Shell Youth Study

The Shell Youth Study is an empirical study of the attitudes, values , habits and social behavior of young people in Germany , which has been published by the mineral oil company Shell since 1953. In the last few decades it has established itself as part of comprehensive social reporting and is perceived as a reference work in specialist circles.

The study is commissioned to a team of scientists every four years. Since the 14th study in 2002, it has been carried out by scientists from Bielefeld University . The empirical surveys were carried out by TNS Infratest Sozialforschung (today Kantar Public ), consisting of representative surveys of the 12 to 25-year-old population in Germany, which are supplemented by 20 biographical portraits of young people of the same age group. The 14th (2002) and 15th (2006) studies were headed by Klaus Hurrelmann , who is also the "little sister" based on the Shell study, the World Vision Children's Studieshas been leading over children up to the age of eleven with similar topics on behalf of World Vision Germany since 2007. His Bielefeld colleague Mathias Albert is responsible for the 16th (2010), 17th (2015) and 18th (2019) studies together with Klaus Hurrelmann and Gudrun Quenzel .

Terminology

In connection with the Shell studies, the terms “ youth ”, “young people”, “boys and girls”, but also “young men” and “young women” are used. For the 2019 youth study, 2572 “young people” (description of the group of people by the publisher of the study) between 12 and 25 years of age in Germany were surveyed.

The language used by the sociologists responsible for the studies is not congruent with that of lawyers. In terms of Section 1 of the Youth Protection Act and the Youth Courts Act, 12 to 13 year olds are “children”, 18 to 20 year olds are “adolescents” and people aged 21 and over are “adults”. Only 14 to 17-year-olds are considered “young people” in the legal sense in Germany. A slightly different but common definition of the terms can be found in Section 7 of the Child and Youth Welfare Act (SGB VIII): Under 14-year-olds are considered “children”, 14- to 17-year-olds as “young people”, 18- to 26-year-olds as “young adults” and the entire group of under 27 year olds as “young people”.

Children and young people are considered minors , and persons over the age of 18 are considered adults . Statements from the youth studies relate both to persons with restricted rights and to persons with full freedom of action within the meaning of Article 2 of the Basic Law.

German age definitions up to 30th birthday
term	0	1	2	3	4th	5	6th	7th	8th	9	10	11	12	13	14th	15th	16	17th	18th	19th	20th	21st	22nd	23	24	25th	26th	27	28	29
infant	Yes	No
small child	part	Yes		part			part	No
childhood	No			early			middle				late				No
child	Yes												part		part				No
student	No						Yes										part		No
teenager	No													Yes							No
Teenager	No														Yes				part			No
Youth ( UN )	No													part		Yes					part	part				No
Youth ( shell )	No												Yes													No
Age of consent	Yes														part		part		No
Minor	Yes																		No
Child benefit	Yes																		part			part				once		No
young person	part										Yes								part							part		No
teenager	No																		Yes			No
young adult	No																		Yes									No
of legal age	No																		Yes
criminal responsibility	No												formerly		part				Yes			Yes
legally competent	No							part					part		part		part		Yes
FSK / USK	0						6th						12				16		18th

Statements from individual studies

Youth 2006: A pragmatic generation under pressure

The study documents the great fear of young people in Germany about social decline. In the run-up to the global financial crisis, there is great pessimism about the future. With a good education, young people want to protect themselves from relegation. There are great differences between the sexes in terms of educational goals. Girls have more creative behavior in their free time. They often combine media stimuli with activities for all the senses. Significantly more often than boys, they strive for a more demanding education with a high school diploma as a long-term goal and show more ambition than boys, for whom the constant occupation with electronic media is in the foreground. Young men can seldom imagine a division of labor with a partner and instead fixate on a career and a traditional image of men without being too ambitious. You trust in male supremacy for professional success and as a family breadwinner . Young women show more ambition and success in school. Only 20 percent are still attached to the traditional family image of the "three Cs: children, kitchen and church". In the meantime, alongside these, there is my own desire for a career. Overall, this attitude makes young women more resistant to crisis experiences.

Youth 2010: A pragmatic generation asserts itself

Compared to the 2006 study, the number of optimistic young people has increased significantly. The young people suspect the improving situation on the training and job market. However, this trend is socially different. The study found a widening of the gap between rich and poor, as shown in the World Vision Children's Study. While the three quarters of young people with at least some material security are predominantly optimistic, only 33 percent of young people from disadvantaged families are optimistic (2 percent less than 2006 and 7 percent less than 2002). In no other country does educational success depend so strongly on origin as in Germany. Young women have better chances of getting good educational qualifications than young men. The young people - especially the younger ones - have become more political: 38% of those questioned belonged to the left, 29% to the center and 18% saw themselves to the right of the center. Only 14% stated that they were not politically positioned. Social engagement is particularly widespread among children of educated or wealthy families.

Youth 2015: A pragmatic generation on the move

Findings from the 17th Shell Youth Study indicate the first changes in the current generation of young people. According to Klaus Hurrelmann's analysis, she is in the transition from Generation Y with a pragmatic, exploratory attitude and great concern for the future to a new generation figure who is more self-confident and “relaxed” (“Generation R”). According to Hurrelmann, a symptom of this is the continued rise in political interest. In contrast to the previous studies, this opening takes place against the background of a fundamentally positive assessment of the situation and the future of society. It seems that young people have more perspectives again to be up to date on social design issues and, if necessary, to participate in design processes. At the same time, young people's view of society and their own way of life has deepened. Respect (for culture and one's own tradition), recognition (of the diversity of people) and awareness (for the environment and health) are important.

The optimism of young people in Germany is high. 61% are optimistic about their own future, 36% are mixed “sometimes like this, sometimes like that” and only 3.7% rather gloomy. This means that the proportion of optimistic young people has increased slightly compared to 2010 (59%) and leaves the corresponding value from 2006 (50%) far behind.

However, young people from the socially weakest class again do not benefit from this growing confidence. As in 2010, only a third (33%) of them are optimistic about their own future. The optimism in the lower middle class has also declined slightly from 56% in 2010 to 52% in 2015. According to Klaus Hurrelmann, the social divide in 80% more or less well-positioned and almost 20% socially “left behind” has grown and its co-authors.

It is remarkable that for the first time a majority of young people are optimistic about the future of society. After a low point in 2006 (43%), the trend reversal from 2010 (47%) continues, so that in 2015, at 52%, for the first time since the 1990s, a slight majority of young people are confident about the future of society. Here, too, the social origin has a strong explanatory power. Young people from the upper class (59%) are again the most optimistic, whereas young people from the lower class (42%) are significantly less likely.

Despite the growing political interest, there is still a pronounced disaffection with the system towards parties and parliaments. The level of trust shown in parties is still below average (2.6 on a scale from 1 to 5 with an average of 3). 69% of young people (age group 15 to 25 years) still agree with the statement “Politicians don't care what people like me think”.

At the same time, the young people see that their country holds an important position in today's world. 69% think Germany is a significant player in the world. But they do not understand this new weight as an invitation to interfere too much in the conflicts of the world. On the one hand, they rely on the quality of the products that the country can offer to the world. On the other hand, they believe that Germany is culturally and socially attractive and can therefore be a role model for other countries in the world. Because of this positive mood, which is shared by many migrants, many young people express pride in Germany as their home country.

What is striking is the simultaneous growth in concern with regard to international politics. At 73%, young people most frequently name possible terrorist attacks as a risk and problem area that scares them. In second place is the fear of a possible war in Europe with 62%. Young people are not very afraid of immigration and refugees, but they are more afraid of increasing xenophobia.

Attitudes around working life are another focus of the 17th Shell Youth Study. A good fifth of young people (22%) who have already left school can look back on the experience that they were unable to pursue their dream job because they did not graduate from school. When it comes to job expectations, the need for security dominates, closely followed by the desire for personally meaningful fulfillment.

Youth 2019: A generation speaks out

In the subtitle of the 18th Shell Youth Study “A generation speaks up”, central aspects of the study become clear. Although the “Fridays for Future” movement had not yet reached its peak when the data was collected (January - March 2019), important trends of the current young generation are already evident here.

Politics and engagement

Young people are increasingly expressing ideas and demands on shaping the future and calling for a political course. This gives the impression that young people are becoming more political. Compared to 2015, however, political interest has generally declined slightly (2015: 43%, 2019: 41%). Only the concrete commitment is supported by participation formats such as B. Fridays for Future more visible. According to their own statements, the political engagement of young people has been between 33 and 40% for a long time. The more upscale the origin, the higher the proportion of committed people. Young people are currently evaluating political engagement higher again, which can also be attributed to the great importance attached to a conscious and mindful lifestyle.

digitalization

The news formats of ARD and ZDF as well as the daily newspapers are still named as reliable sources for political information. Yet only 23% of young people use them. The changes brought about by digitization are clear: 20% use news websites and news portals. 15% each still use radio and traditional print media. 14% of all young people use messenger apps and 9% YouTube to obtain information.

The effects of digitization can also be seen in leisure activities. It is only important to meet people for 55% of young people (comparison 2002: 62%). Video streaming is used by 45% of young people as a leisure activity. In contrast, television has lost its importance (2015: 49%, 2019: 33%). Social origin also has an impact on how people spend their free time. Young people from the lower social classes surf and game more often and watch television more often. The smartphone is used as a medium by 70% of young people - on average they spend 3.7 hours a day on the Internet.

Value orientation

Environmental protection has increased in the value orientation of young people. At 71%, it is even more important to young people than their own high standard of living (63%). In 2002, only 60% of young people named environmental protection as an important value. “That is an unusually high increase in importance,” judges the team of authors of the study.

Three out of four young people name pollution as the challenge they most respect.

Furthermore, family and relationships remain the central points of orientation for one's own lifestyle. They are rated more important than personal responsibility and independence. Over half of the young people (58%) are optimistic about the future.

Religion and church

69% of all young people think it is good that the church exists as an institution (75% of Catholic young people, 79% of Protestant young people, 45% of non-denominational young people). The importance of faith for personal life has been decreasing continuously for young members of the Christian churches for 20 years (39% of the Catholic youth and 24% of the Protestant youth name "Believe in God"). On the other hand, belief is relevant for 73% of Muslim youth.

Between cosmopolitanism and an affinity for populism

"All in all, Germany is seen as socially just" (59%).

The majority of young people associate the EU as an opportunity, prosperity, cultural diversity and peace. The study clearly shows that the majority of young people (57%) think it is good that Germany has taken in many refugees. In order to classify the young people in terms of their populist attitudes, five populism categories were created. These are the "cosmopolitans" (12%), the "cosmopolitan" (27%), the "ambiguously positioned" (28%), the populism-inclined (24%) and the "national populists" (9%) .

Individual evidence

↑ Thomas Rauschenbach : Children in Germany - a balance of empirical studies. In: DJI Bulletin. DJG, January 2009, archived from the original on July 30, 2010 ; Retrieved July 30, 2010 .
^ Bielefeld University: Shell Youth Study: Youth 2006
↑ Andrea Barthélémy: Poor children look to a bleak future. news.de, June 1, 2010, archived from the original on July 30, 2010 ; Retrieved July 30, 2010 .
↑ C. Füller & W. Schmidt: Poor children stare longer. In: taz. taz, October 24, 2010, accessed on July 30, 2010 : “The new study, which is supported by World Vision, is, so to speak, the little sister of the Shell Youth Study, which has been providing more knowledge about the living conditions of the 12-25 -Year-old was brought to light. "
↑ FAZ.NET with material from dpa: Poor children see few opportunities. FAZ, October 24, 2007, archived from the original on July 30, 2010 ; accessed on July 30, 2010 : "For the representative survey based on the model of the recognized Shell study"
↑ Ursula Münch Children need a stimulating environment
↑ Mathias Albert, Klaus Hurrelmann, Gudrun Quenzel: Youth 2019 A generation speaks out . Beltz Verlag, Weinheim 2019, p. 325 .
↑ In the state of Bavaria , vocational school is compulsory up to the age of 21; see BayEUG , Art. 39 .

↑ Child benefit is currently granted for disabled children in Germany without any age limit.

↑ Klaus Hurrelmann , Gudrun Quenzel: Let them be men. In: Zeit Online. Die Zeit, October 27, 2008, archived from the original on July 30, 2010 ; Retrieved July 30, 2010 .

^ Mathias Albert, Klaus Hurrelmann, Gudrun Quenzel: 16. Shell youth study. Youth 2010. Frankfurt / Main 2010. p. 135.

↑ Jana Frielinghaus: The gap is widening. In: young world. September 15, 2010, p. 5.

↑ Albert, Mathias; Hurrelmann, Klaus; Quenzel, Gudrun: Youth 2019 a generation speaks out . Beltz Verlag, Weinheim 2019, p. 13, 14, 33 .

↑ Albert, Mathias; Hurrelmann, Klaus; Quenzel, Gudrun: Youth 2019 a generation speaks out . Beltz Verlag, Weinheim 2019, p. 14 .

↑ Albert, Mathias; Hurrelmann, Klaus; Quenzel, Gudrun: Youth 2019 a generation speaks out . Beltz Verlag, Weinheim 2019, p. 19 .

↑ Albert, Mathias; Hurrelmann, Klaus; Quenzel, Gudrun: Youth 2019 a generation speaks out . Beltz Verlag, Weinheim 2019, p. 21 .

↑ Albert, Mathias; Hurrelmann, Klaus; Quenzel, Gudrun: Youth 2019 a generation speaks out . Beltz Verlag, Weinheim 2019, p. 14 .

↑ Albert, Mathias; Hurrelmann, Klaus; Quenzel, Gudrun: Youth 2019 a generation speaks out . Beltz Verlag, Weinheim 2019, p. 21 .

↑ Albert, Mathias; Hurrelmann, Klaus; Quenzel, Gudrun: Youth 2019 a generation speaks out . Beltz Verlag, Weinheim 2019, p. 15 .

↑ Albert, Mathias; Hurrelmann, Klaus; Quenzel, Gudrun: Youth 2019 a generation speaks out . Beltz Verlag, Weinheim 2019, p. 20 .

↑ Albert, Mathias; Hurrelmann, Klaus; Quenzel, Gudrun: Youth 2019 a generation speaks out . Beltz Verlag, Weinheim 2019, p. 26 .