COLUMN: Utah’s social clock
Introduced by social psychologist Bernice Neugarten, the social clock is a concept in psychology theorizing a culture determines a timetable by which certain life events are expected to occur. This timetable is not a conscious choice but rather imposed on us by the society in which we live in. There are many examples of this, among them being high school graduation, going to college and receiving a driver’s license. When people conform to their social clock, it can often lead to social validation and personal accomplishment. On the contrary, nonconformity or failing to meet the expectations of the social clock can lead to great anxiety and stress.
It is important to acknowledge the existence of the social clock so an individual can either free themselves from it, or so that they can consciously work to align themselves with the clock, as to minimize anxiety.
Utah is a very unique microcosm in the United States. Due to the overwhelming percentage of the population with some connection to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Utah is a cultural anomaly. This is reflected in everything from the state’s alcohol laws to Utah’s desolate streets on Sunday afternoons. This unique culture creates a unique cultural timetable.
Utah has the youngest average age of marriage in the entire nation, 24 for women, and 26 for men. This stands in stark contrast to my native state, where men in California typically get married at 30 years old and women at 28. In fact, the national average for both men and women nearly approximates California’s averages, 30 years old for men and 28 for women. My California friends look absolutely astonished when I tell them that many of my friends are already married.
This is not an anomaly. This is a statistically significant difference and therefore reasonable to suggest that the Utah culture creates immense pressure towards commitment and the legal union of marriage and, for many, the social clock is ticking.
Another interesting phenomenon is Latter-day Saint missions. For those who live outside of Utah, young members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints often choose to serve missions to spread the word of their religion, typically two years for young men and a year and a half for young women. It seems this clock creates a deep desire for many people to undergo similar experiences, which explains why Utah is home to so many international volunteer language programs.
As someone who left on a mission only to come back earlier after realizing that it wasn’t in my interest to do so, I can say that the sociological urge for some sort of right of passage was a huge part of my motivation to serve.
There are likely many more elements of Utah’s culture that create such a timetable, but it is hard to explore this issue empirically. At best, we are left to speculation and qualitative analysis.
It is hard to say how strong the impulses created by the social clock are, just as it is hard to say positively which impulses are the result of the social clock. Nonetheless, acknowledging the existence of such a tendency in human nature can prove to be a valuable exercise in self-reflection.
In life, it is up to us to determine what we truly want. If we are ignorant to the sociological mechanisms that underlie our everyday lives, we might interpret the expectations of others as our own desires. You may perceive yourself as an independent person, but until you acknowledge the existence of the social clock, it will continue to tick with every passing tick becoming louder and louder.
—kfors@gmail.com
*Graphic by Regan Johnson.