2022 research
Letter from Derrick Feldmann
Lead Researcher, Cause and Social Influence
Each year, social issue moments – short-term surges of individual actions inspired by cultural, political or social events – occur and change. In 2022, we saw moments that burst into the nation’s consciousness: the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, igniting intense actions on both sides of the issue and dominating media coverage. We also saw moments revive social issue attention: a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas, renewing the gun safety and mental health debates. Confirmation hearings for the country’s first Black female Supreme Court Justice, Ketanji Brown Jackson, provided focus for racial discrimination actions.1,2 Record-breaking heat and flooding around the world increased dialogue about climate change. And the U.S. midterm elections gave many the chance to highlight opposing positions between Americans.
Over the last three years of Cause and Social Influence research, the responses of young Americans (18- 30) to moments like these seem to reflect the shared values of inclusiveness and support for each other’s rights. Regardless of where they are politically and whether they support or oppose an issue or position, young Americans appear to care about the rights of others to hold an opinion different from their own.
As cause leaders, we must recognize that young Americans are not a monolith. We must accept that researchers, political leaders and media outlets do not always study all sides of an issue or explore all points of view. Stereotypes about this age group aren’t being proven by behaviors. The best thing we can do is become a trusted source of the authentic, complete and unbiased information young Americans are looking for. In the end, the knowledge and opinions they develop now will shape society for years to come, and the causes and organizations that became their trusted sources of information will be far ahead of those that did not.
