Why do people think that society is in decline, when research suggests that the opposite is true? Dr Paul Hanel, a psychology expert, unpicks the evidenceTalk to a random member of the public and they’re likely to say that people’s behaviour is getting worse. If we look at people’s values, those abstract ideals that guide our behaviour, there are reasons to be positive about society. Further studies show people’s values are broadly similar across more than 60 nations, education levels, religious denominations and gender (there are exceptions of course). Numerous experiments have found that showing people that others share, on average, similar values and beliefs to their own, can make them more trusting and hopeful for the future.