Study analyzes more than 1 million books published over 200 years

A new UCLA analysis of words used in more than 1.5 million American and British books published between 1800 and 2000 shows how our cultural values have changed.

The increase or decrease in the use of certain words over the past two centuries — a period marked by growing urbanization, greater reliance on technology and the widespread availability of formal education — reveals how human psychology has evolved in response to major historical shifts, said Patricia Greenfield, a distinguished professor of psychology at UCLA and the author of the study.

For instance, the words “choose” and “get” rose significantly in frequency between 1800 and 2000, while “obliged” and “give” decreased significantly over these two centuries. “Choose” and “get” indicate “the individualism and materialistic values that are adaptive in wealthier urban settings,” while “obliged” and “give” “reflect the social responsibilities that are adaptive in rural settings,” Greenfield said.

Usage of “get” declined between 1940 and the 1960s before rising again in the 1970s, perhaps reflecting a decline in self-interest during World War II and the civil rights movement, she noted.

Greenfield also observed a gradual rise in the use of “feel” and a decline in the use of “act,” suggesting a turn toward inner mental life and away from outward behavior. She found a growing focus on the self, with the use of “child,” “unique,” “individual” and “self” all increasing from 1800 to 2000. More.