"In a study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, we analyzed 38 million obituaries of Americans published from 1998 to 2024. We identified the values families most often highlight, and how those values shift across generations, regions and major historical events. Specifically, working with psychologists Liane Young and Thomas Mazzuchi, we examined the language used on Legacy.com, an online platform where families often post obituaries and share memories of loved ones."
"Across nearly 30 years of obituaries, words related to the value "tradition" appeared most often - many tributes described religious participation and enduring customs. Words related to the value "benevolence" - caring for the welfare of others - were also consistently prominent. In fact, tradition and benevolence formed the dominant value profile across the dataset: They appeared in more than 70% of the obituaries. By contrast, words related to values like "achievement" and "power" appeared far less often."
An analysis of 38 million obituaries published on Legacy.com from 1998 to 2024 used text-analysis tools and curated word lists to map values highlighted in memorial language. The dataset was processed on a supercomputer to detect recurring words tied to broad values such as tradition, benevolence, achievement, and power. Tradition and benevolence were dominant, appearing in more than 70% of obituaries through references to religious participation and caring for others. Words tied to achievement and power were comparatively rare. The analysis also found variation across generations, regions, and after major events such as Sept. 11, 2001.
Read at The Conversation
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