American Youth Want Love More Than Sex

BOSTON, Jan. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Youthography, North America's most significant full-service research and marketing communications agency dedicated exclusively to youth culture, today revealed that, contrary to popular belief, the prospect of lifelong partnership and marriage is more important to young Americans than having sex.

"This doesn't mean they're not having sex or enjoying it," explains Mike Farrell, Director of Research & Strategy at Youthography. "Instead we're seeing a lessening in the impact that sex, or the prospect of having sex, has on the young American id."

In Youthography's latest national, regionally representative Ping(TM) survey of more than 1,900 Americans aged 14-29, 77.8% and 64.2% of respondents put top box importance (a rating of "4" or "5" on a scale from 1-5, "5" being "totally important") on "having a lifelong partner" and "getting married" respectively. In comparison, "having sex" received top box importance from less than half surveyed (46.1%).

Surprisingly, gender bias wasn't a wildly divisive factor; males were slightly less inclined (by 7%) to put personal importance on "having a lifelong partner" and "getting married" versus females. Similarly, only 12% more males than females put top box importance on "having sex".

The survey's results identify another clear trend; the gradual reinvention of traditional cultural touchstones (such as marriage) to suit today's attitudes. The results here show that more young Americans like the idea of "having a lifelong partner" than that of "getting married".

And there are other shifts along the same lines; where young Americans affirm belief in one key tenet of the culture (such as monogamy) they've invested the notion with their own contemporary perspective. Here we see that marriage continues to morph to suit today's era of diversity and acceptance; just under 4 in 10 young Americans (39%) believe that "the rights of gays and lesbians to marry should be legally protected." Interestingly, this attitude cuts across gender and regional divides with differences between males and females or, for example, Southern states and Northeast states, never going beyond 9%.

For more information on Youthography's Ping(TM) poll, including additional statistics and strategic insight regarding youth's perceptions on values, love and sex, contact Darlene Hollywood at 781-837-2572.

About Youthography:

Youthography (http://www.youthography.com/) is North America's most significant full-service research and marketing communications agency dedicated exclusively to youth culture (ages 9-34). Youthography melds its exhaustive demographic-focused insight with disciplined brand and cultural strategy to help powerhouse brands (including McDonald's, American Eagle Outfitters, Motorola, Cadbury Adams, Mattel and Microsoft), and cultural and political institutions, understand and communicate with tweens, teens and young adults.

Grounded in research, Youthography delivers timely, market-critical insight on current/emerging trends with: Forward, a bi-weekly newsletter; PlayList, a monthly bulletin featuring music trends, important indicators of contemporary youth culture; and its flagship research engine, Ping(TM), an annually syndicated trend report.