June 5, 2024
More Americans Favor Deporting Illegal Immigrants
May 1, 2024
Young Men Distrust Both Parties
March 25, 2024
White Union Members Grow More Republican
February 15, 2024
Dating Difficulties
Explore Dating Dealbreakers
February 9, 2024
Check out this interactive to explore which characteristics Americans view as the biggest dating dealbreakers and see who cares about which personal qualities. Continue Reading →
December 8, 2023
Born This Way
What the Rise in Dog Attacks Signals About the State of America’s Social Capital
July 17, 2023
In the wake of the pandemic, the increase in both dog attacks and individual antisocial behavior seems to be a consequence of our deteriorating social capital. Continue Reading →
Does Politics Make People More Likely to Identify as LGBTQ?
April 26, 2023
A novel survey experiment tests the relationship between LGBTQ identity and political ideology. Continue Reading →
April 7, 2023
White Evangelical Trump Support Fracturing
April 4, 2023
A Generational Jump in Bisexuality
Despite Professional Successes Many Women Still Experience Imposter Syndrome
March 15, 2023
Women in the professional world are thriving and have been pulling ahead of men for years. Confidence in job performance however, remains lower than men of their same age. Continue Reading →
February 22, 2023
Friend Zone
December 22, 2022
Aging in the Pews
Abortion, Race, and Ethnicity
December 12, 2022
As the dust settles after the 2022 midterm election, researchers are now able to look at how the Dobbs decision impacted voters across the country. While significant attention has been given to the abortion views of men and women of various age groups, less notice has been paid to the similarities and differences of racial and ethnic groups. Continue Reading →
Pro-Choice, Pro-Life or … Both?
November 29, 2022
American attitudes on abortion are complicated and most Americans don’t fall into the pro-life or pro-choice binary. Continue Reading →
November 18, 2022
A Growing Gender Divide Among Young Voters
How Young Women Saved the Democratic Party in 2022
November 17, 2022
Donald Trump and Dobbs are Defining the Politics of a New Generation of Women. Continue Reading →
The Class Divide in Family Dinner
November 7, 2022
Family dinners—a once ubiquitous feature of American life shared across cultural, religious, and class lines—have disappeared in many households. Continue Reading →
The Peril and Promise of Election Polls
October 31, 2022
How to interpret polls and avoid error ahead of the 2022 midterm elections. Continue Reading →
October 26, 2022
The Political Transformation of White Evangelical Protestants
Can Americans Find Common Ground on Abortion?
October 24, 2022
Most Americans are willing to find common ground on abortion. Continue Reading →
A Moral Double Standard on Marital Infidelity
October 12, 2022
Men and women hold different views of the morality of marital infidelity depending on who commits it. Continue Reading →
October 7, 2022
A New Gender Divide Among Young Voters
October 7, 2022
The Decline of White Evangelical Protestants
October 7, 2022
Abortion is a Critical Concern for Young Women
August 31, 2022
Black Americans Don’t Trust Their Tap Water
July 29, 2022
A College-Educated Party?
Why a Modest Decline in Religious Belief is Important
July 8, 2022
Another poll, another record broken in the country’s continuing religious descent. A new Gallup poll finds that 81 percent of Americans say that they believe in God, representing a six point drop over the last five years. Continue Reading →
May 31, 2022
The Growing Political Divide Between Young Men and Women
Jews and the Faith of Their Children
May 23, 2022
Just half of Jews in America today believe it is important for children to be brought up in a religion so they can learn good values, making the Jewish community an outlier compared to other religious traditions. Continue Reading →
In a Post-Roe World Will Inflation Still Dominate Our Attention?
May 9, 2022
Following the leaking of a draft opinion that would overturn the Supreme Court decision Roe vs. Wade, what roll will inflation play in the 2022 midterm election? Continue Reading →
May 3, 2022
Religious Divide Over Abortion
Jewish Religious Exceptionalism
April 14, 2022
Data from the Survey Center on American Life’s new American National Family Life Survey reveals that while Jews heavily embrace cultural traditions such as foodways and festivals, their levels of engagement with conventional forms of religious practice, such as regular worship and religious marriage ceremonies, are much lower than national norms. Continue Reading →
The Childhood Loneliness of Generation Z
April 4, 2022
There’s a growing concern that young adults today are experiencing an epidemic of loneliness, social isolation, and disconnection. A lot of blame is being placed on social media, or more recently the pandemic. Delayed family formation is another likely factor—young adults are marrying later than they once did. But what if Gen Z is lonelier Continue Reading →
March 29, 2022
Religious Disaffiliation and Loneliness
Americans Are More Optimistic Than You Think
March 14, 2022
Groups facing prejudice in the country today are among the most optimistic about the nation’s future. Continue Reading →
March 7, 2022
Generational Split on Success
Diversity and Disconnection
March 1, 2022
Americans who live in areas packed with neighborhood amenities tend to have a more diverse set of friends and acquaintances. Continue Reading →
February 24, 2022
Race and Sibling Relations
![Chart showing percentage of each group who grew up with siblings who say growing up, they had a [blank] relationship with their siblings](https://www.americansurveycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Bq3hH-majority-of-black-americans-report-very-close-childhood-sibling-relationships-.png)
Polarization in American Family Life is Overblown
February 23, 2022
Throughout the 2020 election, stories of families and friendships ripped apart by political differences were featured regularly in the press. Many also argued that numerous Americans had become trapped in ideological echo chambers. These narratives all fed into the larger national polarization thesis which suggested Americans were deeply divided and ideologically sorted into narrow social Continue Reading →
Crime, Policing, and the Racial Divide on the Left
February 22, 2022
In the wake of George Floyd’s death, “defund the police” became a rallying cry among many liberal activists. Even so, the movement never really caught on among the establishment wing of the Democratic party. Certainly, rising crime had something to do with this: The FBI found that the murder rate increased roughly 30 percent between Continue Reading →
The Problem with Parental Favoritism
February 10, 2022
There is no shortage of advice for parents. The Internet is awash with parenting tips, tactics, and strategies to meet every conceivable exigency. But for all the varying recommendations provided to parents, perhaps one of the most critical is something to be avoided—picking favorites. A new survey suggests that parental favoritism, or even the perception Continue Reading →
February 9, 2022
Few Gen Zers Grew Up Having Family Dinners
January 21, 2022
Religion is Not an Important Source of Identity For Many Americans
Have Americans Lost Faith in the Value of a College Education?
January 19, 2022
Americans who pass up an opportunity to go to college may pay for it in the long run, and not just in their paychecks. Continue Reading →
January 6, 2022
Losing Confidence in Each Other
December 20, 2021
Churches as Political Communities
December 16, 2021
The Importance of Work Friends
December 16, 2021
The Diverging Trajectories of Same-Sex Marriage & Abortion
December 16, 2021
A Belief and Belonging Paradox?
Should Teachers or Parents Have More Influence Over Education Decisions?
October 12, 2021
The August 2021 American Perspectives Survey explores how much say parents and partisans believe parents, teachers, and legislators should have in deciding what is taught in public schools. Continue Reading →
Public Still at Odds About LGBTQ Issues in Public School
September 27, 2021
Even as gay and lesbian issues have slipped from national headlines, public attitudes on LGBTQ issues continue to evolve. Continue Reading →
Yes, Having More Friends is Better
August 9, 2021
Recent work shows that all Americans—men and women alike—benefit when they develop intimate and emotionally supportive connections with their friends. But quantity matters too. Continue Reading →
What Matters for Living a Fulfilling Life
July 29, 2021
The June American Perspectives Survey offers some clues as to what Americans believe is truly necessary for living a full and rewarding life. Continue Reading →
Men’s Social Circles are Shrinking
June 29, 2021
As the pandemic recedes, the American economy will recover. Most businesses will adapt, evolve, and ultimately thrive. The future of American social life looks much bleaker. Continue Reading →
Is Social Isolation Hampering the Vaccine Rollout?
June 23, 2021
Americans who are socially disconnected report far lower vaccination rates and may ultimately prove to be an important impediment. Continue Reading →
What Does it Mean to be a Best Friend?
June 8, 2021
American friendships have come under considerable stress over the past year, but even in the wake of a global pandemic, most Americans still have at least one close friend. In fact, 87 percent of Americans have one or more close friends. These close friendships are critical to our wellbeing. Americans who have a close friendship Continue Reading →
Why Public Support for Transgender Rights is Likely to Grow
May 13, 2021
Public understanding of transgender policies will increasingly be informed not by news reports or political rhetoric, but through personal interactions with the people immediately affected by them. Continue Reading →
Did Americans Become More Accepting of Muslims During the Trump Years?
May 5, 2021
At a time of heightened racial tensions in the US and growing violence against Asian citizens, it is not clear why there would be a sudden surge in positive feeling towards Muslims. Continue Reading →
Some of My Best Friends
April 16, 2021
Despite growing diversity in the US, few Americans have close ties to members of minority religious and racial groups. Continue Reading →
For Black Voters, Friends and Family May be a Critical Link to the Democratic Party
April 2, 2021
With high turnout in the 2020 election, black voters appear poised to remain a critical constituency in the Democratic Party. But their strong support for Democratic candidates and continued political involvement is a function of their social circumstances. Continue Reading →
Most Asian Americans Believe Their Community Experiences a lot of discrimination in the US
March 22, 2021
The rising tide of violence against Asian Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic has brought renewed attention to Asian Americans’ experiences of discrimination in the US. Often thought to experience less discrimination, the survey shows that Asian Americans do not view their experiences in the same way. Continue Reading →
Few Americans are Confident in American Democracy, But Younger Americans are Especially Skeptical
March 8, 2021
If governments can effectively administer the COVID-19 vaccine and deliver economic support, it will go a long way in demonstrating that even if government is clunky and the results imperfect, the institutions of democratic governance can work. Continue Reading →
When it Comes to Conspiracy Theories, Education Matters
February 26, 2021
Educational attainment is closely associated with belief in conspiracy theories. However, education appears to matter more for Republicans than Democrats. Continue Reading →
Rise of Conspiracies Reveals an Evangelical Divide in the GOP
February 12, 2021
Evangelical Christian Republicans are more likely to embrace conspiracy theories. One explanation? Their affinity to Trump. Continue Reading →
If You Have a Lot of Friends, You’re Probably More Active in Politics
February 8, 2021
Having a robust network of friends and family may encourage us to become more active in civic and political life. Continue Reading →
Older Americans Support Getting Vaccinated Regardless of Their Politics or the Perceived Threat of COVID-19
January 8, 2021
As the US ramps up vaccinations, political identity is important in predicting the behavior of younger Americans. Continue Reading →
Holiday Spending in 2020
December 17, 2020
The holidays look different this year. In addition to traveling less, having smaller gatherings, and gathering virtually, Americans are also altering their spending habits. Continue Reading →
The Benefits of Going to a Place “Where Everyone Knows Your Name”
November 23, 2020
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, these community spaces look a little different right now. Coffee shops, restaurants, and parks have more importance than ever in connecting us to our community and to the world outside our homes. Continue Reading →
Biden’s Message of Unity is Welcomed by Most Americans
November 13, 2020
Biden’s desire to move past the divisiveness that has marked the Trump presidency, the question that follows is simple: Are Americans actually open to working with others and trying to find the middle ground? Continue Reading →
The 2020 Election Was Not Primarily About Trump As a Person
November 9, 2020
Biden will have the challenge of finding common ground with all Americans, but Biden already took the right steps when he declared in his acceptance speech that “It’s time to put away the harsh rhetoric, lower the temperature, see each other again, listen to each other again.” Continue Reading →
The 2020 Religion Vote
November 6, 2020
Religious voters lined up behind their preferred candidates in familiar ways in the 2020 presidential election, but there were some notable shifts. Continue Reading →
Our Media Bubbles Reflect a Larger Problem of Political Segregation
October 27, 2020
A new study finds Republican trust in conservative media outlets is closely tied to the political composition of their friendship network. Continue Reading →
Don’t Believe the Trump Hype: Who is Actually Protesting in 2020
October 21, 2020
Even with COVID-19 dominating the news and people being asked to stay home and social distance, Americans are leaving their homes to protest the state of the nation ahead of the November Presidential election. Continue Reading →
For Republicans, Abortion Attitudes Differ Depending on the Composition of Their Social Circle
October 7, 2020
Although abortion attitudes are highly polarized between the two parties and the issue remains contentious, among Republicans, views vary depending on their political networks. Continue Reading →
Democrats and Republicans Believe Their Opponents’ Policies Threaten the National Interest
September 30, 2020
Lost amid the rhetorical brinksmanship in the fight to replace Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who recently passed after battling pancreatic cancer, is the reason Republicans believe this particular fight is necessary and why Democrats are unlikely to take a measured response. Continue Reading →
More Americans see Trump as Conservative
May 8, 2020
No one should underestimate Trump’s chances this year — in fact, before the coronavirus outbreak most Americans said he was likely to be reelected. Continue Reading →
The Urban-Rural Divide Over the Coronavirus Outbreak
April 16, 2020
Despite clear partisan gaps in views about the coronavirus outbreak, where Americans live is shaping how they respond to it. Continue Reading →
Millennials and Baby Boomers Are Not at Odds Over Coronavirus
March 20, 2020
When it comes to the coronavirus pandemic, younger and older Americans are not responding so differently. Continue Reading →
Hating Donald Trump Won’t be Enough For Democrats to Win
March 3, 2020
If Democrats plan to coast by on public antipathy alone, they could be in for a rude awakening. Continue Reading →
Younger Christians Care Less About Their Partner’s Religious Beliefs
February 13, 2020
Younger Christians are much more comfortable than older Christians with the idea of dating someone who does not share their views about God. Continue Reading →
Dating Across the Aisle is Difficult in the Age of Trump
February 10, 2020
It’s not surprising that Trump has intruded into our dating lives. Through social media, news coverage, and a barrage of controversial comments, Trump is a feature of American public life. Continue Reading →
Hidden Identity: When Americans Decide to Keep Their Religious Background to Themselves
January 7, 2020
For many Americans, religion is a fundamental part of who they are. But for many other Americans sharing religious beliefs with others is not as easy. Continue Reading →
Toward a Climate Change Consensus?
October 9, 2019
When it comes to climate change, Democrats and Republicans do not agree on much. Continue Reading →
Are Americans Who Attend Neighborhood Churches Better Off?
June 25, 2019
Beyond cutting down commute times and saving on gas there is no obvious benefit to attending religious services close to home. Continue Reading →
The Decline of Church Membership
April 19, 2019
A new survey by Gallup finds that membership in religious congregations is plummeting. Continue Reading →
Survey Reports
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