Ding dong! Someone’s at the door. Are you planning to answer it?
It’s a common stereotype that younger Americans won’t answer any phone calls or knocks at the door — and that older Americans will. A majority of Americans 65 and older (59%) would answer the door if a stranger knocked. However, 23% would ignore the unexpected visitor. The younger the adult, the less likely they are to answer the door.
If someone knocks at the door when they aren’t expecting any visitors, 5% of Americans say excitement best describes their reaction. One-third (34%) say curiosity best describes their reaction to an unexpected knocker, while one-quarter (25%) are annoyed.
More Black Americans (41%) than Hispanic Americans (30%) or white Americans (35%) are curious about an unexpected knocker. 27% of white Americans are annoyed about a knock — more than Black Americans (17%).
While about half of Americans (48%) would answer a stranger at the door, majorities of Americans are willing to ask their next-door neighbor for an item to borrow (53%) or help during an emergency (69%). Unlike with answering a door, the share of people willing to ask a neighbor to borrow something is not higher among older Americans. However, older Americans are more likely to ask their next-door neighbor for help in an emergency. 65% of adults under 30 would ask a neighbor for help in an emergency, compared to 76% of Americans 65 and older.
Knocking on neighbors’ doors isn’t reserved for serious occasions. The game of ding-dong ditch — also known by the names of ring and run, tok-tokkie, knock knock ginger, and others — involves teens running up to their neighbor’s door and ringing the bell before running away. It's a classic prank around the world. While the prank is frequently associated with the 1980s and ‘90s in popular culture, the game has become even more popular with younger generations. 40% of Gen Zers have played the game before; additionally 41% of Millennials and 38% of Gen Xers have.
Related:
- We are Good Samaritans – but not at home
- New Yorkers are friendliest with neighbors, but not the most trusting
- Do you know the first names of your current next‑door neighbors?
See the results for the May 9 - 10, 2024 poll:
- At any age, have you pranked someone by knocking on their door and running away?
- Which of the following best describes your immediate reaction to someone knocking on your home’s front door when you aren’t expecting any visitors?
- If a stranger were to knock on your home's front door, would you be more likely to...?
See the results for the March 15 - 18, 2024 poll:
- Do you know the first names of your current next-door neighbors?
- If you had an emergency, how likely would you be to ask one of your next‑door neighbors for help?
- If you needed to borrow something — such as a tool or ingredient — how likely would you be to ask one of your next‑door neighbors for it?
Methodology: These Daily Questions surveys were conducted online on March 15 - 18, 2024 among 35,878 U.S. adults and May 9 - 10, 2024 among 9,640 U.S. adults. The sample was weighted according to gender, age, race, education, U.S. census region, and political party. The margin of error for the overall sample for the March 15 - 18, 2024 poll was approximately 1%; for the May 9 - 10, 2024 poll it was also approximately 1%.
Image: Getty (Westend61)
