Young people ages 10-24 rank safety as most important value for second year in a row, study finds

This year's Values Report from the Center for Scholars & Storytellers (CSS) at UCLA has revealed that despite navigating extreme weather events, global geopolitical conflicts and economic strain, today's young people remain remarkably grounded, with their values reflecting core human needs more than fleeting wants.

In August 2025, for the second year in a row, CSS asked 1,500 young people aged 10 to 24 to rate the importance of 14 priorities from "being kind to others" to "being famous." Once again, safety topped the list of most important. At the same time, kindness, self-acceptance and fun rounded out the top four, painting a portrait of a generation actively curating their internal and external lives to find stability, connection and joy.

"In a world full of uncertainty, young people are telling us exactly what they need - and it's not fame or fortune," said Yalda T. Uhls, founder and CEO of CSS, adjunct professor in UCLA's psychology department and senior author of the study. "They want to feel safe, be kind, accept themselves and have fun. These aren't just preferences - they're survival strategies for a generation dealing with very real stress."

Safety is foundational to young people

Safety emerged as the top-ranked value among 10-24 year olds for the second consecutive year, signaling that even as culture, platforms and preferences shift, security and stability continue to anchor their worldview. In an environment shaped by global conflict, school safety anxieties and digital harassment, young people are seeking content, communities and experiences that make them feel steady, grounded and protected.

CSS's broader research reinforces this pattern. In another recent report, the favorite heroes of young people surveyed were those who were especially brave, suggesting that the need to be brave resonates deeply within the age group.

Kindness and empathy are top values in a polarized world

"Being kind to others" ranked second this year, reflecting both adolescents' (defined in the survey as 10-24 year olds) desire to be treated with empathy and their commitment to treating others well. Amid a rise in hostile rhetoric rooted in ideological division and the persistent threat of gun violence in schools, young people are elevating kindness as a collective response, signaling a desire to counter division with empathy, connection and humanity.

"Young people are choosing to lead with compassion at a moment when the world around them often doesn't," said Alisha Hines, CSS vice president of research and programs and a co-author of the annual survey. "We've learned that this generation values sincerity and kindness. They want the same energy reflected in the media they consume and in the real world and digital environments they navigate."

Young people prioritize self-acceptance - and media can help them see themselves clearly

Ranked third among values, self-acceptance reflects young people's desire to understand and embrace who they are in a digital world where they feel constantly evaluated. Developmentally, this makes sense. Youth is a period of identity formation, and self-acceptance is crucial for mental health and self-definition.

The need for self-acceptance is reflected in this year's recently-released Teens and Screens report, also from CSS, which found that "people with lives like my own" and "relatable stories" ranked No. 1 among the topics and types of stories young people want to see most.

Fun is a tool for coping and connection, not just entertainment

Although "to have a lot of fun" ranked fourth overall in the Values Report, it was even more important to 10-13-year-olds, teens 14-18 and males overall, signaling that entertainment remains a vital emotional release and a tool for social bonding. Fun is how young people cope, connect and breathe under immense psychological and emotional pressure.

"Laughter, play and shared joy are a key part of how young people cope with stress and build meaningful friendships - which are both essential to their development," said Matt Puretz, CSS senior researcher and a co-author of the study. ," said Matt Puretz, CSS senior researcher and a co-author of the study. "We see this reflected in the media content they seek out - they often look for fun content when they're stressed."

This year's study asked 1,500 young people (ages 10-24, reflecting the ages of adolescence as defined by the National Academy of Sciences) about their values, priorities and perceptions of media. The demographic makeup of participants closely reflects the latest U.S. Census data regarding race and gender.

For more information about this report or any other work from the Center for Scholars & Storytellers, please visit CSS's website.