Stress in Young America: Why the US is on Red Alert

A study conducted over 7 years to measure stress and its impact across America has reported that more young Americans than ever before are suffering from a level of stress beyond their capacity to cope. Young Americans are more likely to deal with stress with negative coping strategies such as smoking, drinking, sleeping or overeating.  

In the survey by The American Psychological Association the general perception of stress across generations had declined by 1.3 with Americans rating their average stress level as 4.9 instead of 6.2 in 2007.  However, more Americans are reporting stress levels above what they consider to be normal and 1 in 5 Americans rate their stress levels 8, 9 or 10 in a 10-point scale where 1 is “little or no stress” and 10 is “a great deal of stress.“

Young people, “Millenials” (18-33) recorded the highest levels of stress of all of the age groups; Generation Xers (34-47), Boomers (48 to 66) and Matures (67 years and older). With youth unemployment nudging towards double the national average at 13 percent, young people were bearing the brunt of the economic fallout. The US Department of Labor reported that 39 percent of young adults reported struggling to pay rent or medical bills, cutting back on spending or losing their jobs last year.  

The generations showed interesting differences in coping with stress; Boomers and Matures were more likely to go to religious services than younger adults (Millennials: 16 percent; Gen Xers: 19 percent; Boomers: 23 percent; Matures: 32 percent), while younger generations were more likely to shop (Millennials: 19 percent; Gen Xers: 13 percent; Boomers: 10 percent; Matures: 6 percent).

The survey asked the 2020 participants to rate their stress level and the health care they received to help them with managing and coping with the effects of stress on their health. The report highlighted that a majority of stressed Americans felt that they were being failed by their health care providers and received little if any support to minimise the effects of stress on their lives.  Health care providers were not seen to adequately support lifestyle and behaviour issues like stress management, depression or anxiety, weight management, anger or lack of sleep.

Although the number of participants reporting positive coping mechanisms such as listening to music, working out or spending time being with family had increased, still 25 percent of people turned to negative coping mechanisms such as overeating, smoking, sleeping or drinking to cope with stress.  Millennials and Gen Xers were most likely to say that they engage in unhealthy behaviors because of stress and experience symptoms of stress.

The impact of stress on people’s lives can be huge and can lead to, or aggravate, a host of physical and mental health problems including heart disease, digestive problems, sleep problems, depression and obesity. Chronic stress also takes its toll on the immune system.

Highlights from the report:

The top sources of stress were:
1. money (69 percent)
2. work (65 percent)
3. the economy (61 percent)
4. family responsibilities (57 percent)
5. relationships (56 percent)
6. family health problems (52 percent)
7. personal health concerns (51 percent).

 

Average city stress ratings:

Atlanta 5
Atlantans are more likely than adults nationwide to say they have been told by a health care provider that they are overweight (33 percent vs. 22 percent) and to have high blood pressure (34 percent vs. 30 percent).

 

Chicago  4.7
Chicagoans are less likely than adults nationwide to think that psychologists can help with lifestyle or behavior changes (33 percent vs. 42 percent). Fewer Chicagoans than Americans overall say that they have been referred to a mental health provider (8 percent vs. 12 percent).

 

Denver 5.5

Stress levels in Denver increased.  People living in Denver are more likely to say that they have been referred to a mental health provider (16 percent vs. 12 percent). They are also far more likely to say that money is a significant source of stress than Americans overall.

 

Detroit 5.1

More Detroit residents this year report that work is a significant source of stress. They also place more importance on success in their careers and studies and feel they are reaching vocational goals. The percentage of people in Detroit who say their health is fair or poor has increased from 16 percent in 2011 to 25 percent in 2012.

 

Los Angeles 5

People living in Los Angeles report lower average stress levels compared to last year (5.0 vs. 5.3 on a 10-point scale). Concerns over health are higher in Los Angeles: 61 percent of Los Angeles residents say personal health concerns are a significant source of stress compared to 51 percent of Americans overall.

 

New York City 5.2

Thirty-six percent of New Yorkers give their physical health care an “A” grade, while 31 percent grade their mental health care the same. Several commonly reported sources of stress such as money, work and the economy are cited more frequently as stressors by New Yorkers than Americans overall

 

Seattle 4.7

In Seattle the average reported stress level has declined. In Seattle, almost half of adults (47 percent) give their physical health care an “A” grade, compared to 35 percent of adults nationwide. Only 36 percent of Seattle residents say the same about their mental health care.

 

Washington D.C  5

D.C. residents are more likely than Americans overall to say they are in excellent or very good health (44 percent vs. 40 percent). D.C. residents are more likely than Americans overall to say they are in excellent or very good health (44 percent vs. 40 percent).

 

Signs of Stress

Approximately seven in 10 Americans report that they experience physical (69 percent) or non-physical symptoms (67 percent) of stress. Symptoms include;

 irritability or anger (37 percent)

 fatigue (37 percent)

 feeling overwhelmed (35 percent)

changes in sleeping habits (30 percent).

 

The report concludes that interventions for the prevention and treatment of stress by health care professionals have seen to have failed the American population.  Despite over 50 percent or participants agreeing that psychological support would be beneficial to their life, only 6 percent reported being referred to a mental health professional.

High stress left untreated can leave people vulnerable to developing chronic diseases such as depression. The World Federation for Mental Health predicts that depression will be the leading cause of the global burden of disease in 2030. In a futurologist career report the most demanded professional in the next 20 years is predicted to be psychologists and counsellors, second only in demand to data analysts.

With young people reporting the highest levels of stress, the future looks more difficult to navigate for the Millennials than it has been for any other generation.

 

Notes:

Stress in America.  Open up PDF report http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/

Depression: A Global Crisis PDF report http://www.wfmh.org/00WorldMentalHealthDay.htm

Guide to help with stress -  http://www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_signs.htm

 

20 year Swedish study shows surprise decline in dementia

A new European study published in the journal Neurology shows the risk of developing dementia may have declined over the past 20 years, in direct contrast to what many have previously assumed.

The long term study based in Sweden monitored the ageing and health of over 3,000 participants aged 75 and over during a two decade period; 523 of those participants were diagnosed with some form of dementia. Key members of  The Kungsholmen Project, named after the central Stockholm city in which the study was based, remained constant since the research began in1987, including the neurologist responsible for the clinical diagnosis of dementia. Each of the 3,000 study participants were assessed by a nurse, a physician and a psychologist.

In contrast to the common assumption that the risk of developing dementia will rise, the findings from the Swedish study in Stockholm are surprising. The research conducted by the Ageing Research Centre shows that despite the survival rates of dementia sufferers increasing since the 1980’s, the occurrences of dementia have shown to stabilize. These findings have led researchers to conclude that the overall risk of developing dementia has declined during this period with improvements in heart health thought to be a major contributing factor.

“We know that cardiovascular disease is an important risk factor for dementia. The suggested decrease in dementia risk coincides with the general reduction in cardiovascular disease over recent decades,” says Associate Professor Chengxuan Qiu of the Ageing Research Center, established by Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University. “Health check-ups and cardiovascular disease prevention have improved significantly, and we now see results of this improvement reflected in the risk of developing dementia.”

Dementia, characterized by impaired memory and other mental functions is a devastating illness with a high personal and societal cost. The initial signs of dementia, which is caused by diseases of the brain, may include short-term memory loss that affects every day life, problems with thinking or reasoning, or unexplained anxiety, anger or depression. According to the Monetary Cost of Dementia in the United States report, the yearly monetary cost per person that was attributable to dementia could be as high as $56,290.

In the UK alone, the Alzheimer’s Society estimates that 800,000 people in the UK have a form of dementia and more than half have Alzheimer’s disease. The figure is estimated to rise to a million by 2021 due to an increase in survival rates of dementia sufferers and an ever increasing ageing population.

“The reduction of dementia risk is a positive phenomenon, but it is important to remember that the number of people with dementia will continue to rise along with the increase in life expectancy and absolute numbers of people over age 75”, says Laura Fratiglioni, professor and director of the Ageing Research Center. “This means that the societal burden of dementia and the need for medical and social services will continue to increase. Today there’s no way to cure patients who have dementia. Instead we must continue to improve health care and prevention in this area.”

The study was funded by the Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research (FAS ), the Swedish Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, the Swedish Research Council, and Swedish Brain Power.

Notes - 

Publication: ‘Twenty-year changes in dementia occurrence suggest decreasing incidence in central Stockholm, Sweden’, Chengxuan Qiu, Eva von Strauss, Lars Bäckman, Bengt Winblad, Laura Fratiglioni, published in the April 17, 2013, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, doi: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e318292a2f9.

Source(s):
Monetary Cost of Dementia  http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsa1204629

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“The biggest shape up since 1848.” UK doctors to be assessed ‘fit to practice’ every 5 years.

Over 250,000 doctors held on the General Medical Council’s (GMC) registry will now be required to ‘revalidate’ –a new system of checks introduced to prove that they are up to date and fit to practice.

In the pipeline for many years, the proposal for revalidation was announced as a legal requirement in October 2012 with every general practice and hospital doctor in the public and private sector expected to be revalidated by the GMC by 2016.


To revalidate, a doctor must first be put forward by a responsible officer, usually a senior member of staff. A positive recommendation for revalidation will be granted when the responsible officer is satisfied that the doctor is actively engaged in the appraisal practice which includes;

-          proof of continual professional development
-          a review of incidents, complaints and compliments
-          35 supporting statements from patients and staff

The appraisal is based on Good Medical Practice; the GMCs core guidance for doctors which all registered doctorsmust adhere to. The main principle is to “show respect for human life” and make sure that their practice meets the standards expected in four domains;

1)    Knowledge, skills and performance
2)    Safety and quality
3)    Communication, partnership and teamwork
4)    Maintaining trust

The revalidation of doctors is the biggest change since the GMC published its first medical register 150 years ago. The GMC hopes that doctors whose practice raises concerns will come to their attention before a complaint is made. In 2011, complaints about doctors made to the GMC reached their highest with over 8,000 recorded complaints. During piloting and testing of the revalidation system concerns were raised over the performance of 4.1% of doctors.

Doctors have never before been required to prove their competency after successful registration on the medical register. Despite many professions required heavy assessment, many doctors have led 40 year long careers without ever having their skills and practice formally assessed after their initial registration.

Chair of GMC was the first to revalidate said that “I am delighted to be the first doctor in the UK to revalidate. This is the biggest change to medical regulation since the GMC was established in 1858 and change always brings some uncertainty to those it affects. However, to my medical colleagues I’d say that in this age of transparency our patients will expect nothing less.”

Notes:

Revalidation of doctors -
http://www.gmc-uk.org/news/14243.asp

Image: RGB Freestock

Do you know what to expect from your doctor? First ever guide for patients published by the GMC.

"What to expect from your doctor: a guide for patients” covers the standard of conduct that patients should expect and highlights the duty of doctors to make patient care their prime concern.

The new guide is based on the principles of Good medical practice; the GMC’s core ethical guide for doctors. Distributed to the 250,000 doctors on the medical register and used as a basis for medical standards in 14 countries, the guide is the main resource for registered doctors. Adapted from this publication, What to expect from your doctor explains the key duties of a doctor and covers patient concerns including;

What will my doctor tell me?
Training students and doctors
How doctors must use resources responsibly
How doctors must treat you with dignity and respect
The need for doctors to appraise their practice

The emergence of the guide is in response to the findings of the recent inquiry report into Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust which called for patients to be ‘put first.’ The trust was in the middle of a major health scandal after it was found that up to 1,200 patients may have needlessly died from routine neglect. The subsequent inquiry led to a number of recommendations outlined within the Francis report in which Robert Francis QC calls for a service that ‘puts the patient first.’

Last year, the GMC reported that complaints by patients about doctors had hit a record high with 8,781 separate complaints recorded in 2011; a 23% increase in complaints from 2010. Among theses complaints, a significant number were in relation to how doctors interacted with their patients. Complaints about the communication of doctors had increased by 69% and complaints relating to a lack of respect rose by 45%.

Whilst recognising the medical professionals who have good relationships with their patients, Health Minister Dr Daniel Poulter commented in a statement to the GMC that there is much room for improvement;

‘The vast majority of doctors have an excellent relationship with their patients. However, the Francis report highlighted that there is much more we need to do to put patients at the heart of healthcare,” Health Minister Dr Daniel Poulter.

A revised version of the core guide for registered doctors was published on 25th of March and is currently being made available to doctors.

Niall Dickson, Chief Executive and Registrar of the General Medical Council commented to the GMC Press Office that doctors are responsible for a patient receiving both good medical treatment as well as compassionate care;

“The updated guidance for doctors makes clear that their responsibility goes beyond providing good clinical treatment – the doctor must take a lead role in making sure that patients receive high quality compassionate care.”



Notes:

What to expect from your doctor: a guide for patients -
http://www.gmc-uk.org/guidance/patients.asp?WT.ac=WBPR130423

Good medical practice (available online)

Source: General Medical Council News
http://www.gmc-uk.org/news

Image: RGB Freestock
http://www.rgbstock.com

Young and Anxious Addicted to Mobile Phones

A study researching the coexistence of anxiety and cellular abuse has shown that highly anxious and young participants were more likely to show signs of mobile phone abuse.

The study, “Comorbidity of Anxiety Symptoms and Cellular Phone Addiction” conducted by PHD students Lisa J Merlo and Amanda M Stone of the University of Florida studied the cellular behaviour and self-reported anxiety scales of 183 participants aged between 18 and 81.

Participants were screened using three scientific scales; the Cellular Addiction Scale used to monitor levels of mobile device dependency, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory to determine anxiety levels and the International Personality Item Pool – a resource for use in personality tests used as an additional anxiety measure.

The scale for Cellular Addiction sought to prove destructive Cellular device usage. Participants were asked to score their behaviour against statements to determine whether usage was proving detrimental to work, relationships or education. Participants were also tested on the likelihood of using their phone even when it was dangerous to do so.

The study showed that anxiety led to addictive mobile phone behaviour and that younger participants in the study were shown to be more at risk. Even though the number of participants showing signs of abuse and addiction proved relatively small, the study identified a link between self-reported anxiety and cell phone abuse.

Anxious participants were more likely to misuse their mobile devices; self-reported anxiety scales consistently correlated with high scores in the cellular addiction test. Mobile phones did not prove to be a cause of anxiety in themselves but if high anxiety was present, so too were the signs of mobile phone addiction. Age was negatively correlated with scores and showed that younger people scored higher on the addiction scale.

The mobile has fast become a ubiquitous item in the modern world. Independent UK regulator Ofcom reported that in the UK alone there are 8.6 million mobile subscriptions with the figure set to double by 2016. New technology leads to new pressures as people are expected to communicate at all times; even when in bed. People are always 'on.' Mobile phones have invaded dinner times, social spaces, the bed, the bath and even the toilet. Ofcom reports that 40% of users reported responding to a text or call in bed after it woke them and 47% use their phone in the toilet.

An understanding of the consequences for users general well-being is not yet known however the researcher Lisa J Merlo report that patients seen clinically have already shown to manage mental health symptoms through their mobile device; “You might see a person with obsessive-compulsive disorder [OCD] who is using the phone to check things, or you might see a person with social phobia who is using the phone to avoid interaction with people.”

The researchers call for “future research to examine the mechanism by which mobile phone usage contributes to or is exasperated by anxiety.”



Notes:

Comorbidity of Anxiety Symptoms and Cellular Phone Addiction – http://www.docstoc.com/docs/82108451/Comorbidity-of-Anxiety-Symptoms-and-Cellular-Phone-Addiction

Ofcom research -
http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/market-data-research/market-data/communications-market-reports/cmr12

Image – RGB freestock

Survival of the speediest; young people and the digital race of job search

A study commissioned by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation found that job seeking for young people in the current economy is “a job in itself.”

 

In an economic climate described as “one of the most challenging labour market scenarios for young people in recent decades,” researchers found that young people were blighted by low demand, high competition and a new speed of digital recruitment that moves faster than ever before.

 

Professor Becky Tunstall and Professor Anne Green of the Social Exclusion Unit at the LSE led a team of researchers to recreate the job seeking experiences typically encountered by young people looking for low skilled entry positions in the UK.

 

Fictional personas of candidates aged 22 to 24 were created to apply for 667 real jobs in three different geographical locations with varying rates of unemployment.

 

Three applications were sent to each of the 667 selected jobs; two of each batch were allocated the postcodes of deprived areas to test for evidence of postcode discrimination. Over 2,000 applications were sent to a range of jobs adverts for finance assistants, security guards, cleaners, care workers, hotel workers, office assistants and kitchen porters.

 

Despite widely held belief in postcode discrimination, statistically there was no evidence of candidates being rejected on account of where they lived. In 192 cases the employer showed a preference for one of more of the candidates from the batch of three sent. Young people with good qualifications and appropriate work experience were shown to be shortlisted for interview, regardless of their postcode.

 

The research highlighted the difficulties that young people faced in today’s job market. As with any economy in a recession, lower demand for labour and a competitive economy creates a problem for those trying to enter the work force – young people are always more vulnerable to unemployment and underemployment.

 

In this new digital age, a faster paced recruitment process has developed and young people seemed unaware of the speed required to respond to a job posting – a person’s success was almost dependent on their ability to respond to adverts as soon as they were posted. Fast moving and predominantly online, the concept of a closing date was defunct as nearly 30% of jobs advertised on the internet were taken down after a week of being posted. Employers removed job adverts as soon as sufficient applications were received. Vacancies were seen to close to candidates within days and in some cases within hours of being posted online.

 

Access to internet was key to success. Young people who had no internet access at home or only sporadic internet access were at a severe disadvantage and according to the researchers had “low or zero chance of success” if they did not respond to a job as soon as it was seen.

 

Young people were found to be reacting to the challenge of finding employment by volunteering, turning to friendship networks to find work and improving their qualifications.

 

Co-author Anne Green, now Professorial Fellow at Warwick Institute for Employment Research added: “This research provides evidence that employers are not discriminating according to postcode and provides helpful advice for young job seekers to make sure their qualifications and CVs are good, and to apply for jobs as soon as they are advertised.”

Notes:
Image - RGB Freestock  

US obesity to reach over 60% in 13 States by 2030

A report by Trust for America’s Health estimates that obesity in the US could reach over 60% within 20 years. If obesity continues to rise at the current rate, the impact will threaten America’s future with over half of adults in 13 states clinically obese.

The cost to health and to society is high; obese adults are at risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease, arthritis and obesity-related cancer. If incidents of obesity rise, so too will the cost of treating obesity related diseases. In the report “F is for Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future 2012”, researchers estimate that obesity related medical costs could reach $66 billion dollars and loss in economic productivity, $390 billion.

“Two Futures for American Health”

 
The report presents two futures; a bleak 2030 projected on the data of current reported obesity rates and the other, a potential future possible only if BMIs of obese adults reduce by 5%.  For example, in a 6ft man weighing 200 pounds, a 5% BMI reduction would be a loss of 10lbs.

Although difficult to calculate, researchers roughly estimate the number of lives that could be saved from preventable illness in each state if a 5% BMI reduction was achieved as follows:

•           Type 2 diabetes: 14,389 in Alaska to 796,430 in California;
•           Coronary heart disease and stroke: 11,889 in Alaska to 656,970 in California;
•           Hypertension: 10,826 in Alaska to 698,431 in California;
•           Arthritis: 6,858 in Wyoming to 387,850 in California; and
•           Obesity-related cancer: 809 in Alaska to 52,769 in California.


“We know a lot more about how to prevent obesity than we did 10 years ago,” said Jeff Levi, PhD, executive director of TFAH. “This report outlines how policies like increasing physical activity time in schools and making fresh fruits and vegetables more affordable can help make healthier choices easier. Small changes can add up to a big difference. Policy changes can help make healthier choices easier for Americans in their daily lives.”

The report makes a number of recommendations and calls for funding to match the scale of the problem that the country will be facing in less than 20 years, including -

• implement the Healthy, Hunger FreeKids Act to update nutrition standards for snack foods and meals in schools
• increase investment in obesity-prevention programs
• finalize the Interagency Working group on Food Marketed to Children Guidelines
• Make physical education and physical activity a priority in the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act;
• Fully support healthy nutrition in federal food programs

The Healthy, Hunger- Free Kids Act passed in 2010 is the first school food reform in 30 years. The legislation authorizes funding and sets policy for a number of core nutrition programmes including the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program and the Summer Food Service Program.

But where the “Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act” is an enforceable legislation, the rules governing the marketing of food outside of school is to follow voluntary guidelines that companies can choose to adopt. The Interagency Working Group’s (IWG) has drafted “Voluntary Guidelines on Food Marketed to Children”  - recommendations that food businesses are free to adopt or ignore. Snack attack protection will only be inside the parameters of schools and other federal institutions.

The UK has recently had a taste of the sophisticated US food marketing strategies. Kraft, after taking over Cadbury in 2010, has introduced a dizzying array of new products; energy rich and nutrient poor and targeted at lower socio economic groups. Cadburys has made growth of 2.2% in the UK alone- a rate of growth 80% faster than the UK market according to the Telegraph. Nick Bunker, KP Snacks CEO, told the Telegraph that “out-innovating” is responsible for the company’s growth.

Health has never been a part of the convenience food business plan. Companies selling high fat, high sugar treats or “Fast Moving Consumer Goods” (FMCGs) have seen profits rise in the global recession. Voluntary guidelines are not a viable commercial option for businesses competing in an aggressive consumer market. With the middle classes opting for organic and ‘free from’ snack options, companies have to jostle harder still for the poor man’s pound – the very socio economic group more at risk of poor diet and ill health.

Any future preventative obesity campaign will need to “out-innovate” too if it is to succeed in its aim to reduce obesity cases and aim for a healthier future for America.

“This study shows us two futures for America’s health,” said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “At every level of government, we must pursue policies that preserve health, prevent disease and reduce health care costs. Nothing less is acceptable.”



Notes:

F is for Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future 2012
http://healthyamericans.org/report/100/


BBC article – global obesity
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-18781786

Summary of Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act 2010
http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/governance/legislation

Telegraph – Cadbury and Kraft
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/9120100/Cadbury-acquires-a-taste-for-US-owner-Kraft-at-last.html

Facebook ‘Likes’ Reveal Users Secret Data

A study by a leading UK University has shown that age, religion, political views, ethnicity and even sexuality can be accurately predicted by a computer program with just a list of Facebook “Likes.”

In the study, “Private traits and attributes are predictable from digital records of human behaviour” researcher Michal Kosinski demonstrates how Likes, the digital sign of affiliation or ‘liking’ of status updates, photos, websites or products can reveal much of a user’s identity. Use of illegal drugs, alcohol habits and even the relationship status of a user’s parents can be inferred too by Likes alone.

Michal Kosinski developed Facebook App, “myPersonality” to study the relationship between Likes, demographics and personal attributes. 58,000 US Facebook users volunteered to take part in the survey, each providing a detailed demography, results of psychometric tests along with access to their Facebook Likes. In return, volunteers received a free personality analysis.

Data sets from the 58,000 Likes and corresponding psychometric tests were processed through a model to predict individual psychological and demographic profiles based on Likes alone. Researchers’ accepting Likes as firm indicators only when 100 users or more had demonstrated a correlating link. 

Some Likes indicators were blunt, others less so. Christians were identified by ”Jesus Daily” but some more tenuous links were uncovered too. Facebook users with “I like lyrics that actually mean something” in their Like list were shown to be statistically more likely to be prone to substance misuse.

Surprisingly accurate results were achieved in differentiating between non-variable attributes such as ethnicity, sexuality, politics and religion. The success rate predicted by Likes alone were;

• African, American and Caucasian Americans 95%
• Sexuality 88%
• Democrats and Republicans 82%
• Christian and Muslims 82% 

Although significantly lower, “good prediction accuracy” was still achieved in the detection of variable aspects such as the relationship status of a user. The lower detection rate was, according to researchers, explained by a user’s tendency to move between the categories of ‘in a relationship’ to ‘out’; the unstable and changeable nature of human relationships proving difficult for a programme to compute. Difficult yet not impossible. The relationships status of Facebook users was accurately and automatically predicted by Likes alone in 65% of cases.

Noted as “remarkable” by researchers was the ability of the program to accurately predict in 60% of cases whether an account holder’s parents had separated before the user had reached the age of 21. The indication of divorced or separated parents was predicted by a user’s increased probability liking relationships and emotionally laden lyrics in their Like list, for example, “I’m Sorry I Love You” or “If I am with you then I’m with you I don’t want anybody else." 

Unusual associations grouped users - intelligent users were seen to group together in their liking of curly fries and thunderstorms, females in relationships were identified by a common liking in Weightwatchers and scapbooking and emotionally stable users outed themselves with likes for skydiving and business administration. Swimming appeared to be a deal breaker; those who had swimming in their Likes scored higher in the most Satisfied With Life (SWL) score whereas drug users were least likely of all to give swimming the digital thumbs up. 

As businesses clamour for more information on customers, Facebook users will find that predictive programmes are honed to perfection. The risk of people being vulnerable to giving away more information than they have chosen to give freely, and of this information being misused is noted by Michal Kosinski in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), 

“commercial companies, governmental institutions, or even one’s Facebook friends could use software to infer attributes such as intelligence, sexual orientation, or political views that an individual may not have intended to share. One can imagine situations in which such predictions, even if incorrect, could pose a threat to an individual’s well-being, freedom, or even life.”
Michal Kosinski, Operations Director.

Researchers point out that as users become more aware of their vulnerability to information disclosure, they may lose trust in online services and be deterred from using digital technology. 

Young people are voting already with their digital feet leaving Facebook in preference for other social networking platforms; Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram, which offer the anonymity that Facebook lacks. 

According to “Inside Facebook” 6 million American users left Facebook in March 2013 alone. Michal Kosinski and his research team at the Psychometrics team, however, remain optimistic for the future, “It is our hope, however, that the trust and goodwill among parties interacting in the digital environment can be maintained by providing users with transparency and control over their information, leading to an individually controlled balance between the promises and perils of the Digital Age.”

Notes:

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)

http://www.pnas.org/content/110/15/5802.full

Your One Click Personality

http://www.youarewhatyoulike.com