Authors

• Church Research Institute

Keywords

anxiety, expectation, fear, forecasting, future

Abstract

The survey mapped what kind of visions the respondents had in 1997 regarding the turn of the millennium. The respondents were asked to assess the likelihood of various catastrophes, including nuclear war, floods of refugees, conflicts over water resources, human cloning and breeding, and new diseases. The respondents commented on some statements frequently associated with the turn of the millennium, such as the return of Jesus, drop in unemployment rate, religious revivalism, and the arrival of humanoids.

Background variables included the respondent's age, gender, education, occupation, place of residence, marital status, political views, and religious attendance. The respondent's lifestyle and sentiments were also canvassed by monitoring their attitudes towards, for example, environmental protection, fashion-consciousness, and the connection between hard work and success.