All topics
Every guide on the site, grouped by topic. 150 articles and counting.
People and Platforms
Wellbeing, relationships, work and language in a connected world.
Social Media and Wellbeing
- The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health: A Quantitative Study
- Screen Time Measures and Self-Report Versus Device Logs
- The Effects of Social Media on Mental Health in Children: A Quantitative Study
- The Effects of Social Media on Mental Health in Older Adults: A Quantitative Study
- The Impact of Social Media on Body Image in Children: A Quantitative Study
- The Impact of Social Media on Body Image: A Quantitative Study
- The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health in Athletes: A Quantitative Study
- The Impact of Social Media on Self-Esteem: A Quantitative Study
- Why Studies on Social Media and Mood Reach Different Conclusions
Social Media and Society
- The Effects of Social Media on Relationships: A Quantitative Study
- Cultural Shifts in Social Media Use: A Statistical Look at Generation Z
- Misinformation Research and How Spread Is Measured
- The Impact of Social Media on Politics in Developing Countries: A Quantitative Study
- The Impact of Social Media on Politics: A Quantitative Study
- The Impact of Social Media on Relationships in the Digital Age: A Quantitative Study
Work and Communication
- The Rise of Remote Work: A Numerical Analysis of Productivity Trends
- Cultural Shifts in Language Use in the Workplace: A Statistical Look at Communication Trends
- Cultural Shifts in Social Media Use in the Workplace: A Statistical Look at Communication Trends
- Cultural Shifts in Work-Life Balance: A Statistical Look at Remote Work
- Email Overload and the Move to Messaging Apps at Work
- The Effects of Social Media on Relationships in the Workplace: A Quantitative Study
- Video Meetings and Claims About Fatigue
Language and Change
- Cultural Shifts in Language Use: A Statistical Look at Language Evolution
- Cultural Exchange in the Digital Age: A Statistical Look at Language Learning
- Cultural Shifts in Language Use in the Digital Age: A Statistical Look at Language Evolution
- Emoji as Language and What Can Be Studied
- Regional Dialects and Social Media
Careers and Changing Work
- How Claims About the Future of Work Are Built
- Automation Forecasts and Why They Rarely Match Outcomes
- Burnout Talk at Work and How the Term Is Used
- Four-Day Week Pilots and What They Can Show
- Hybrid Work Policies and Reporting Bias
- Job Hopping and Career Change Narratives
- Side Hustles and the Stories People Tell About Them
- The Gig Economy and Why Definitions Change the Answer
Family, Community and Belonging
- How Social Connection Is Studied Across Communities
- Friendship Maintenance and the Rise of Group Chats
- Household Structure and How Households Are Defined
- Loneliness Research and How It Is Defined and Measured
- Neighbours, Trust and Community Surveys
- Partnership Timing Trends in Context
- Religious and Secular Identity in Survey Research
- Volunteering and Civic Participation Trends
Culture and Everyday Life
Food, lifestyle, heritage, music and travel trends.
Food and Diet Trends
- The Growing Popularity of Plant-Based Diets: A Numerical Analysis
- Cultural Shifts in Food Preferences: A Statistical Look at Plant-Based Eating
- Cultural Trends in Food Culture: A Statistical Look at Food Waste
- Cultural Trends in Food Culture: A Statistical Look at Foodie Culture
- Meal Kits and Food Delivery Trends
- Superfoods and How Food Fads Form
- The Rise of Veganism: A Numerical Analysis of Dietary Trends
Lifestyle and Consumer Trends
- The Growing Popularity of Sustainable Living: A Numerical Analysis
- Cultural Trends in Fashion: A Statistical Look at Sustainable Fashion
- Cultural Trends in Travel: A Statistical Look at Sustainable Tourism
- Minimalism as a Lifestyle Movement
- Secondhand and Resale Markets as a Consumer Trend
- The Growing Popularity of Plant-Based Beauty Products: A Numerical Analysis
- The Growing Popularity of Wellness Trends: A Numerical Analysis
- The Rise of Sustainable Fashion: A Numerical Analysis of Brand Adoption
Culture, Change and Heritage
- The Effects of Climate Change on Cultural Heritage Sites: A Quantitative Study
- Cultural Shifts in Social Norms: A Statistical Look at Changing Values
- The Effects of Climate Change on Cultural Heritage Sites in Developing Countries: A Quantitative Study
- The Effects of Climate Change on Cultural Identity: A Quantitative Study
- The Effects of Climate Change on Cultural Practices: A Quantitative Study
Arts, Music and Travel
Travel and Tourism Trends
- How Travel Trends Are Measured and Reported
- Digital Nomads and the Long-Stay Traveller
- How Travel Reviews Shape and Distort Choices
- Overtourism and the Debate Over How to Define It
- Short-Term Rentals and Neighbourhood Change
- Slow Travel as an Idea and a Marketing Label
- Travel Influencers and Destination Popularity
- Why Booking Data Cannot Tell the Whole Travel Story
Leisure, Sport and Hobbies
- How Leisure Time Is Studied and Why Hobbies Are Hard to Count
- Board Games and the Return of Analogue Hobbies
- Craft and Maker Revivals as Real Interest or Social Display
- Fan Communities and Fandom as a Cultural Trend
- Home Gardening and Growing Trends in Context
- How Participation in Sport Is Counted and Interpreted
- Reading Habits and the Problem of Self-Reports
- Time Use Surveys and What They Reveal
Home, Cities and Daily Life
- How Everyday Habits at Home and in Cities Are Studied
- Cashless Payments and Everyday Habit Change
- Coffee Shop Culture as a Social Trend
- Commuting Patterns and How They Are Surveyed
- Housing Preferences and Stories About Smaller Homes
- Neighbourhood Change and Gentrification Narratives
- Pet Ownership Trends and What Records Capture
- Urban and Rural Differences in Trend Stories
Digital Life
How online communities, learning and new technology get measured.
Online Communities and Learning
- The Growing Popularity of Online Communities: A Numerical Analysis
- The Growing Popularity of Online Education: A Numerical Analysis
- The Growing Popularity of Online Shopping: A Numerical Analysis
- The Rise of E-Commerce Platforms: A Numerical Analysis of Adoption Rates
- The Rise of E-Learning Platforms: A Numerical Analysis of Adoption Rates
Technology and Gaming
- The Rise of Online Gaming: A Numerical Analysis of Esports Trends
- AI Chatbots and How Adoption Claims Are Built
- The Rise of Cryptocurrency: A Numerical Analysis of Adoption Rates
- The Rise of E-Sports: A Numerical Analysis of Competitive Gaming
- The Rise of Virtual Assistants: A Numerical Analysis of Adoption Rates
- The Rise of Virtual Reality: A Numerical Analysis of Adoption Rates
Platforms, Algorithms and Attention
- How Recommendation Algorithms Shape What Looks Popular
- Attention Spans and Why the Popular Claim Is Hard to Test
- Bots, Fake Accounts and Inflated Popularity
- Engagement Metrics and What a Like Actually Measures
- Filter Bubbles and Echo Chambers and What the Evidence Supports
- Hashtags and Memes as Units of Cultural Spread
- Platform Rule Changes and Sudden Shifts in Trend Data
- Trending Lists and What Makes a Topic Trend
Creators, Streaming and Online Media
- How the Creator Economy Is Described and Measured
- Influencer Marketing and Disclosure Basics
- News Consumption Habits Online
- Podcast Growth Claims and Measurement Problems
- Short-Form Video and Changing Media Habits
- Streaming Video and the Fragmenting of Shared Culture
- Subscriptions, Tips and Patron Support for Creators
- User-Generated Content and Who Counts as a Creator
Evidence and Method
How trend evidence is gathered, tested and explained, and where it goes wrong.
How Trend Data Is Collected
- How Trend Data Is Collected and What Each Source Misses
- How Question Wording Changes Survey Answers
- How Sales and Transaction Records Describe Trends
- How Survey Panels Work and Who They Leave Out
- Platform Data and Its Blind Spots
- Self-Reported Behaviour Versus Observed Behaviour
- What Search Interest Charts Do and Do Not Measure
- Why Sampling Decides What a Trend Appears to Be
Correlation, Causes and Competing Explanations
- How to Tell a Correlation From a Cause in Trend Stories
- Confounding Variables Explained With Everyday Examples
- How Researchers Use Natural Experiments
- Reverse Causation and When the Arrow Points the Other Way
- Selection Effects and Why Early Adopters Mislead
- Survivorship Bias in Success Stories About Trends
- The Ecological Fallacy and Group Patterns Versus Individuals
- Why Two Reasonable Explanations Can Fit the Same Trend
Fads, Hype and Trend Lifecycles
- What Separates a Lasting Trend From a Passing Fad
- Diffusion of Innovations and How Ideas Spread Through Groups
- How Media Coverage Amplifies Small Shifts
- How to Spot a Manufactured Trend
- Network Effects and Tipping Points
- Nostalgia Cycles and Why Old Styles Return
- The Hype Cycle Model and Its Limits
- The Trend Piece Format and Its Built-In Biases
Public Opinion and Polling
- How Opinion Polls Work and Why They Differ
- Margin of Error in Plain Language
- Non-Response and the People Who Never Answer
- Online Opt-In Polls Versus Probability Samples
- Social Desirability and Honest Answers
- Tracking Surveys and How Repeated Questions Show Change
- Weighting and Adjusting Survey Results
- Why Attitudes on Values Tend to Move Slowly