Close to a third of German youth affirm belief in a individual deity, poll indicates
In the latest "Youth in Germany" survey, it's been revealed that a sizable 31% of 14 to 29-year-olds believe in a personal God, compared to 25% for those aged 30 to 49 and 24% for those aged 50 to 69. Around 6000 participants were polled, split evenly across these age groups.
When it comes to religious affiliation, 55% of young respondents identified with a religion, most commonly Christian (41%), followed by Muslims (10%). A significant 45% indicated no religious association.
The survey also found that faith offered some support in challenging times for nearly 35% of young respondents, a figure higher than older age groups but still a minority perspective.
Interestingly, family emerged as the most important value for young Germans, followed by health, honesty, reliability, helpfulness, politeness, and various other elements. Religion and faith, meanwhile, ranked near the bottom.
The authors of the study noted a noticeable downward trend in the significance of religion and faith among the surveyed population. A staggering 60% of young people denied the existence of a personal God, compared to 51% in 2022. Notably, the faith remains relatively more prevalent among Muslims surveyed.
As for values and virtues, the study found that young people tend to favor traditional ones. The most important values for 14 to 29-year-olds are family, health, safety, honesty, reliability, helpfulness, and politeness, with performance/career, faith/religion, and environmental sustainability at the bottom of the list.
The survey also touched upon media consumption habits among young people, revealing that social media is their primary source of information, followed by online news sites, search engines, and television programs. Compared to the over-50s, who prefer traditional media, young people extensively use smartphones, particularly for nearly everything, including social media activities such as Instagram and YouTube.
The study shed some light on the higher prevalence of psychological stress among the younger generation, with young people more likely to experience stress, self-doubt, exhaustion, lack of motivation, and loneliness compared to older generations. Although psychiatric treatment is almost as prevalent in all age groups, the study found that young people are more likely to feel they require mental health support than their older counterparts.
The researchers concluded that the modern childhood and adolescence of young Germans are heavily influenced by smartphone use, instead of the regular interactions and pastimes seen in previous generations.
- In the realm of health-and-wellness, the survey uncovered that young people in Germany are more likely to experience psychological stress, such as self-doubt, exhaustion, and loneliness, compared to older generations.
- Browsing through social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube is a common entertainment activity among young Germans, making it their primary source of information, surpassing traditional media sources popular among older generations. Moreover, mental health issues are more pronounced among this age group, suggesting a potential connection between screen time and mental health.
