43.9

45

24.7

39.8

34.4

33.3

44

42.3

career landscape leaves

me cold

current situation satisfies

all my wishes today

professional future

uncertain

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland

gfs.bern, youth barometer, April-June 2015 (N USA = 1000 / N BR = 1000 / SG = 1000 / N CH = 1009)

International Comparison Filter Statements on Profession and Education: If still studying "How well do the following statements apply to you? Respond by entering a number from 0 to 100%."

education brings me closer to professional goals "Education and training bring me closer to my professional goals." education corresponds to dreams "Education corresponds to my dreams." education helps me fulfil myself "Education helps me to fulfil myself." education is an interim step "Education is an interim step on the way to another specialization program."

means values for inhabitants between 15 and 25 years (still studying)

64

74

62.6

63

62.3

53.9

58.7

59.7

70.9

64.9

70.2

65.1

71.3

68.2

70.1

57education is an interim

step

education helps me fulfil

myself

education corresponds to

dreams

education brings me

closer to professional

goals

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland


51

Moreover, the broad agreement with the statement that education is an essen-

tial lifelong process fits with the generally positive attitude with regard to edu-

cation and further training. A further reflection of the differences in the educa-

tion systems, and the strong position of vocational education in Switzerland, is

the huge difference expressed with regard to the statement that a university

education is the best basis for one’s own career. In Switzerland, those who

share this view are in a clear minority, while most young people in the USA,

Brazil and Singapore agree with the statement.

Fig. 59

Certain characteristics of Generation Y are also clearly discernible in the re-

sponse patterns of young people: in all countries, for example, they are broadly

in agreement that the present job is only temporary and therefore a certain

flexibility is also called for. Whether this flexibility is wanted or is also a reflec-

tion of the present economic situation is another issue. Of all the young re-

spondents, those in Switzerland rated their situation as comparatively very pos-

itive: They find their job both fulfilling and also in keeping with their dreams.

Switzerland is thus the only country where most young people give a positive

answer to both these questions. The opposite is the case in Singapore, where

young people are clearly less positive about their own employment situation.

International Comparison Statements on Profession:

Education/Training "To what extent do you agree with the following statements about work, education and training?"

learning whole life long "You have to continue learning your whole life long." university degree is the best basis for a career "A university degree is the best basis for a professional career." apprenticeship opens doors for further education "Today, an apprenticeship opens up all doors for further education and career." basic school education is good preparation for a career "Basic school education provides good preparation for the professional world." poor grades in school = poor work prospects "If you have poor grades in school, you will also have poor work prospects."

in % inhabitants between 16 and 25 years (sum of those who completely/tend to agree)

47

68

72

68

89

51

57

76

81

95

45

57

64

64

83

45

36

79

31

82

poor grades in school = poor

work prospects

basic school education is

good preparation for a career

apprenticeship opens doors

for further education

university degree is the best

basis for a career

learning whole life long

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland


52

Fig. 60

All respondents, especially those in Switzerland, are of the opinion that one’s

own job should definitely give pleasure. If it does not, according to the classical

representatives of Generation Y, then it would be better to change one’s job or

even profession, because anyone who enjoys his own profession will also suc-

ceed in it. But the idea of self-fulfilment is more deeply embedded in Switzer-

land than it is in the other countries: Here young people state to a lesser extent

that they are happy with their job. They strive less for the highest possible in-

come and value free time as very important.

Fig. 61

International Comparison Filter Statements on Profession and Education: If employed "How well do the following statements apply to you? Respond by entering a number from 0 to 100%."

position only temporary "My current position is only temporary." position helps me fulfil myself "My current position contributes to my own self-fulfilment." position corresponds to dreams "My current position corresponds to my dreams."

means values for inhabitants between 16 and 25 years (working)

51.2

51

58.8

27.3

32.4

56.9

29.6

43.8

59

32.4

45.1

63.8

position corresponds to

dreams

position helps me fulfil

myself

position only temporary

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland

gfs.bern, youth barometer, April-June 2015 (n USA = 173 / n BRA = 259 / n SG = 199 / n CH = 631)


Relevance in Life "To what extent do you agree with the following statements about work, education and training?"

don't enjoy work = change your job "If you don't enjoy your work, you should change your job." grateful for job "You should be grateful if you manage to even get a job." professionally successful "If you like doing something, you will be successful doing it professionally." professional online network = better job prospects "If you have a professional online network and are active on social media, you have better job prospects." earn as much money as possible "The most important thing about work is to earn as much money as possible." leisure is more important "Leisure is more important than work / education and training."


51

60

57

77

67

78

39

41

67

88

65

86

32

38

51

70

69

77

44

25

38

88

49

90

leisure is more important

earn as much money as

possible

professional online network =

better job prospects

professionally successful

grateful for job

don't enjoy work = change

your job

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland


53

The awareness and sensitivity of young people as regards discrimination are

also relatively pronounced in Switzerland. This is especially apparent with re-

gard to age, gender and foreign names.

Fig. 62

3.3.2 Dream job and goals in life

The absolute goal of the overwhelming majority of young people in all countries

is to shape their own lives so that they can pursue their own dreams, their free

time and job are in balance and they can develop their own talents. A great

many young people also wish for a certain minimum of material comfort in the

form of their own apartment or home.

The even stronger material or status-oriented goals, such as attaining a level of

prosperity higher than their own parents, the opportunity to earn a lot of money

or also having an academic education, are considered worth pursuing by a ma-

jority of young people in the USA, Brazil and Singapore, but clearly not in Swit-

zerland.


Discrimination "To what extent do you agree with the following statements about work, education and training?"

disadvantage if you are old "If you are old, you will be at a disadvantage in the professional world." disadvantage if you are female "Women are at a disadvantage in the professional world." disadvantage if you are young "If you are young, you will be at a disadvantage in the professional world." no job = your own fault "It's your own fault if you can't find a job." disadvantage if you have a foreign-sounding name "If you have a foreign-sounding name, you will be at a disadvantage in the professional

world."


28

51

45

45

64

18

34

39

50

55

38

37

47

50

46

61

40

46

57

74

disadvantage if you have a

foreign-sounding name

no job = your own fault

disadvantage if you are

young

disadvantage if you are

female

disadvantage if you are old

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland


54

Fig. 63

However individual, self-determined and self-fulfilling many members of Gen-

eration Y may be, a certain degree of security and clear prospects are neverthe-

less appreciated by a majority of respondents –in all countries. Job-related

stays abroad are also considered worth striving for especially in Singapore and

Brazil (by a slight majority), while only a minority of young people in Switzerland

and the USA consider this necessary.

Fig. 64

Otherwise, the country-specific differences are relatively slight. However, one

result stands out: in Singapore there tends to be more emphasis on the individ-

ual and less on the individual’s own place in society as a whole. They want to

International Comparison Life Goals (1) "When you think of your life's goals, which one of the following you definitely want, which ones you definitely want to avoid, and which ones you expect to decide spontaneously depending on the turns you life takes."

in % inhabitants between 16 and 25 years (sum of those with definite/likely goal)

30

57

70

62

84

77

86

63

63

65

62

73

73

66

70

82

74

76

81

81

82

59

67

70

71

70

76

76

achieve greater prosperity than my

parents

professional career

try out and discover many different

things

develop my own talents

maintain a balance between leisure

and work

own house/own apartment

pursue my own dreams

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland



iin % inhabitants between 16 and 25 years (sum of those with definite/likely goal)

52

70

36

37

47

73

71

49

54

44

51

64

49

56

63

61

66

60

57

73

71

44

53

51

54

55

61

62

have a secure social position

become familiar with many

countries and cultures

higher academic education

(Master's/doctorate/post-doctoral

lecturing qualification)

general academic education

(Bachelor's)

have a lot of money

leave an intact environment to

future generations

family and kids

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland


55

earn a lot of money, have their own house or apartment or pursue their own

dreams. Starting a family, leaving behind an intact environment for future gen-

erations or achieving a firm place in society are considered less important

goals.

Fig. 65

When it comes to future employer and dream job, the location of the company

is a very crucial factor in many respects – ahead of actual job-specific criteria –

behind a young person’s decision as to whether he or she would basically like

to be employed in the company concerned or not. In Switzerland, but especially

also in the USA, a clear majority of young people would like an employer in the

place where they live or at least in their own canton or their vicinity. The fre-

quently cited mobility on the part of employers is thus not simply considered a

given in these two countries. In Brazil and Singapore, however, young people

can imagine to a considerably greater extent working in a large international

company or abroad. The attraction of a job with an international company is also

appreciated in Switzerland – but only as long as their own workplace also re-

mains in the country.


in % inhabitants between 16 and 25 years (sum of those with definite/likely goal)

7

18

57

43

54

45

40

30

32

35

50

39

33

40

26

30

84

50

81

56

69

24

28

37

41

38

47

56

rise into the ranks of the VIPs

have multiple professions in

different fields

general vocational education

professional experience abroad

training to become a specialist

improve the world/fight for social

justice

avoid living life according to a fixed

plan

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland


56

Fig. 66

A job in a company with close links to the state, in a federal (government) de-

partment, or in regional administration is primarily found attractive by young

people in Switzerland, Brazil or Singapore, while only around 30 to 40 percent

of young people in the USA consider it an attractive option.

Fig. 67

International NGOs bring up the rear in terms of attractive employers in almost

all countries (in Singapore, only family companies are even less popular em-

ployers). In the USA, only one in five young people would like a job with an

NGO, while in the other countries the proportion is somewhat higher. But in

Brazil one in two people would like to work for an NGO. This might have some-

International Comparison Request Where to Be Employed (1) "Tell me where you would like to be employed."

in % inhabitants between 16 and 25 years (sum of those who would really like/preferred place of

employment)

80

67

42

60

59

74

76

79

69

55

51

55

68

76

43

52

57

58

66

67

72

72

74

60

59

51

67

in the country at a large

multinational company

with a large company operating

only in the own country

at a family business

at a regionally active small or

medium-size company

with a small or medium-size

private company*

at a company in my home state

at a company near to where I

live

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland

gfs.bern, youth barometer, April-June 2015 (N USA = 1000 / N BR = 1000 / N SG = 1000 / N CH = 1009),

*not polled in Switzerland

International Comparison Request Where to Be Employed (2) "Tell me where you would like to be employed."

in % inhabitants between 16 and 25 years (sum of those who would really like/preferred place

of employment)

45

68

67

51

61

76

50

72

69

51

62

77

20

52

33

36

37

43

42

48

57

45

58

with an NGO

overseas at a large

multinational company

with a state-related company

at an export oriented small or

medium-size company

with the government or a local

authority

with a large, internationally

operating company*

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland

gfs.bern, youth barometer, April-June 2015 (N USA = 1000 / N BR = 1000 / N SG = 1000 / N CH = 1009), *not polled in Switzerland

57

thing to do with the fact that the presence of NGOs in this country is different

and that such a job – as in many emerging nations – still tend to be associated

with more status and security. In Brazil, for example, work with an NGO is also

likely to be financially more attractive than it is in Singapore, Switzerland or the

USA – three countries that, in global terms, tend to be among the "donors".

In the USA, the most attractive jobs are in the media, telecommunications and

electronics sectors and in healthcare. In Singapore and Brazil, however, the

world of banking and the tourism and travel sector tend to attract young peo-

ple. While the latter is certainly also considered attractive by a majority in Swit-

zerland, this is very clearly not the case with the banking sector, which is con-

sidered to be one of the most unpopular employers. Besides the tourism sec-

tor, a job in education also seems much more attractive in Switzerland than it is

in other countries.

Fig. 68

It is striking that young Americans on average appear to be less enthusiastic

than young people in other countries with regard to work in various sectors.

Indeed, a majority in the USA could not get enthusiastic about any of the sec-

tors mentioned and nowhere were the figures as low as in the USA, where just

20 percent of respondents expressed a positive view about a job in commerce,

the construction industry, the insurance sector or the watch industry.

Precisely the opposite is the case in Brazil: Here young people tend to be very

much more positively disposed towards more areas of work – especially also

the otherwise rather unpopular sectors such as construction or the insurance

sector.

By contrast, the mood in Singapore and Switzerland is somewhat more selec-

tive. Here they are sometimes as positive as young people in Brazil, but some-

times also less enthusiastic as in the USA.

International Comparison Requested Industry to be Employed (1) "Tell us in which industry you would like to be employed."

in % inhabitants between 16 and 25 years (sum of those who would very much like to be employed

there/would prefer to be employed there)

41

53

53

40

42

36

57

42

55

50

43

49

45

50

49

60

50

50

46

57

55

40

42

42

41

40

45

49

show business/culture

tourism/travel

teaching and education

luxury goods

health

telecommunications/

electronics

media

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland


58

Fig. 69

The demands and wishes that young people have of their employer are diverse

and are clearly expressed. From a battery of criteria mentioned, there is hardly

one in all countries that was not perceived as very or quite important, usually by

a very clear majority. The two most important criteria are having a good boss

and working for a company that demonstrates generous and tolerance towards

its own employees. But clear majorities also want their future employer to offer

flexible working hours, a good reputation on the market, a modern outlook or

opportunities for further training.

Fig. 70

International Comparison Requested Industry to be Employed (2) "Tell us in which industry you would like to be employed."

in % inhabitants between 16 and 25 years (sum of those who would very much like to be employed

there/would prefer to be employed there)

27

31

26

43

31

30

34

31

28

31

21

46

54

41

44

40

36

34

37

45

61

35

46

40

20

21

21

21

30

30

34

35

insurance

watches

construction

commerce

banking

pharmaceuticals

food/consumer goods

fashion/textile

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland


International Comparison Important Factors Employer (1) "How important are the following factors in an employer?"

in % inhabitants between 16 and 25 years (sum of those for whom very/fairly important)

86

84

81

86

82

91

91

91

94

89

93

89

95

96

78

82

85

84

86

89

91

97

97

65

81

72

88

84

modern workplace

modern and creative

women can have a good

career

good reputation in the market

flexible hours

generous and tolerant

towards employees

good boss

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland


59

In the international comparison, it is noticeable that young people in Switzer-

land are somewhat less demanding as regards their (future) employer. Here,

too, every criterion mentioned – apart from the opportunity to work from home

and the engagement of the employer in the area of culture and sport – was

considered important by a majority. These majorities, however, are often less

marked than they are in the other countries - for example, in the field of an

employer’s social engagement, promotion of women, flexible working hours

and the above-mentioned activity as a sponsor or the opportunity to work from

home.

Fig. 71

3.3.3 Finances

It is clear that young people want a certain material security both now and in

the future. They want to have their own house or apartment one day and to

have a certain level of assets – despite all the willingness to pay for certain

freedoms. On the other hand, young people in all four countries also save on a

regular basis, even though there are certainly marked differences here between

the countries: In Switzerland 82 percent of respondents report regularly setting

money aside, whereas this percentage in the USA is lower at just under 20

percent.

Surprisingly, far more young people in Switzerland and Brazil have a credit card

than in the USA, which is commonly perceived as living on credit much more.

International Comparison Important Factors Employer (2) "How important are the following factors in an employer?"

in % inhabitants between 16 and 25 years (sum of those for whom very/fairly important)

57

77

67

64

85

72

77

68

82

79

88

90

52

66

67

66

72

76

48

45

72

59

87

76

supports cultural and sporting

activities as a sponsor

possible to work from home

option of part-time work

actively involved in social /

charitable projects

offers further training

opportunities and placements

abroad

environmentally friendly

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland


60

Fig. 72

The following chart shows that it is not for nothing that this picture of a nation

that tends to take on debt quite quickly exists in the case of the USA. Together

with Brazil, young people here quite clearly have the biggest and most financial

commitments. This is much less so in Singapore, and in Switzerland less than 5

percent of young people have debts outside the family. Within the family it is a

somewhat different picture: here the Swiss are also quite prepared to take on

debt. In the USA especially the financial commitments of young people have

tended to increase somewhat compared with the previous year.

Fig. 73

International Comparison Financial Statements "Do the following financial statements apply to you?"

in % inhabitants between 16 and 25 years (sum of those who agree entirely)

24

28

35

36

38

76

86

83

13

23

34

24

61

76

77

90

14

18

27

31

43

64

79

9

9

27

60

82

62

83

83

I invest my money in shares

I invest my money in investment

funds or mutual funds

I use store credit cards (Wal-Mart,

Victoria’s Secret, Best Buy, Home

Depot)

I donate part of my money to a

charitable cause

I own a credit card

I save regularly

I would like to be wealthy later on

I would like to own my own

house/own apartment/condo

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland

gfs.bern, youth barometer, April-June 2015 (N USA = 1000 / N BR = 1000 / N SG = 1000 / N CH = 1009), *only polled in USA, Brazil and Singapore

International Comparison Financial Obligations "Do you personally have the following financial obligations?"

in % inhabitants between 16 and 25 years (sum of yes responses)

8

14

16

6

9

12

2

21

27

15

29

22

10

17

18

19

21

26

3

13

3

4

2

4

mortgage

debts to acquaintances/family

debts to mobile phone provider

leased or financed car

debts to credit card companies

private debts/private loan

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland


61

Although the financial commitments in the various countries show a relatively

varied picture, young people in the USA, Brazil and also Singapore are approxi-

mately the same in the extent to which they see these commitments as a bur-

den (60% very/quite burdensome). In Switzerland, however, where these

commitments are also effectively lower, only about half as many young people

consider their own commitments to be a burden (35% very/quite burdensome).

Fig. 74

The way in which young people spend and allocate their money has remained

largely unchanged since the last survey. In Singapore, three-quarters is saved

or invested, in Brazil slightly less, in the USA around 60 percent and in Switzer-

land only half.

Fig. 75

International Comparison Filter: Burden of Financial Obligations "In your life, do you find your financial obligations a very large, rather large, rather small, very small or no burden?"

in % inhabitants between 16 and 25 years with financial obligations

2218 18

11

3738 40

24

2826

33

6 14 6

14

16

3 2 2 2

29

524


don't know/no comment

no burden

small burden

rather small burden

rather large burden

very large bruden


International Comparison Assignment of $ 10'000/S$ 10'000/

R 10'000/CHF 10'000

save/invest

"You were given a gift of US$ 10'000/S$ 10'000/R$ 10'000/CHF 10'000, what would you do with the money?"


865

1201

725

1253

3704

7748

1310

3900

7181

762

1399

3649

6912

5572

2566

776

778

289

1163

599

691

681

555

547

save it for a rainy day

invest in shares/funds

save up for my family

save up to buy a house

pay into my savings account

total spend/invest

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland


62

Since young people in Switzerland would spend a much higher proportion of a

monetary gift, the proportions are the highest in many areas of expenditure.

This applies very clearly to vacations, but also to non-food goods of all kinds,

gifts and spending for the family. Despite the higher proportion overall that

young Swiss people would spend, young Americans tend to donate somewhat

more and also spend more on the purchase of a car.

Fig. 76


Self-fulfilment and work that is fulfilling and conforms to the individual’s own

talents remain very strong needs of today‘s 16 to 25-year-olds, so in this regard

at least the respondents fir the classical pattern of Generation Y. Despite all

their love of freedom, however, other tones are discernible, and material secu-

rity such as the opportunity to earn enough money to be able to save or buy a

house is also a key need. There is thus no straightforward continuation of the

"unreserved" trend towards post-materialistic values among young people. The

sustained economic crises in Europe and the USA and the generally rather un-

certain global situation are shaping the socialization of the generation that is

now growing up. For the first time, there is a real chance that they will not

simply grow into a life that is superior to that of their own parents in terms of

prosperity and security. The different financial commitments that a substantial

proportion of young people already have constitute a burden for many.

Only clear minorities in all countries therefore go along with the statement that

"the world of work leaves (them) cold" and the view that free time is more im-

portant than work or education is not shared by broad majorities. Young people

want to work and pursue their own career. Nevertheless, young people today

are also far removed from the idea of unconditional sacrifice to work. They have

very clear wishes and requirements of their employers; they want good bosses

and modern, flexible workplaces with a good atmosphere. Workforce mobility

is by no means a given: while young people in Brazil and Singapore would be

prepared to move abroad for a job, few people in Switzerland and the USA have

much enthusiasm for this prospect and would prefer to stay in their own re-

gion.

International Comparison Assignment of $ 10'000/S$ 10'000/

R 10'000/CHF 10'000

spend "You were given a gift of US$ 10'000/S$ 10'000/R$ 10'000/CHF 10'000, what would you do with the money?"


130

214

829

495

128

2254

343

775

586

438

2821

445

468

788

4399

554

740

367

1401

521

313

172

331

291

64

103

266

89

124

200

301

254

3088

631

102

99

sports/buy sports equipment

spend it on cosmetics/hair/pampering

buy presents

buy clothes/shoes/jewellery

go on holiday

donate it

spend it on my family

buy a car

total spend

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland


63

3.4 Politics; views, problems and concerns

3.4.1 Basic attitude to politics

Politics plays a secondary role in the life of young people in Singapore, Brazil

and Switzerland. Although they certainly consider various social and economic

issues, such as unemployment or the issue of migration, have form opinions on

these issues and express their concerns, they are only interested to a slight

extent in everything that falls under the broad headings of "politics" and "political

engagement".

If an index is calculated from all the questions that touch on the willingness to

become politically involved, the outcome in all countries shows it to be quite

weak or very weak. While the willingness to become politically engaged re-

mains higher in Brazil than in the other countries and has increased again slight-

ly since last year, after a general sense of disillusionment, even here only 35

percent of respondents report being politically involved to some extent. In Sin-

gapore, the willingness to become engaged runs especially deep, which is

hardly surprising in light of the rather authoritarian political structures. It is also

interesting that values in Switzerland and the USA are the same, although

Switzerland offers far more opportunities for participation in the political pro-

cess with its direct democracy institutions.

Fig. 77

It is also symptomatic of the low level of political involvement that the classical

left/right position of the party spectrum is actually of any importance for only a

minority of young people. Apart from in Switzerland, where young people most-

ly express an opinion in this regard, in no other country is it possible to identify

any clear position on this axis.

International Comparison Full Index Political Commitment Index constructed from items concerning politically relevant questions.*

being committed politically / ju3w: ideas determining life interest in news about politics / ju30: Interest daily events taking part in political demonstrations / ju52af: activities/lifestyle political parties / ju52bd: activities/lifestyle sympathy for a party given/ ju42: party preference political orientation given / ju45: left-/right classification


8 114

2024

1320

28

27

3228

4438

52 48

3


very weak

fairly weak

fairly strong

very strong



64

Fig. 78

Last year, saw a slight increase among young people in their willingness to

become socially engaged for society and their fellow human beings. This year

has also seen a further sight increase in most countries. Only in Brazil is this

not the case (-2% very/quite strong). However, this also remains the country

with by far the greatest willingness to become engages and also the only coun-

try where the index shows a majority is at least quite strongly engaged.

Fig. 79

After a decline last year, young people in Brazil this year also expressed little

pride in their country, and in the USA, too, a slight decrease was noted, even

though the majority of young people here remain proud of being American. On

International Comparison Left-/Right Classification "Left, centre and right are three terms that are frequently used to describe political views. Can you tell me where you yourself stand on this scale, where '0' means far left, '5' in the middle and '10' means far right?"


16 179

28

12 13

10

914

15

13

3229 25

36

13

29 30 32

18



no meaning

right

centre

left


International Comparison Full Index Social Commitment Index constructed from items concerning socially relevant questions.*

living and acting responsibly / ju3k: ideas determining life helping disadvantaged people / work for charity / ju3x: ideas determining life fighting grievances and injustice around the world / ju3ad: ideas determining life actively involved in social / charitable projects / ju12g: factors employer actively supporting equality between men and women / ju52ae: activities / lifestyle

being involved with a charitable organization / ju52ag: activities / lifestyle membership NGO / ju52bc: activities / lifestyle I donate part of my money to a charitable cause / ju49g: financial statements


1420

6 7

35

41

32 26

31

29

3639

2010

26 28


very weak

fairly weak

fairly strong

very strong



65

the other hand, in Singapore almost 10 percent more than in 2014 report being

proud of their country, while the proportion of proud Swiss remains exactly the

same.

Fig. 80

The biggest differences between the countries are regularly identifiable in the

political questions. This is especially apparent in the assumed reputation of

their own country abroad. While only very small proportions in Singapore and

Switzerland believe their country has a very poor image, those in the USA and

Brazil who think their country has a poor reputation are in the majority. Never-

theless, young people in Brazil are no longer quite as convinced as they were of

their own country’s poor image and 9 percent more than in the previous year

say they don’t know how their country is seen in other parts of the world. In

this sense the values in Brazil are stagnating and those in the USA are at a low

level.

Fig. 81

In none of the four countries do young people express unreserved trust in their

government and believe the government would never fail. However, in no

country is the expressed discontent as clear as it is in Brazil, where more than

International Comparison Pride of Country "How proud of USA/Brazil/Singapore/Switzerland are you?"


2228 27

37

8

53 53

8

2

3 8

25

54

13 7

8

33

3 5

3


not proud at all

not really proud


fairly proud

very proud


International Comparison Image own Country abroad "In your opinion, how is the USA/Brazil/Singapore/Switzerland perceived abroad or what is its image abroad? Is it very positive, fairly positive, fairly negative or very negative?"


6

1926

22

11

6455

15

11

84

39

44

81318

32

2

2

1


very negative

fairly negative


fairly positive

very positive


35 36

47

41

28 28

43

52 51

47

14 13

77 79

8382

85

92

87

79 82

Aug.-Oct.2010


April/May2013

April-June2014

April-June2015

USA

Brazil

Singapore*

Switzerland

Trend International Comparison Image Own Country Abroad


* polled since 2013

"In your opinion, how is America/Brazil/Singapore/Switzerland perceived abroad or what is its image abroad?

Ist it very good, positive, fairly negative or very negative?"

in % inhabitants between 16 and 25 years, sum of very good and positive responses

66

80 percent of respondents share a sense of constant government failure, as

was already the case in the previous year. In Switzerland and the USA, too,

there is a relatively widespread mistrust of government, while in Singapore this

criticism is somewhat quieter. But here, too, 64 percent of respondents report

that their government can be wrong at least now and then.

Fig. 82

In direct correlation with the disfavour in which the government is held, the

expressed need for reform in Brazil is also the loudest and largely the same as

last year. In Singapore, however, the wish for changes in the political landscape

has declined slightly. However, the continuity shown below in the agreement

with the need for reform in Switzerland only gives half the picture. If those

young people who completely or quite agree with the need for reform are add-

ed together, then a 6 percent increase is apparent compared with the last year.

Fig. 83

International Comparison Failure of Government "Do you feel that the politics of the government and administration fail when it comes to important issues? Is this often, occasionally or never?"


38

83

11

26

46

13

64

50

3

7 3

13

2

18 21

2



never

occasionally

often

gfs.bern, youth barometer, April-June 2015 (N USA =1000 / N BR = 1000 / N SG = 1000 / N CH = 1009)

International Comparison Need of Reform "We gathered a view of the USA / Brazil / Singapore / Switzerland and its politics – to what extent do you agree?"

"The political system in the USA / Brazil / Singapore / Switzerland needs fundamental reform."


32

77

135

40

14

41

34

21

4

22

25

6

20

29

1 2 4 73


don't agree at all

don't really agree


tend to agree

agree entirely


38 36

5140

42 38

70

63

5760

81 83

1813 11

36 3430 23

26 2623

25

4434

28 32

66

65

60

58

78 77

2015 13

8 9 94 6 5

Aug.-Oct.2010


April/May2013

April-June2014

April-June2015

failure of governmentUSA*

failure of governmentBrazil*

failure of governmentSingapore*

failure of governmentSwitzerland*

need for reformsUSA**

need for reformsBrazil**

need for reformsSingapore**

need for reformsSwitzerland**

Trend International Comparison View on Politics and

Government


failure of government "Do you feel that the politics of the government and administration fail when it comes to

important issues?"

need for reform "To what extent do you agree: the political system in the USA/Brazil/Singapore/Switzerland

needs fundamental reforms."

*in % inhabitants between 16 and 25 years (who think this is often)

**in % inhabitants between 16 and 25 years (who agree entirely)

67

3.4.2 Perception of problems

Switzerland, the USA, Brazil and Singapore are countries with very different

histories, political and economic structures and values. These striking differ-

ences of setting in which the young people surveyed in the study are growing

up are probably most impressively illustrated in the consolidation of issues de-

scribed as the five most important problems of the country.

Different though the perception of problems is between the countries, this

perception nonetheless remains broadly similar within a country over the

course of time. This is true, for example, of the question concerning foreigners

in Switzerland, seen to be the most urgent problem to be resolved exactly as it

was already in 2014; in the USA it is unemployment and in Brazil corruption that

are seen as the most urgent problems. The ranking of the next leading prob-

lems remains relatively stable in Switzerland, while in the USA, Brazil and also

Singapore there is much more movement in the ranking. In Singapore, the ag-

ing of the indigenous population and the low birth rate featured in the range of

problems surveyed for the first time and were immediately ranked ahead of all

other relevant issues.

Fig. 84

Trend International comparison of five most important problems

"In the list below you will see several topics which have been discussed and written about a great deal recently. Read

through the entire list and choose five points which you personally feel are the greatest problems of Switzerland/the

USA/Brazil/Singapore."


foreigners/freedom

of movement/

immigration

51% → unemployment 50% ↘ corruption** 73% →

aging of indige-

nous population/

low birth rate

39

%

old-age pen-

sions/retirement

provisions

43% → terrorism 33% ↗ unemployment 59% ↗

inflation/currency

devaluation/

inflation

36

% ↘

refugee/asylum

issues 38% ↗ racism/xenophobia 30% ↗

inflation/currency

devalua-

tion/inflation

29% ↗ unemployment 33

% ↘

environmental pro-

tection/climate

change/ecological

disasters

25% → corruption** 29% → urban violence 29% → pay 32

% ↘

EU/Bilateral Agree-

ments/European

integration issues*

23% → fuel/oil price 25% ↘ fuel/oil price 28% ↗

health issues/

health insurance/

premiums

26

% →


*only polled in CH, **only polled in USA, BR and SG

→ = changes within sampling error

Besides the issue of foreigners and freedom of movement, the discussions

around old-age pensions and retirement provisions, the refugee problem and

questions concerning the EU and the Bilateral Agreements continue to rank

high in the perception of problems in Switzerland. A new feature of the ranking

this year is that environmental and climate protection has taken the place of

unemployment among the top 5 problems. The marked increase in the percep-

tion of problems associated with refugee and asylum issues is to a certain ex-

tent a reflection of the present global situation, where the conflict in Syria and

the dramas in the Mediterranean are constantly in the news. With regard to

unemployment, a key concern in all other countries, ever fewer young people

since 2013 have seen any urgent need for action. The perception of problems

since then has more than halved.

68

Fig. 85

In the USA, unemployment is no longer perceived as a problem to the same

extent as it was in 2013. Nevertheless, 50 percent of respondents are still

agreed that this is the area with the greatest need for action. In keeping with

what has now been a low fuel price for some time, this continues to become

less of a sensitive issue and now only just ranks among the most important

problems. Instead, young people in the USA increasingly consider terrorism and

also racism in their own country as a problem in urgent need of action.

Fig. 86

4445 44 50 49

51

42

36 34 37 4143

22 22

3030

26

38

2934

29 27

23

25

11

9 1110

26

232223

17 15

2322

13

27

24 22

1915

15 18

20

17

15 15

4239

32 32

24

1514

Aug.-Oct.2010


April/May2013

April-June2014

April-June2015

freedom of movement to/from othercountries immigrants/ immigration*

old age pensions/retirementprovisions

refugees/asylum issues

protecting the environment/globalwarming/environmental disasters

EU/Bilateral Agreements/EuropeanIntegration

racism/xenophobia

energy issues/nuclear energy/security of supply

safeguarding the social welfaresystem/AHV+IV/Social Security

unemployment **

data protection online/ cyberespionage

Trend Greatest Problems Top Ten Switzerland

"In the list below you'll see several topics which have been discussed and written about a great deal recently.

Read through the entire list and choose five points which you personally feel are Switzerland's greatest

problems."


gfs.bern, youth barometer, April-June 2015 (N = approx. 1000),

*up to 2014: foreign nationals, integration of foreign nationals/ free movement of people

**up to 2014: unemployment/unemployment among youth

61 61

52 5457

50

33

2728

33

24

33

16 17 1619 20

30

23 25 2427 29 29

41

56

4644

37

25

33

2728

25

33

24

26

28

23 25

29

23

20

7 8 811

15 1915 11 13

15

21

19

Aug.-Oct.2010


April/May2013

April-June2014

April-June2015

unemployment *

terrorism

racism/xenophobia

corruption

gasoline and oil prices

health issues/health insurance/premiums

schools and the educationsystem/educational reforms**

unemployment among youth

gender equality/sexism at theworkplace

wages

Trend Greatest Problems Top Ten USA


Read through the entire list and choose five points which you personally feel are American's greatest

problems."


gfs.bern, youth barometer, April-June 2015 (N = approx. 1000),

*up to 2014: unemployment/unemployment among youth, **up to 2014: schools and the education system

69

More than 70 percent of young people in Brazil believe the problem of corrup-

tion is out of control and is also by far the greatest evil in the country in 2015.

After many years of stagnation at a high level, unemployment this year is a

concern for around two-thirds of all young people and thus almost 20 percent

more than in 2014. Unlike in the USA, fuel and oil prices and inflation are in-

creasingly a concern for young people in Brazil.

Fig. 87

As already mentioned above, young people in Singapore are very concerned

about the aging of the population and the low birth rate. In other respects, too,

results show that a new dynamic appears to be setting in in the cycle of per-

ceived problems, and what were seen last year as particularly urgent problems

are all becoming less relevant. Instead, the primary focus now is on issues

associated with the population structure of the city state. This is also apparent

from the marked increase in concerns surrounding the decline of the popula-

tion. Also in Singapore, there is a growing fear of the diffuse risk of extremism

and terrorism.

62

51 50

63

75 73

46

4443

42

41

59

1010

11 16

23

2933

25

2932 29

2120

20

25

21

28

41

30

2424

38

26

27

3025

2727

22

30

25

30

24

17

20

29

2216

18

25

20

28

24

15

19

29

19

Aug.-Oct.2010


April/May2013

April-June2014

April-June2015

corruption

unemployment *

inflation/currency devaluation/rise inprices

urban violence

gasoline and oil prices


wages


personal safety/criminality/violenceamong young people/violence in

citiesschools and the educationsystem/educational reforms**

Trend Greatest Problems Top Ten Brazil


Read through the entire list and choose five points which you personally feel are Brazilian's greatest problems."



*up to 2014: unemployment/unemployment among youth, **up to 2014: schools and the education system

70

Fig. 88

The problems of aging that are so apparent in Singapore, as shown in the

above explanation, are also very present in Switzerland. In the other countries,

too, this issue is a concern for young people, but quite evidently not to the

same extent and, particularly in Brazil, a conflict between the generations ap-

pears to be less salient.

Fig. 89

The lower salience of a generational conflict is also manifest in the fact that

many young people in Brazil feel there is a rather harmonious or at least neutral

relationship with older people. In no country is there a majority who report a

strained relationship with older generations, but in Singapore the proportion is

quite high at 36 percent of respondents. Interestingly, Switzerland is not one of

those countries where antagonism between young and old is seen as problem-

atic, although the age question repeatedly appears in the top 5 most important

problems. It is therefore assumed that it is not a generational conflict in any real

sense that concerns young people in Switzerland, but rather a sense of uncer-

39

41

45

36

42

39

3338

44

3226

2826

2422 23

21

2628

20

3 2

181110

17

April/May2013

April-June2014

April-June2015

ageing of the native population /lowbirthrate

inflation/currency devaluation/rise inprices

unemployment*

wages


unemployment among youth

racism/xenophobia


population decline

extremism/terrorism

Trend Greatest Problems Top Ten Singapore


Read through the entire list and choose five points which you personally feel are Singapore's greatest

problems."



* up to 2014: unemployment/unemployment among youth

International Comparison Problem Old-Age Pensioners "In the foreseeable future there will be an increasing number of old-age pensioners and less and less young people in the USA/Brazil/Singapore/Switzerland. Do you think this is: no problem, a small problem, a big problem, a very big problem or an advantage / an opportunity?"


817

3 3

18

21

17 14

30

33

43 52

16

1324

206

8 5 322

8 8 8



an advantage/anopportunity

a very big problem

a big problem

a small problem

no problem

gfs.bern, youth barometer, April-June 2015 (N USA = 1000 / N BR = 1000/ N SG = 1000 / N CH = 1009)

4948

62

4547

4750

42

3336

4246

61

68 676567

71 71

7572

Aug.-Oct.2010


April/May2013

April-June2014

April-June2015

USA

Brazil

Singapore*

Switzerland

Trend International Comparison Problem Old-Age

Pensioners


* polled since 2013

"In the foreseeable future there will be an increasing number of old-age pensioners and less and less young

people in America/Brazil/Singapore/Switzerland. Do you think this is not a problem, a small problem, a big

problem, a very big problem or do you think it is an advantage/opportunity."

in % inhabitants between 16 and 25 years (sum of those wo see it as a big or very big problem)

71

tainty about the future shape of solidarity between generations in the form of

institutions for care of the elderly.

Nevertheless, there is a greater tendency in Switzerland than last year to be-

lieve that the relationship between young and old is more likely to improve in

future or at least remain the same, and in Singapore, too, young people look to

the future again with (slightly) more optimism in this regard. However, consid-

erable uncertainty still remains in all countries with respect to this question, and

at least one on five people are unable to give an answer as to what the future

might hold for solidarity between generations.

Fig. 90

Countries are similarly divided when it comes to dealing with the issue of for-

eigners as they are on the age issue. Here, too, it is again Switzerland and Sin-

gapore that see the increasing settlement of foreigners as a problem. At 44

percent, this view is not shared by a majority in Switzerland, but the percentage

is nevertheless considerable. In Singapore, which is very internationally mind-

ed, scepticism is clearly predominant, however, at 64 percent of respondents.

Neither in the USA, where the migration debate is politically exploited at times,

especially in election campaigns, nor in Brazil doe these percentages come

anywhere near those in the geographically small states of Switzerland and Sin-

gapore.

Fig. 91

After a hitherto steady decline in the perception of foreigners as a problem in

Switzerland, increased emphasis is attached to this issue again for the first

time this year. The debate around the asylum and migration system, which has

heated up in the reverberating echo of the mass immigration initiative and in

relation to the current escalation in the wave of refugees from the Middle East

and Africa, has probably also left its mark here. Apart from Switzerland, the

question concerning foreigners clearly also shows an – albeit comparatively

International Comparison Present Relationship Youth – Old People "How would you describe the present relationship between young people and old people? Is it fairly amicable, fairly tense or neutral?"


16

2519 22

40

40

37

41

33

2736

30

11 8 8 7



fairly tense

neutral

fairly amicable


International Comparison Future Relationship Youth – Old People "And how will the relationship develop between young people and senior citizens in the future? Will it remain the same, improve or get worse?"


25

40

27

16

20

21

24

35

28

19

28 29

2720 21 20



get worse

remain the same

improve


International Comparison Problem Immigrants "In the foreseeable future there will be increasing numbers of immigrants in the USA/Brazil/Singapore/Switzerland. Do you find this to be no problem, a small problem, a big problem, a very big problem or an advantage/an opportunity?"


19

29

513

22

25

20

27

17

18

34

28

15

7 3016

13

14

511

147 6 5



an advantage/anopportunity

a very big problem

a big problem

a small problem

no problem


43 41

51

37

3432

24 22 21 20 2124

66

71

64

46 44 4543

37

44

Aug.-Oct.2010


April/May2013

April-June2014

April-June2015

USA

Brazil

Singapore*

Switzerland

Trend International Comparison Problem Immigrants


* polled since 2013

"In the foreseeable future there will be increasing numbers of immigrants in the USA/Brazil/Singapore/

Switzerland. Do you find this to be no problem, a small problem, a big problem, a very big problem or an

advantage / an opportunity?"

in % inhabitants between 16 and 25 years (sum of those wo see it as a big or very big problem)

72

slight - increase in the perception of foreigners as a problem in Brazil, whereas

the trend in the USA and Singapore points in the other direction.

In keeping with the marked perception of foreigners as a problem, a clear ma-

jority of young people in Singapore also describe today’s relationship with

young foreigners or immigrants as strained. The proportion of like-minded

young people in Switzerland is also comparatively high, but at 45 percent is still

not in the majority. On the contrary; the proportion of young people who de-

scribe relations with other nationalities as quite harmonious or at least neutral,

is even greater. In Brazil, however, the foreigner issue plays a marginal role also

in this respect and only 13 percent feel relations with young people of other

origins are strained.

At 85 percent, a far higher proportion of young Swiss people have foreigners in

their circle of friends than young people in the other countries. Americans have

the lowest proportion with foreigners in their circle of friends. In Brazil and Sin-

gapore it is around half.

Fig. 92

The way young people assess the future of relations is in many respects a re-

flection of how they see present relations, because the judgments on both

questions are critical in the same countries or, in the case of Brazil and now

also in the USA positive. Only in Singapore do most young people remain pes-

simistic. In Switzerland a constant third of young people assume relations will

worsen, despite very much more direct contact with young foreigners than in

all other countries.

International Comparison Relationship Residents – Immigrants "How would you describe the present relationship between young residents and young immigrants? Is it fairly amicable, fairly tense or neutral?"


20

44

1423

27

29

18

26

36

13

60

45

17 148 6



fairly tense

neutral

fairly amicable


International Comparison Immigrants in Circle of Friends "Do you have immigrants in your own circle of friends?"


4550

62

84

71

48 49

34

14

2

4


no

no comments

yes


73

Fig. 93

In Section 3.1, it was shown that young people in all countries believe the im-

pact of digitalization on society is clearly more negative than it is on their own

lives. A similar discrepancy now also emerges with regard to the assessment

of future prospects: in Switzerland, the USA and Brazil young people clearly

take a more optimistic view of their own future than they do for the future of

society overall. In Brazil, however, a negative trend in the assessment of per-

sonal future and the future of society has been observed since the high in

2012.

While young people in Switzerland consistently rate their own personal future

over the last five years as good, there has been a turnaround so to speak in the

USA since 2013: After only half took a positive view of the future in 2013, this

percentage has repeatedly increased and approached that of young people in

Brazil and Switzerland. Both in Switzerland and in the USA, the future of society

is rated slightly more negatively than it was in previous years. Today, there are

still 21 and 23 percent of young people, respectively, who tend to be optimistic.

International Comparison Future Relationship between Domestic – Foreign Youth "How will the relationship between young Americans/Swiss/Brazilians/Singaporeans and young immigrants develop in the future? Will it remain the same, improve or get worse?"


34 36

2520

17

31

17 28

21

12

4134

2821

17 18



get worse

remain the same

improve


74

Fig. 94

The dynamics and also the level of optimism expressed in Singapore differ

systematically from this in the other three countries: Thus the clear discrepancy

does not exist in Singapore between the (positive) assessment of personal

future and the comparatively negative picture for society. Only 2 percent of

young people rate their own future more positively that that of society. Indeed,

in no other country are the future prospects assessed to be as good – and get-

ting ever better – as in Singapore. But these positive trends should not disguise

the fact that those who tend to rate their own prospects and those of society

optimistically are still a (small) minority.

5456 56

5052

57

67

72 7368

6258

45 4447

6264

66 65 6564

Aug.-Oct.2010


April/May2013

April-June2014

April-June2015

USA

Brazil

Singapore*

Switzerland

Trend International Comparison Opinion Own Future

"In your opinion, what is the outlook for your own future? At the present time, do you see the future rather bleak,

fairly optimistic or mixed/it varies?"

fairly optimistic


* polled since 2013


75

Fig. 95


Today’s 16 to 25-year-olds are not interested in politics. In all the countries

studied, it is at most a small minority who can be described as effectively polit-

icized or politically socialized. Party membership is low and the willingness to

take part in political demonstrations likewise. Only a few young people – except

in Switzerland – can categorize their own personal views on the left/right axis of

the classical party spectrum. For most young people this classification has no

meaning. It also fits with this latent disenchantment with politics that young

people do not express their unreserved trust in government in any country and,

again with the exception of Switzerland, most of them see a need for reform.

This aversion to political involvement in the classical sense, however, does not

by any means indicate that young people are not concerned with day-to-day

events, are not aware of societal trends and are not able to express their con-

cerns about the future of this society and the resulting need for action. Every

year, in Brazil, Singapore, the USA and Switzerland, young people clearly identi-

fy those problem areas that they feel most affect them. The fact that these are

very similar every year and that changes usually emerge as very long-term

trends shows that this selection of problem areas is anything but random and

bears testimony to a definite sense of involvement on the part of young people.

The perception of problems in Switzerland and Singapore is shaped by the

structure of the population and the resulting consequences for the social order.

Dealing with foreigners and migrants is perceived as problematic and there is

also general a sense of uncertainty with regard to solidarity between genera-

tions, the organization of retirement provisions and the aging of the population.

Previously key issues of a rather economic nature are losing their salience both

in Switzerland and in Singapore (albeit on a high level).

In the USA and Brazil, however, it is concerns which have to do with the organ-

ization of institutions, especially corruption and the security situation (terrorism,

urban violence) that predominate. In Brazil, economic factors such as unem-

28

25

33

25 2321

16

29

33

29

13 12

4238

45

26

31

31 29

2323

Aug.-Oct.2010


April/May2013

April-June2014

April-June2015

USA

Brazil

Singapore*

Switzerland

Trend International Comparison Opinion Future of Society

"And what about the future of our society? Overall, is it rather bleak, fairly optimistic or mixed/it varies?"

fairly optimistic



* polled since 2013

76

ployment, inflation and fuel prices are currently also much greater causes of

concern than was the case last year.

3.5 Views of life and values

3.5.1 Values of young people and their nations

With regard to value differentials, all respondents were asked to assess both

themselves and their country. Overall, this provides a glimpse of differences

and parallels in the values of young people.

The example of the USA shows a very balanced picture for all young people in

their self-assessment if the mean is taken as a standard for the mainstream.

On average, they tend somewhat in the direction of reliable rather than risk

takers and are undecided between hunger for success and avoidance of failure.

They are very direct rather than diplomatic and caring rather than egoistic. This

is where the most clear-cut position is found between two values.

Fig. 96

Young people in the USA are neither highly optimistic or rational nor quite clear-

ly positioned between avoiding or tolerating failure. Young Americans are slight-

ly egalitarian rather than elitist in orientation and place technology somewhat

ahead of nature rather than the other way around. They definitely see them-

selves as unequivocally modern rather than conservative and prefer urban life

to rural life.

In the case of the USA, the differences between the respondents’ self-

assessment and their assessments of their own country appears somewhat

more informative. The greatest divergences are on the one hand between the

values egoistic and caring and between technology orientation and focus on

nature. American society as a whole here seen here as rather egoistic and

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

evaluationsociety/country

self-evaluation

Evaluation Characteristics USA

© gfs.bern, youth barometer, April-June 2015 (N = 1000)

77

technology oriented, while the self-assessment emerges as more caring and

nature-oriented. Young people in the USA also see themselves as more toler-

ant of failure and more globally minded than they consider American society as

a whole.

Fig. 97

The assessments of young Swiss people are often similar to those of young

people in the USA. They position themselves as much more tolerant of failure

and globally minded rather than nationally minded. While they also see them-

selves as modern rather than conservative, they are more inclined to rural life.

Young Swiss people are similar to US youth in their assessment of their own

country. But they find Switzerland more conservative and both reliable and

diplomatic.

Young people in Brazil see themselves as somewhat more courageous and

also diplomatic. They are also somewhat more inclined to urban life than young

people in the USA and Switzerland.

0

1

2

3

4

5

6


self-evaluation

Evaluation Characteristics Switzerland


78

Fig. 98

Young people in Singapore see themselves as somewhat less caring than in

the other countries and see their own country as very intolerant of failure. In

the case of the city state, the urban orientation of the country and the young

people themselves is pronounced. This is the clearest difference form the other

countries, which also shows that there are no fundamental differences in the

basic orientation of young people in the countries studied.

0

1

2

3

4

5

6


self-evaluation

Evaluation Characteristics Brazil


79

Fig. 99

3.5.2 Landscape of values

If the views of life are crystallized into a single top priority, then clear differ-

ences become manifest: In Singapore, money counts: 8 percent state "having a

lot of money" as their most important goal and they also want to see as much

of the world as possible. Fighting wrongs and injustice in the world is only a

key priority in Brazil (for 3 percent). Aside from career, religion has the lowest

priority in Switzerland. For 4 percent of young people in Brazil and Singapore,

living in accordance with religious or spiritual values has top priority. At 8 per-

cent, the proportion of people with a firm religious orientation is most clearly in

the USA.

These selected marked differences cannot disguise the fact that a good family

life and a partnership have top priority in almost all countries. Only in the USA

and Singapore is "enjoying life to the full" even more important. Reliable friends

are a further top priority in Switzerland, while in Brazil honesty plays a key role.

This may also be seen as an indirect wish placed at the door of a corrupt politi-

cal system that is perceived to be corrupt.

0

1

2

3

4

5

6


self-evaluation

Evaluation Characteristics Singapore


80

Fig. 100

Since 2013 we have defined eight dimensions of value orientation based on

two batteries of views and personal preferences. In all countries they conform

to patterns, similarly assessed orientations and idea, so that a comparison is

more informative than if only value statements are compared.

International Comparison Most Important Aspirations (Comparison Top Ten) "Spontaneously speaking, of all these things that are very important to you, which is the most important of all?"


15 1713

21

34

1317

6

16

126

13

3

7

5

3

17

5

4

3

4

3

3

4

3

3

3

8

4

4

2

4

3

8

4

54

3

3

85

33

20

1317

23

4

3

3

2

5

43

2

4


others

buying a house

fighting grievances and injustice around the world

being my own boss/being independent

having lots of money

having a good career

getting a good education and(or further training

being respected as a person

achieving set goals with hard work

being able to live according to my religious andspiritual values

having an exciting job

living and acting responsibly

loyalty

seeing as much of the world as possible

living healthily

honesty

enjoying life to the full

having friends I can count on

leading a good family life/relationship


81

Table 4

Landscape of values – basis of indices Materialism Lots of money,

concept of life

Having a career,

concept of life

Achieving goals

through hard work,

concept of life

Post-

materialism

Protection of envi-

ronment, concept of

life

Imagination / crea-

tivity concept of

life

Putting nature before

technology vs tech-

nology before nature,

personal

Altruism Helping disadvan-

taged people / chari-

ty work, concept of

life

Tolerance, concept

of life

Fighting wrongs /

injustice in the world,

concept of life

Religious beliefs Living according to

religious / spiritual

values, concept of

life

Hedonism Looking good, con-

cept of life

Being desired,

concept of life

Sexual experiences,

concept of life

Sporting success,

concept of life

Egoistic vs caring,

personal

Risk Venturesome vs

reliable, personal

Hungry for success

vs avoiding failure,

personal

Exciting job, concept

of life

Family / friends Good family life /

partnership, concept

of life

Reliable friends,

concept of life

Honesty, concept of

life

Loyalty, concept

of life

Conservatism Nationally minded vs

globally minded,

personal

Conservative vs

modern, personal

Rural life vs urban life,

personal


The impression of a comparable pattern of values, with reservations, based on concrete orientations is confirmed. But the gradual

differences serves as an approximation to the differences in the landscape of values.

The comparison with the previous year shows marginal changes for all coun-

tries in the space of three years. This may be seen as a stable pattern of values

in this age segment. There is still no evidence to suggest the youngest re-

spondents are a generation with new patterns of values.

82

Fig. 101

Legend: the scale for the landscape of values ranges from -3 to +3. The minus scores indicate those values that tend to be less important. The

positive scores indicate the value orientations of young people. A mean value of 0 to 1 indicates a rather weak to modest orientation, while a mean

value of 1 to 2 indicates a moderate orientation. The indices are an aggregation of various questions on values.

The only and notable change by 0.2 versus the previous year relates to the shift

in the direction in of conservative in Switzerland. Young Swiss people overall

thus no longer tend to be the most modern in orientation along with Brazil.

Nevertheless, young people in all countries are guided by modern values to a

striking degree. In Singapore, this impression may be somewhat deceptive,

because here they are also informed by urban life, which in a city state does

not point to a modern orientation alone.

Young people in Brazil are characterized by marked value orientations, which is

reflected especially in religious and altruistic values and also in post-

materialism. Body cult as hedonism is typical in Brazil, but the orientation is not

as marked as might be expected. A key finding aside from the modern main-

stream is also the fact that the body cult or fitness trend is not a correct de-

scription of young people’s value orientations in these countries. Hedonism in

the broader sense is likely to be more of a topic, if anything, in the following

Generation Z.

The least materialistic in orientation are the Swiss, for whom money and career

play the least important role. For them, family and friends are the most im-

portant. But at this time of life family and friends are most important in all coun-

tries in any case.

Religion clearly plays the most minimal of roles in Switzerland. The Swiss are

slightly religious, a value pattern that is much more pronounced not only in

Brazil, but also in Singapore and the USA. Young people in the USA and Singa-

pore are also much more materialistic in orientation.

This is shown not least also in the overall faith index, which gives a holistic

picture of faith orientation. Convinced believers are most heavily represented in

Brazil, whereas agnostics, atheists by tendency and also convinced atheists

together make up the largest proportion in Switzerland.

1.0

0.4

-0.2

2.1

1.5

-0.4

1.4

1.1

1.5

0.9

0.4

2.4

1.8

-0.6

1.9

1.5

0.8

0.4

0.2

1.9

1.7

-0.6

1.2

1.1

1.1

0.7

0.1

2.4

1.0

-0.4

1.4

0.1

-3

0

3postmaterialism

risk

hedonism

family/friends

materialism

conservatism

altruism

religousness

USA

Brazil

Singapore

Switzerland

Trend Values International Comparison 2015Aggregation of different questions concerning values, where -3 is the minimum score and +3 the maximum


83

Fig. 102

3.5.3 Classification of values

Is it rather sociological characteristics such as origin or education or basic atti-

tudes that shape values, or do country-specific differences also determine dif-

ferences in values? Using the profile tree we take an analytical approach in an

attempt to identify the essential personal characteristics and orientations that

account for the differences in the way people relate to a given value. This gives

rise to a comprehensive sociodemographic characterization of the individual

value dimensions. It is interesting to note here that for most of the profile trees

discussed in the following the country or language continues to inform the as-

sessments of the young respondents most. To this extent, despite all the paral-

lels, we can speak of four relatively independent value landscapes for the four

countries studied, each with their own character.

For one value orientation, however, this is unequivocally not the case: unlike

other orientations, conservatism depends not on the country, but on the basic

political orientation on the left/right axis and only afterwards to some extent on

the country. Young people from Switzerland, Singapore and the USA who are

clearly on the left are least conservative in orientation at -1.2. Slightly left of the

political centre, it is then no longer the country that plays a decisive role, but

the faith community. Someone who is Christian, but not Protestant, is some-

what more conservative than those of other religious persuasion. On the cen-

tre-right, it is family structure that is the determining factor: anyone who has

children is more conservative in attitude. On the right, however, it is finally the

country again that is the decisive factor. The only young people of minimally

conservative orientation are found in Switzerland. Close behind come the right-

leaning young people in the USA. In Brazil, the non-conservative orientation of

mainstream youth is relatively marked.

International Comparison Full Index Faith Index constructed from items concerning spiritual views.*

higher force "There is a higher force."

god "There is a God." no God/higher force "I do not believe there is a God or a higher force." lack of knowledge "I do not know what to believe."


45

64

3325

28

21

31

27

13

7

20

17

85

12

22

6 49

3


convinced atheists

atheist by tendency

agnostics

tends to belive

firm belivers

gfs.bern, youth barometer, April-June 2015 (N USA = 1000 / N BR = 1000 / N SG = 1000 / N CH = 1009) *Details on the construction are provided in the methodological section of the final report.

84

Fig. 103

But where Switzerland and Brazil are quite similar is in the orientation towards

family and friends, which enjoys extraordinarily high priority in both countries.

Anyone in these countries who also has a religious affiliation, this orientation is

more pronounced still. In Singapore, it depends on the housing situation, where

a kind of inveterate singles community is discernible: anyone who lives alone is

least family-oriented.

0 – 2 (n = 404)

-1.1

5 – 6 (n = 2681)

-0.5

classification left-rightmean inhabitants between 16 and 25

years

yes; don't know/

no comments

(n = 363)

-0.1

having children

AnswerTree Values Landscape International Comparison:

Conservatism


7 – 10 (n = 534)

-0.2

total (N = 4009)

-0.5

3 – 4 (n = 390)

-0.8

no (n = 2318)

-0.5

Brazil (n = 98)

-0.7

Switzerland;

Singapore;

USA

(n = 306)

-1.2

country

Evangelical Christian;

Protestant Christian;

non-denominational;

d.n./n.c.; non-Christian

religion (n = 260)

-0.9

religion

Roman Catholic;

other Christian religion

(n = 130)

-0.6

Brazil (n = 133)

-0.8

Singapore (n = 89)

-0.4

country

Switzerland

(n = 194)

0.1

USA (n = 118)

-0.1

85

Fig. 104

Materialism is least pronounced in young Swiss people. Another typical finding

is the widespread view in Switzerland that a life that is as good as that of their

parents is sufficient. In Brazil, prosperous young people in particular are mark-

edly materialistic.

Fig. 105

USA (n = 1000)

2.1

country

with my parents;

with my partner;

(n = 866)

1.9

living situation

alone; don't know/

no comments

(n = 78)

1.2

Singapore (n = 1000)

1.9

total (N = 4009)

2.2

Brazil/Switzerland (n = 2009)

2.4

Christian and

non-Christian

religion;

d.n./n.c (n = 1524)

2.5

religion

non-denominational

(n = 485)

2.3

in shared

apartment; with

my own family

(n = 56)

2.2

don't know/no

comments.

(n = 130)

1.7

only a few;

medium amount;

lots (n = 870)

2.2

number of books

mean inhabitants between 16 and 25

years


Family/friends


Brazil (n = 1000)

1.8


1.7

country

USA (n = 1000)

1.5

total (N = 4009)

1.5

Switzerland* (n = 1009)

1.0

household income

to BRL 8499

(n = 666)

1.8

more than

BRL 8499

(n = 334)

2.0

living situation

with my parents;

with my partner;

in shared

apartment;with my

own family (n = 922)

1.7

alone; don't know/

no comments

(n = 78)

1.2

lots, don't know/no

comments

(n = 461)

1.4

only a few,

medium amount

(n = 539)

1.6

number of books


years


Materialism

* A detailed AnswerTree of the Values Landscape in Switzerland can be found in the additional illustration.


86

Post-materialism is dependent on the linguistic culture and thus essentially

likewise on the country. In Brazil, but also in Italian-speaking Switzerland, it is

relatively pronounced, while in Singapore it is least pronounced. The USA and

both German and French-speaking Switzerland have an average post-

materialistic orientation, although this is secondarily dependent on left/right

orientation. Anyone who speaks English, German or French and is quite left in

orientation shows a post-materialistic attitude overall that is similar in degree to

that of young people in Brazil.

Fig. 106

Italian, Brazilian

(n = 1063)

1.5

German, French,

English (n = 1946)

1.1

language


years


Post-materialism


language in Singapore

(n = 1000)

0.8

total (N = 4009)

1.1

completely left

(0,1)

(n = 125)

1.5

left (2 – 5)

(n = 620)

1.3

classification left-rightreligion

other Christian religion;

orthodox; non-Christian

religion; d.n./n.c.

(n = 141)

1.7


Protestant Christian;

non-denominational;

Roman Catholic

(n = 922) 1.4

older than 21

(n = 483)

0.7

between 16

and 21

years old

(n = 517) 0.8

age

centre right (6,7);

no meaning

(n = 1020)

1.0

right (8 – 10)

(n = 181)

0.6

87

Hedonism is found in Brazil not only among men, but somewhat more also in

supporters of the Partido do Movimento Democrático Brasileiro (PMDB) and

the Partido Trabalhista Brasileiro (PTB). In Singapore, it is effectively dependent

on gender, where men are somewhat more hedonistic in orientation. The least

hedonistic in orientation are young people in the USA, where hedonism is still

slightly discernible among those in full-time employment.

Fig. 107


Hedonism total (N = 4009)

0.1

Brazil (n = 1000)

0.4


0.2

country

USA (n = 1000)

-0.2

Switzerland* (n = 1009)

0.1

* A detailed AnswerTree of the Values Landscape in Switzerland can be found in the additional illustration.


others/several

d.n./n.c.; PT;

PV; PSDB

(n = 486)

0.4

PMDB; PTB

(n = 62)

1.0

party affiliation

none/people

(n = 452)

0.2

male (n = 495)

0.3

female (n = 505)

0.0

gender

yes, full time; d.n.

(n = 253)

0.1

yes, part time; no;

n.c. (n = 747)

-0.3

occupation

mean inhabitants between 16 and 25 years

88

The willingness to take risks in terms of jobs differs depending on linguistic

culture. Young people in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, the USA and

Singapore show a surprisingly weak orientation in this regard. This evidently

applies in particular to young people aged over 21. But here a new group more

willing to take risks could grow up with the younger generation.

The entrepreneurial spirit is seen to be stronger in German and Italian-speaking

Switzerland, while Brazil is ranked highest here – especially from the financial

middle class upwards.

Fig. 108

Brazilian (n = 1000)

0.9

German, Italian

(n = 833)

0.8

language


years


Risk


French; language in

Singapore; English

(n = 2176)

0.4

total (N = 4009)

0.6

secondary/high school;

university degree;

attending school/

university (n = 764)

0.8

primary school/

no leaving certificate

(n = 69)

0.6

schoolinghousehold income

to BRL 4499

(n = 440)

0.8

more than

BRL 4499

(n = 560)

1.0

older than 21

(n = 1219)

0.3

between 16 and

21 years old

(n = 957)

0.5

age

89

Altruism is moderately pronounced in Switzerland and the USA, more marked

in Brazil and weaker in Singapore. In the USA and Switzerland this is secondari-

ly dependent on left/right orientation: those in the left in both countries show

an altruistic attitude similar to that of young people in Brazil. The least altruistic

are young people in Singapore with no religious affiliation and right-leaning

young people in the USA and Switzerland.

In Brazil, altruism is informed by religion: anyone who attends church at least

once a week or month in Brazil is the most altruistic of all the groups studied.

Fig. 109

Switzerland/USA (n = 2009)

1.4

country

at least once a

week/month

(n = 434)

2.1

visit a house of prayer

never; for special

occasions only;

several times a

year (n = 566)

1.8


1.2

total (N = 4009)

1.5

Brazil (1000)

1.9

Christian and

non-Christian

religion (n = 663)

1.3

religion

non-denominational

d.n./n.c.

(n = 337)

0.9

left (2 – 5)

(n = 638)

1.6

completely left

(n = 129)

1.9

classification left-right


years


Altruism


6

(n = 118)

1.1

7; no meaning

(n = 936)

1.4

right (8 – 10)

(n = 188)

0.9

90

Religiousness evidently reflects not only a value held, but also an orientation

lived, because it does not differentiate between the culture of the country and

religion, but depends essentially on the frequency of attendance at church in all

countries. In most cases, the country does not even emerge as a secondary

essential distinguishing criterion of religiousness, which tends instead to be

either lifestyle in a firm partnership, basic political orientation or faith communi-

ty.

Fig. 110


The value orientation of young people in the four countries has been markedly

stable over the years. This may be a reflection of certain values that youth ex-

presses with its specific requirements. But this assumption would fail to tell

the whole story. The dismissive suggestion that Generation Y is disoriented

when it comes to their goals and is correspondingly fickle can be debunked on

the basis of the statements in this survey. The focus on stability is to be seen

partly as a reaction to the religious, political or economic system in the young

people’s own country, but these influences too have remained stable so far.

Even in the case of challenges or disappointments in their own country, young

people are strictly guided by this sense of stability. The exception is Brazil,

where dissent is expressed against the prevailing political and administrative

system. But to this extent, the interesting orientation of young people in Brazil

remains noteworthy: They want to climb the economic ladder, but are suffering

under the prevailing corruption. Their pronounced detachment from the political

system with a value orientation in the direction of honesty, social solidarity,

environmental protection, material self-fulfilment and willingness to take risks

never

(n = 696)

0.2

visit a house of a prayer

other and non-

Christian religion;

d.n./n.c.

(n = 119)

0.9

religion


Protestant; non-denominational;

Roman Catholic

(n = 577)

0.0

once a week or more

(n = 785)

2.3

total (N = 4009)

1.0

for special occasions

only (n = 1174)

0.3

yes;

d.n./n.c.

(n = 363)

2.4

permanent relationship

no;

d.n./n.c.

(n = 422)

2.1

no

(n = 94)

1.4

yes;

d.n./n.c.

(n = 268)

1.9

significance left-right


years


Religiousness


several times a year

(n = 585)

1.3

at least once a month

(n = 202)

1.8

religion language


Protestant; other

Christian religion

(n = 148)

1.6

Roman Catholic;

non-Christian

religion (n = 364)

1.3

non-

denominational;

d.n./n.c.

(n = 73)

0.6

Italian;

Brazilian

(n = 240)

1.0

English; language

in Singapore

(n = 478)

0.7

French

(n = 50)

0.5

German

(n = 406)

-0.4

91

implies a search for new syntheses of values. There is a marked difference

here from the other countries. They feel something should change in society

and politics and values should be better lived in the system as a whole.

Overall, young people today show marked value orientations that may be suita-

ble as a constant for the identification of a generation.

Young people are very much family-oriented and hence focused on stability in

their private lives, which is not necessarily associated, however, with conserva-

tive or materialistic values: Contrary to this assumption, young people are not

conservative, but slightly modern in orientation. The only conservative setting is

found among young people in Switzerland on the right of the political spectrum

and possibly among right-leaning US youth. All others – above all those on the

left – are more or less modern in orientation.

After this, despite certain parallels, it is the differences between the countries

that are striking. These show that values are highly structured by religion where

young people live their religion. This is true of conservative and family-oriented

values. Where these are less marked, the way is open for a more materialistic

orientation, as is the case in Singapore. A characteristic of the USA is the great

importance attached to religion and accordingly only an average materialistic

orientation. A willingness to take risks (for example, in terms of jobs or private

life) is less marked in the USA than in the other countries.

92

4 Summary

The most essential aspects of five findings are summarized here.

Finding 1: The trend is known as Web 2.0

Digital, mobile and social interaction informs the zeitgeist of young people. This

zeitgeist is closely linked with global brands of web offerings such as YouTube,

Facebook or WhatsApp and thus reflects a focus on digital consumption and

communications. But no social euphoria has arisen as a result of the digitaliza-

tion of various spheres of life.

Finding 2: Differences of emphasis with general materialism

Only in Switzerland does material security have relatively little priority, thanks to

good economic integration and little debt. Nevertheless, materialism and con-

sumerism are generally characteristic of young people today.

Finding 3: Social orientation instead of individualism

The great importance of digital interaction via Web 2.0 is also evident in the

rather marked social orientation within the immediate family environment or

circle of friends. Only in Singapore is individualism more important.

Finding 4: Politics as key priority in Brazil, but nowhere a part of lifestyle

The political situation in Brazil is very tense and young people are against the

existing system, which could result in young people forcing through radical

change. This would emphasize sustainability and honesty. In other countries,

politics has less priority and is regarded as out, which is expressed most clearly

in Switzerland.

Finding 5: Switzerland and Singapore with identity of a small state

Both in Singapore and in Switzerland, problems that come under the heading of

population structure are more salient than in Brazil or the USA. Issues such as

migration or the aging of society are less of a topic in these large countries than

they are in tiny Switzerland or the city state Singapore.

Young people in Switzerland, the USA, Singapore and Brazil show a marked

stable orientation towards certain values. The differences are not fundamental,

but are particularly marked in respect of nations and not in respect of basic

values or social strata. Accordingly, a standardized concept of the generation

would seem relatively arbitrary. At least in one respect, the influence of culture

that has developed over many years is evident in each country: Religion contin-

ues to help shape values. This is evident in Brazil, where it is the basis of the

wish for a reorientation of society. After this, economic, industrial and material-

istic orientations differ very considerably. As from 16 years of age, economic

integration in each country has a certain importance. Bu the extent to which

this is also reflected in the value orientation varies. In this respect, Switzerland

is a special case. Thanks to a very broad range of options available, integration

is very easy and flexibility here is the key. As soon as the right place has been

found in an apprenticeship or at university, there are hardly any serious eco-

nomic problems and there is little else to stand in the way of integration into

the world of work, which also offers financial security. The freedom to choose

creates a lot of options and thus material security. What simplifies things is that

many young people in Switzerland are cushioned by their parents and have no

debt. Since young people in Switzerland show hardly any religious orientation,

the assumptions of post-materialism also apply here: Young people in Switzer-

land strive very much to achieve a balance between work and self-fulfilment

93

and also place great emphasis on sustainability. In politics they show little en-

gagement, but this is evidently associated with a satisfaction with the system

and pride in their own country. Here, too, the focus on stability is evident. In-

stead of being worried about their own work situation or economic problems,

young people in Switzerland are most concerned about migration and are thus

slightly nationalistic. A certain parallel is discernible here with Singapore, a

likewise small and multicultural nation with a changing population structure.

The economic orientation of young people in Singapore, however, is much dif-

ferent from that in Switzerland. Young people in Singapore like to spend money

and express relatively marked material and less post-materialistic goals. They

are rather heavily burdened with debt, but believe increasingly in a fulfilled life

thanks to technology and consumption. In Singapore this is associated with a

strong society oriented towards personal (material) wellbeing, where the career

plays a key role. It may be that this inward-looking attitude also tends to be

more apparent in an authoritarian regime. A society that aims at self-fulfilment

is more likely to develop in a democratic environment.

Fig. 111

Hypothesis

Parallels & Difference Youth by Country

country

(16-24 years old)

spirit of time society politics economy finance

post-materialism & environ-ment

conclusion

Youth Switzerland

Web 2.0 social net-works, slightly away from Facebook, data protection

very im-portant

private stabil-ity, conserva-tive, not very religious

nationalistic

proud of the country, priority mi-gration

medium

flexibly inte-grated, selec-tively perfor-mance-oriented

secure

inherit/preserve assets, old-age pension and travel

important

environment and sustainabilityt

balanced performance and security orientation,

stable

Youth

USA

Web 2.0 text message & Facebook, networks as part of friend-ship

important

private stabil-ity, moderate-ly religious

economic priority economy and oil

important secure local job preferred, influenced by crises

free spending

debts, little inclination to save

medium

individual mobility, technology

performance and con-

sumer orien-tation, inse-

cure

Youth

Singapore

Web 2.0 Facebook, networks as part of friend-ship

medium

individualized, healthy living, dissociation

authoritarian nationalistic

priority aging and migra-tion

very important

classical mate-rialism, securi-ty, career, little self-fulfilment

free spending

debts, striving for assets, respect for aging

unimportant

no consumer criticism, technology urban life

materialistic security

orientation, stable be-cause of regime

Youth

Brazil

Web 2.0 WhatsApp, web hedonism

very im-portant

family orienta-tion, solidari-ty, Catholic so-cial ethics

opposition / revolutionary

honesty instead of corruption

important

address new opportunities, entrepreneurial

critical

debts, few reserves, fear of inflation

very im-portant

new values, solidarity-based self-fulfilment

new religi-ous value synthesis, opposition, unstable

© gfs.bern, CS-youth barometer 2015

In the USA, little in the way of identifiable new or different patterns is discerni-

ble. If anything, young people are heavily concerned - also in political terms -

with their own economic situation or that of the country. But young people in

the USA are decidedly less materialistic in orientation than young people in

Singapore. It is striking what little entrepreneurial spirit exist. After a long period

of crisis, the outlook has brightened somewhat, but a secure local job is con-

sidered more important in the USA today than the risky pursuit of the American

dream. Nevertheless, US youth likes to spend money and is thus highly con-

sumer oriented, as also illustrated by the major importance attached to cars

when it comes to luxury. Religion probably goes some way to explaining why

post-materialistic values are less important in the USA than in Switzerland.

94

The most unstable situation is clearly in Brazil. Young people are informed by a

desire to climb the economic ladder. They see new opportunities and have the

greatest entrepreneurial spirit. Coupled with a slight hedonism, they clearly

adopt more proactive positions than young people in the other countries. Yet it

is not lasting. A strong sense of materialism is associated in Brazil with an af-

firmation of the values of self-fulfilment and sustainability. The sense of solidar-

ity informed by Catholic social ethics with the prospect of economic betterment

is leading to a new value orientation in Brazil. The political system, which is

perceived as corrupt, does not fit with this constructive and achievement-

oriented constitution at all. The mood is thus one of opposition, in parts even

revolutionary. The situation is unstable and a young generation in Brazil could

steer the country in a new direction.

As if economic, social and political differences played no role, the zeitgeist is

wired in the same way everywhere: The mobile Web 2.0 determines the trends

in all countries. In Switzerland young people are somewhat more sensitive to

the issue of data protection, whereas Web 2.0 in Brazil is most coupled with

web hedonism and is only about self-presentation. The media upheaval remains

in full swing everywhere. In view of the classification of other differences, it is

questionable whether one can therefore talk in global terms of a generation of

digital natives. Young people are shaped by digital options and by their national

systems. Generation Y, too, does not epitomize the same zeitgeist every-

where. Not only are the value orientations of young people stable as a rule,

there are also systematic differences from country to country.

In the rapidly changing technical and economic world with its great susceptibil-

ity to crises, one common feature nevertheless stands out: flexibility, e.g. in

handling Web 2.0 or work, and pragmatism are particularly characteristic of the

generation. With the exception of Brazil, this relatedness to everyday life is also

indicative of a very stable orientation towards the status quo, coupled in the

USA and Switzerland with slight conservatism.

The following hypotheses are presented for discussion:

Hypothesis 1: Web 2.0 does not shape a generation, but is a social accel-

erator

Web 2.0 is a communications lubricant and thus acts as an accelerator within

peer groups. But what this acceleration brings about in terms of generation

forming is heavily dependent on local, cultural and economic circumstances. In

democratic structures, a strengthening of the focus on civil society is possible.

Hypothesis 2: Economic situation helps to shape awareness of genera-

tions

The economic developments of the last ten years, with (subsiding) crisis symp-

toms in the USA, a good economic situation in Switzerland and Singapore and

economic ascendency in Brazil, decisively help to shape the awareness of gen-

erations in contrast to the political situation.

Hypothesis 3: Pragmatic and flexible Generation Y as fitting concept in

the USA and Switzerland

Flexible pragmatism guided by a sense of stability is characteristic in the USA

and Switzerland. The assumptions concerning Generation Y are most accurate

in these countries, where the constant response to the question of meaning

(why?) is flexibility and the wish for personal and economic stability.

95

Hypothesis 4: Brazil’s youth will become emancipated

In Brazil, an emancipation process is under way against a corrupt political sys-

tem, which in a democratic system will inevitably lead to radical change.

Hypothesis 5: Web 2.0 will not change the structure of Singapore

The response of young people in Singapore to the prevailing authoritarian struc-

tures is an individualistic and material focus on security. Web 2.0 will not

change this.

96

5 Appendix

5.1 gfs.bern Team

LUKAS GOLDER

Senior Project Manager, Member of Executive Committee, Political and Media

Scientist, MAS FH in Communication Management

Specialist areas:

Integrated communication and campaign analysis, image and reputation analy-

sis, media analysis / media impact analysis, youth research / social change,

voting and elections, modernization of the state, health policy reforms.

Publications in anthologies, specialist journals, the daily press and on the inter-

net.

CLAUDE LONGCHAMP

Chairman of the Board and CEO of gfs.bern, Board Member gfs-bd, Political

Scientist and Historian, Lecturer at the Universities of Bern, Zurich and St.

Gallen, Lecturer at Zurich University of Applied Sciences Winterthur, at the

Swiss Journalist School (MAZ) Lucerne and at the Verbandsmanagement Insti-

tut (VMI) of the University of Fribourg and at the Centre of Competence for

Public Management (KPM) of the University of Bern.

Specialist areas:

Voting, elections, parties, political culture, political communication, lobbying,

public opinion, racism, health and finance policy

Numerous publications in book form, in anthologies, scientific journals

CLOÉ JANS

Junior Project Manager, Political Scientist

Specialist areas:

Voting and elections, social research, campaigns, analysis political subjects and

issues, media content analysis, teaching

MARTINA MOUSSON

Project Manager, Political Scientist

Specialist areas:

Analysis of political subjects and issues, national votes and elections (SRG

trend, VOX analyses, election barometer), image and reputation analysis, inte-

grated communication analysis, media content analysis, qualitative methods,

society issues (youth research, racism, families, middle class).

97

STEPHAN TSCHÖPE

Head of Analysis and Services, Political Scientist

Specialist areas:

Coordination of services, complex statistical data analysis, computer and ques-

tionnaire programming, projections, analysis of parties and structures with ag-

gregated data, integrated communications analysis, visualization.

MEIKE MÜLLER

Scientific Associate, Sociologist and Media Scientist

Specialist areas:

Data analysis, programming, integrated communication analysis, qualitative

data analysis, coordination of services, media analysis, research, visualization

PHILIPPE ROCHAT

Data Analyst, Political Scientist

Specialist areas:

Data analysis and databases, programming, integrated communications analy-

sis, media analysis, research, visualizations, projections.

MARCEL HAGEMANN

Data Analyst, Social Scientist

Specialist areas:

Data analysis and databases, programming, integrated communications analy-

sis, media analysis, research, visualization, projections

AARON VENETZ

Data Analyst, Political Scientist

Specialist areas

Data modelling, qualitative methods, research, data analysis, programming,

media analysis, visualization

98

JOHANNA LEA SCHWAB

Secretary and administration, EFZ business

Specialist areas:

Desktop publishing, visualization, project administration, presentation admin-

istration

SABRINA SCHÜPBACH

Trainee, Social Scientist

Specialist areas:

Data analysis and databases, programming, qualitative methods, research, me-

dia analysis, visualization,

Das Forschungsinstitut gfs.bern ist Mitglied des Verbands

Schweizer Markt- und Sozialforschung und garantiert, dass

keine Interviews mit offenen oder verdeckten Werbe-, Verkaufs-

oder Bestellabsichten durchgeführt werden.

Mehr Infos unter www.schweizermarktforschung.ch

gfs.bern ag

Hirschengraben 5

Postfach

CH – 3001 Bern

Phone +41 31 311 08 06

Fax +41 31 311 08 19

[email protected]

www.gfsbern.ch

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