The words illustrate how the characteristics of Japanese people in their 20s have changed for the past few decades.

In a previous post, I described how Japanese society has changed for the past 25 years by means of making a comparison of a welcome ceremony for new employees held by Japan Airline in 1986 to one in 2010. Today, I read a Nikkei article which cites an interesting survey on what words said by others make people in their 20s happy. The survey asks 300 people in their 20s and 300 people between their 30s and 50s. As for the latter ones, the survey asks them what words said by others made them happy when they were in their 20s. I think that the result illustrates well how the characteristics of Japanese people in their 20s have changed for the past few decades. I'll translate the words listed in the survey into English, although some of them are difficult to translate since the meanings are ambiguous and partly dependent on people and situations.

Category 1

親しみがある：You are familiar or congenial or approachable.
つきあいやすい：You are companionable or easy to hang out with.
ノリがいい：You can read the situation, adjust yourself to the situation and try to lift the people there.

マイペース：You go your own way.
面白い：You are funny.
優秀：You are excellent.
いい子：You are good, well behaved and do things as expected.
家庭的：You pay more attention to your family.
素直：You are honest or obedient.

Category 2

主張のある：You are assertive in good meaning.
正義感の強い：You have a strong sense of justice.
反骨精神あふれる：You are fiercely struggling with power or the times.
個性的：You have individuality or unique character.
バイタリティーがある：You have the vitality to do things.
向上心のある：You are ambitious or always try to improve yourself.
上昇志向の：You are career-conscious or try to climb the ladder.

Can you guess to which category words listed by people in their 20s belong? The answer is Category 1. The survey has reached a conclusion that people in their 20s like words which describe amiability while people between their 30s and 50s liked words which describe strength or hardiness when they were in their 20s. The result is convincing to me. What do you think about it?

http://www.ntt-ad.co.jp/publication/kuukidokuhon/04/index.html