Why boomers enjoy learning new skills

The majority of baby boomers love to learn new things, but they think they’re too old to actually do so, according to new research.

The survey of 2,000 Americans, split evenly by generation, revealed that although 74% of boomers said they “love” learning new things, and six in 10 find that learning something new is more rewarding now than when they were younger, they still think they are too old to actually learn new skills. 

The sentiment of being “too old to learn” was reinforced across generations, with respondents pinpointing 26 years old as the best age to learn something new.

In contrast, the survey found that 43% of respondents — across generations — believe they’re more successful in learning new things at their current age, versus when they were younger.

This is due to things like being more patient (42%), learning because they want to and not because they need to (30%) and having more time (29%).

Commissioned by Duolingo and conducted by Talker Research, the survey revealed that Americans want to learn new things, but they’re holding themselves back.

“Learning doesn’t stop as we age,” said Bozena Pajak, VP of Learning & Curriculum at Duolingo. “While younger learners may have a speed advantage, adults benefit from rich life experience, greater knowledge and strong problem-solving abilities. Studies also show that learning new skills, like a language, can help delay cognitive decline and boost memory. We see learners of all ages thrive — reinforcing that it’s never too late to keep growing.”

One skill that respondents are interested in learning is a new language — 26% of Americans surveyed, regardless of age, are currently working to pick up a new language.

For these respondents, they cited supporting their cognitive health (27%) — keeping their brain sharp as they age — as one of the top motivators for learning a new language. Other top motivators include cultural interest (31%), travel (27%) and communicating more effectively (27%).

Despite the benefits that respondents may see in learning a new language, the number of people actively working on this skill varied greatly by generation. Almost half of Gen Z (45%) is studying another language, while only 8% of baby boomers said the same. 

Despite those stark differences, the survey found that Americans are almost equally as interested in learning another language, regardless of their age. Results found 33% of Gen Zers, 41% of millennials, 46% of Gen X and 40% of baby boomers would like to learn another language. 

So, what’s holding them back? Lack of time, perceived difficulty, not knowing where to start and not having anyone to practice with ranked highest across generations. 

In this increasingly globalized world, language skills have a wide range of benefits for learners of all ages. And for those who are only confident in one language, it leaves them feeling limited in the places they can travel (21%) and left out of conversations with multilingual friends and family (18%), while others also worry they’re not as smart as other people who can speak multiple languages (16%).

“While learning evolves as we age, older adults adapt well to new methods and often excel in connecting new knowledge to their experiences, which can enhance memory retention and understanding,” said Pajak. “Using physical or visual aids like handwritten notes or visual mnemonics can also enhance learning through a multi-sensory approach.

“While some may feel less comfortable with technology, studies show that embracing digital tools can provide immense benefits by offering personalized, adaptive learning experiences. We encourage older learners to capitalize on their patience and life experience while embracing the learning strategies that work best for their needs.”

WHY ARE RESPONDENTS WORKING TO LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE?

• I have an interest in other cultures — 31%
• I want to keep my brain sharp as I age — 27%
• I want to visit the country where this language is spoken — 27%
• I want to better communicate with those around me (neighbors, community members, co-workers, clients, etc.) — 27%
• It’ll be beneficial for me professionally to speak this language — 24%
• I want to understand foreign media (movies, TV shows, sports, music, etc.) — 21%
• I learn languages as a hobby — 21%

RESPONDENTS WHO ARE ONLY CONFIDENT IN ONE LANGUAGE SAID . . .

• I feel limited in the places I can travel to/am comfortable traveling to — 21%
• I feel left out of conversations with multilingual friends and family — 18%
• I worry I’m not as smart as other people who can speak multiple languages — 16%
• I’ve had a funny misunderstanding with someone who speaks another language — 16%
• I feel limited in the media I can consume — 16%
• I feel like a “dumb American” — 12%
• I feel excluded or detached from my culture and heritage — 9%

Survey methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 Americans (split evenly by generation); the survey was commissioned by Duolingo and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Oct. 8–14, 2024.

We are sourcing from a non-probability frame and the two main sources we use are:

• Traditional online access panels — where respondents opt-in to take part in online market research for an incentive
• Programmatic — where respondents are online and are given the option to take part in a survey to receive a virtual incentive usually related to the online activity they are engaging in

Those who did not fit the specified sample were terminated from the survey. As the survey is fielded, dynamic online sampling is used, adjusting targeting to achieve the quotas specified as part of the sampling plan.

Regardless of which sources a respondent came from, they were directed to an Online Survey, where the survey was conducted in English; a link to the questionnaire can be shared upon request. Respondents were awarded points for completing the survey. These points have a small cash-equivalent monetary value.

Cells are only reported on for analysis if they have a minimum of 80 respondents, and statistical significance is calculated at the 95% level. Data is not weighted, but quotas and other parameters are put in place to reach the desired sample.

Interviews are excluded from the final analysis if they failed quality-checking measures. This includes:

• Speeders: Respondents who complete the survey in a time that is quicker than one-third of the median length of interview are disqualified as speeders
• Open ends: All verbatim responses (full open-ended questions as well as other please specify options) are checked for inappropriate or irrelevant text
• Bots: Captcha is enabled on surveys, which allows the research team to identify and disqualify bots
• Duplicates: Survey software has “deduping” based on digital fingerprinting, which ensures nobody is allowed to take the survey more than once

It is worth noting that this survey was only available to individuals with internet access, and the results may not be generalizable to those without internet access.