Verified by Remembering the Good Ol' Days
Focuses on a study which examined whether lamented societal changes
are real or imaginary. Analysis of the perceptions of elementary school
teachers on world danger; Reasons for the differences in the perceptions
of teachers.
By Hollis Kline published September 1, 2001 - last reviewed on June 9, 2016
PERCEPTIONS
Reminiscing about the "good old days" is a fun pastime, but are
lamented societal changes real or imagined?
To find out, Richard Eibach, a Cornell University graduate
psychology student, surveyed 51 elementary school teachers on their
perceptions of world danger in the recent past. His findings, presented
to the American Psychological Society, showed that teachers who had
become parents during the given period perceived a significantly more
dangerous world than did other teachers. Eibach suggests perspectives
change because a healthy dose of parental suspicion helps protect
newborns.
"Over time, we acquire a cynical perspective," says Eibach. "To the
extent that people don't realize this is happening, they might think the
world is declining."
