Short Reads

We have long known that churches and religious congregations are important sources of political information and influence. Now, a new report finds that many Americans perceive their congregation as sharing a mix of liberal and conservative beliefs. However, certain traditions are much more likely to have uniformly conservative congregations. Nearly half of White evangelical Protestants (47 percent) and Mormons (47 percent) say that the people they attend religious services with have mostly conservative

Americans who never attended college are experiencing a rapid social decline—they have fewer close friends and considerably less social support. Part of the reason may have to do with the fact that Americans without a college education have fewer workplace friends. Sixty-two percent of college graduates have a close friend they met through work, compared to 47

In 1996, Americans were far more supportive of legal abortion than allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry. Only 31 percent of Americans favored same-sex marriage in the mid-1990s while nearly six in 10 (57 percent) said abortion should be legal in at least some circumstances. Today, nearly seven in 10 (69 percent) Americans believe

Americans with less formal education tend to express greater certainty about their belief in God. Fifty-nine percent of Americans without a college education say they are certain God exists. Only 44 percent of those with post-graduate education say the same, although they are slightly more likely to express certainty that God does not exist. Despite

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.

Even as gay and lesbian issues have slipped from national headlines, public attitudes on LGBTQ issues continue to evolve.

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.

The June American Perspectives Survey offers some clues as to what Americans believe is truly necessary for living a full and rewarding life.

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.

Americans who are socially disconnected report far lower vaccination rates and may ultimately prove to be an important impediment.