See, I take a different take on the polls. Personally I liked the polls since it indicated if you had lived through a recession or had second-hand experience by hearing stories about it from another person. However, a checkmark poll that included the 1991 recession as well as the 1980 fall off would have been a great idea.
I am disappointed that the 1991 recession wasn't included in the survey. I understand the 87 crash, the 1989 Japan debacle, the 2000-2002 bear market, and the 1929 crash since they all have similarities in common. The 1991 recession and 1974 bear market threw me off since they didn't have all the ingredients. In heinsight if the 1991 recession scared you, the investor missed 9 years of upside and that seems extraordinary costly to me. The 1974 debacle allowed investors to invest at a bargain; the market fell nearly 50% from 1,060 in January of 1973 to 570 in October of 1974. After December of 1974, 570 was never visited again. Most importantly, the crash of 1987 occurred and the market was still higher at the end of the year than it had started the year.
When I look at the DJIA, I don't see much from 1991; it looks like it may have only hit certain sectors.
Aqua