ANN ARBOR—Consumer sentiment fell for the fourth straight month, plunging 8% from March and reaching its lowest reading since July 2022. While the April decline in current conditions was relatively modest, the expectations index plummeted with drop-offs in personal finances as well as business conditions, said economist Joanne Hsu, director of the University of Michigan’s Surveys… Continue reading Consumers worried about labor markets amid trade policy volatility
Project: Survey Research Center
5 U-M faculty join American Academy of Arts and Sciences
ANN ARBOR—Five University of Michigan professors distinguished in psychology, history, life sciences, public policy and sociology are among the nearly 250 scholars chosen for the 2025 class of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. “These new members’ accomplishments speak volumes about the human capacity for discovery, creativity, leadership and persistence,” academy President Laurie Patton said.… Continue reading 5 U-M faculty join American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Off the road: 1 in 4 seniors quit driving due to sight issues
Research indicates an urgent need for updated vision screening policies and safer infrastructure to protect aging drivers ANN ARBOR—Older drivers with vision impairment are dramatically more likely to stop driving or avoid challenging road conditions—with severe cases four times more likely to give up driving altogether, a national University of Michigan study finds. Driving is… Continue reading Off the road: 1 in 4 seniors quit driving due to sight issues
Uncertainty around economic policies sinks consumer sentiment again
ANN ARBOR—Consumer sentiment plummeted 12% in March, falling for the third straight month. While current economic conditions were little changed, the forward-looking expectations index plunged a precipitous 18% and has now lost more than 30% since November 2024, said economist Joanne Hsu, director of the University of Michigan’s Surveys of Consumers. This month’s decline reflects a… Continue reading Uncertainty around economic policies sinks consumer sentiment again
Study examines how older adults benefit from information and communication technology
Contact: Jon Meerdink ([email protected]) ANN ARBOR — Information and communication technology (ICT) has become an inseparable part of the modern world, so much so that it can sometimes fade into the background of everyday life. But for older adults, it can be more than just a mundane piece of existence; it can be a lifeline… Continue reading Study examines how older adults benefit from information and communication technology
Noah Webster explores interactions between different environments in Insights presentation
Contact: Jon Meerdink ([email protected]) ANN ARBOR — Our environments shape our lives in profound ways. The climate in which we live affects our well-being in visible and invisible ways. Our social environment affects every aspect of our relationships, both at home and at work. Our built environment affects the way we move through every moment… Continue reading Noah Webster explores interactions between different environments in Insights presentation
Monitoring the Future looks back on 50 years of research
Contact: Jon Meerdink ([email protected]) Monitoring the Future has been studying the behaviors, attitudes, and values of American students for 50 years. In that half century of research, the study has compiled data on more than 1.7 million students in the United States, tracking a subset of more than 120,000 of them longitudinally from 12th grade… Continue reading Monitoring the Future looks back on 50 years of research
Consumer sentiment drops as inflation worries escalate
ANN ARBOR—Consumer sentiment slid nearly 10% from January and fell for the second straight month. The decrease was unanimous across groups by age, income and wealth. All five components of the sentiment index deteriorated this month, led by a 19% plunge in buying conditions for durables, due in part to fears that tariff-induced price increases… Continue reading Consumer sentiment drops as inflation worries escalate
Self-employment income widely underreported, U-M survey shows
ANN ARBOR—Among older workers, the majority of self-employment income missing from tax records is due to unreported earnings to the Internal Revenue Service rather than differences in how income is classified, a new University of Michigan study finds. The analysis shows that the amounts of self-employment income reported in the Health and Retirement Study, but absent from… Continue reading Self-employment income widely underreported, U-M survey shows
Pamela Davis-Kean discusses the importance and impact of mathematical skills in educational development in Insights presentation
Contact: Jon Meerdink ([email protected]) ANN ARBOR — Math is a skill that can be learned — but not enough American students are hitting their early indicators for future success in mathematics. For years, American students have lagged behind their international counterparts in math skills, and the learning loss from the COVID-19 pandemic has not yet… Continue reading Pamela Davis-Kean discusses the importance and impact of mathematical skills in educational development in Insights presentation