NewsBreaks often covers recent surveys and reports from Pew Research Center, “a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world.” Its website has 12 main topic sections, each showcasing the latest research, which is collected in reports, fact sheets, or other formats that extrapolate respondents’ answers to cover the entire U.S. (or other) population. There is a summary page that includes the methodology for how the information was collected and a link to download and read the full report.The following are some of the latest reports and other analyses from the last few months of 2023. Not every topic section is represented; some reports overlap topics.
Here are NewsBreaks’ other roundups of Pew Research Center’s research: October 2017 | March 2018 | October 2018 | March 2019 | October 2019 | March 2020 | December 2020 | June 2021 | December 2021 | July 2022 | March 2023 | September 2023 | October 2024
Politics & Policy
The Dec. 14 report, “In GOP Contest, Trump Supporters Stand Out for Dislike of Compromise,” states that Donald Trump supporters have a “desire for a presidential candidate who will push hard for policies that Republican voters want, even if it makes it much harder to get some things done.” Pew Research Center finds that 63% of Trump supporters think “it is more important for a Republican nominee to focus on this if elected,” and 36% want a Republican nominee to focus on finding common ground with Democrats.
“Americans’ Views of the Israel-Hamas War,” from Dec. 8, shares that 65% of U.S. adults “say Hamas bears a lot of responsibility for the current conflict,” and 35% say that about the Israeli government. Meanwhile, 20% say the Palestinian people “have a lot of responsibility for the war,” and 13% say that about the Israeli people.
“Most of Biden’s Appointed Judges to Date Are Women, Racial or Ethnic Minorities—A First for Any President,” from Dec. 4, reports that about two-thirds of the federal judges President Joe Biden has appointed so far are women, and two-thirds are members of racial or ethnic minority groups. Pew Research Center analyzes how his appointments compare with previous presidents since Dwight D. Eisenhower in the 1950s.
On Sept. 19, “Americans’ Dismal Views of the Nation’s Politics” rounded up the results of a survey on “Americans’ views of the state of the political system,” which finds the following:
- Just 4% of U.S. adults say the political system is working extremely or very well. …
- Positive views of many governmental and political institutions are at historic lows.
- A growing share of the public dislikes both political parties.
- Candidate choices are underwhelming.
- Majorities back age and term limits and eliminating the Electoral College.
International Affairs
“How People in Hong Kong View Mainland China and Their Own Identity,” from Dec. 5, looks at Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China, which has a population of more than 7 million people. It has its own governing and economic systems, and about half (53%) of its people identify as both Hong Konger and Chinese. They tend to have an emotional attachment to China, with 74% saying this; however, 48% say China’s power and influence is a major threat to Hong Kong.
On Nov. 6, Pew Research Center published a visual representation from the results of the survey “Comparing Views of the U.S. and China in 24 Countries.” It states, “This year, the U.S. is largely viewed positively in the 24 countries we surveyed. At the same time, China is seen much more negatively—especially in high-income countries. But favorability does not tell the whole story. Both countries are seen positively in some ways and negatively in others. … [W]e examine how the U.S. and China stack up to one another on more than 10 different measures, spanning from confidence in their leaders to views of their universities and technological achievements. We focus on the difference in how people see the two superpowers.”
“People Broadly View the EU Favorably, Both in Member States and Elsewhere,” from Oct. 24, shows that in a survey of 24 countries, a median of 66% give the EU a positive rating, and of the nine EU member states surveyed, a median of 69% have a favorable view. “Majorities in all but one country—Greece—express a favorable opinion,” Pew Research Center notes. “Views are especially positive in Poland, where nearly nine-in-ten (87%) say they have a positive opinion of the EU.”
Immigration & Migration
The Nov. 30 report “Discrimination Experiences Shape Most Asian Americans’ Lives” showcases how “most Asian Americans experience discrimination in three broad ways: Those related to being treated as a foreigner (even if they were born in the U.S.); being seen as a model minority; and other discrimination incidents in day-to-day encounters or because of their race or ethnicity.”
The Nov. 16 report establishes that the unauthorized immigrant population in the U.S. was 10.5 million people as of 2021, with the most people coming from Mexico. “What We Know About Unauthorized Immigrants Living in the U.S.” compares these near-current facts with past ones, noting that there has been an increase in immigrants from Central America, the Caribbean, South America, Asia, Europe, and sub-Saharan Africa. It also states that 4.6% of U.S. workers in 2021 were unauthorized immigrants.
Race & Ethnicity
“Black Americans Are More Likely Than Others to Say They See Problematic News Coverage of Black People,” from Dec. 22, finds that 39% of Black adults “extremely or fairly often see or hear news coverage about Black people that is racist or racially insensitive. A similar share (41%) say they sometimes see this kind of coverage.” In a separate survey, 21% of White adults in the U.S. “report seeing this kind of coverage extremely or fairly often,” while 30% of Asian and 27% of Hispanic adults see it often.
The Dec. 4 report, “Wealth Surged in the Pandemic, but Debt Endures for Poorer Black and Hispanic Families,” examines changes in wealth (i.e., “the difference between the value of assets owned by households and their debt level”) for families of various income levels, racial and ethnic groups, and other dimensions. The data is based on the newest Survey of Income and Program Participation from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Religion
“A Majority of Americans Have a Friend of a Different Religion,” from Dec. 19, reveals that 61% of U.S. adults have “at least some” friends who practice a different religion from their own—including 43% who have some friends of the same religion, and 18% who have hardly any or no friends of the same religion. “Men, younger adults and those with less education are slightly more likely than other Americans to say hardly any or none of their friends share their religion,” Pew Research Center notes.
The Dec. 7 report, “Spirituality Among Americans,” shows that “belief in spirits or a spiritual realm beyond this world is widespread, even among those who don’t consider themselves religious,” with 70% of U.S. adults thinking of themselves as spiritual people or saying spirituality is very important in their lives. In addition, 83% believe people have a soul, and 30% have personally encountered some sort of spiritual force.
“Buddhism, Islam and Religious Pluralism in South and Southeast Asia,” from Sept. 12, focuses on the results of a survey of six countries, including Cambodia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, “where at least 70% of adults are Buddhist” and “upward of nine-in-ten Buddhists say being Buddhist is important to being truly part of their nation. …” Buddhism is seen by majorities in each nation as not only a religion but also “a culture one is part of” and “a family tradition one must follow.”
Age & Generations
The Dec. 14 report, “Older Workers Are Growing in Number and Earning Higher Wages,” shows that 19% of Americans ages 65 and older were employed in 2023, which is nearly double the percentage from 35 years ago. Typical workers in this age group earned $22 per hour in 2022, up from $13 in 1987. They work more hours—62% today work full-time versus 47% in 1987—and are more likely to be getting pension plans and health insurance from their employer—36% do, compared with 33% in 1987.
The report from Dec. 11, “Teens, Social Media and Technology 2023,” shares the results of a survey of 13- to 17-year-olds about social media, internet use, and device ownership. Key findings include the following:
- Roughly nine-in-ten teens say they use YouTube, making it the most widely used platform measured in [the] survey.
- Majorities of teens ages 13 to 17 say they use TikTok (63%), Snapchat (60%) and Instagram (59%). For older teens ages 15 to 17, these shares are about seven-in-ten.
- Teen girls are more likely than boys to say they almost constantly use TikTok (22% vs. 12%) and Snapchat (17% vs. 12%).
- 32% of Hispanic teens say they are on TikTok almost constantly, compared with 20% of Black teens and 10% of White teens.
Gender & LGBTQ
“Women Have Gained Ground in the Nation’s Highest-Paying Occupations, but Still Lag Behind Men,” from Nov. 2, notes that women make up 35% of workers in the 10 highest-paying occupations in the U.S. This is an increase from 13% in 1980. Occupations with high increases include dentists (33% are women, up from 7% in 1980), physicians (38% now, versus 13% in 1980), and lawyers (40% now, versus 14% in 1980). Women make up 47% of the overall U.S. workforce.
The Sept. 27 report, “Women and Political Leadership Ahead of the 2024 Election,” is based on a survey of U.S. adults’ views on “the state of gender and political leadership,” “the obstacles for women seeking high political office,” and “how a woman president might be different from a president who is a man.” It finds that “Americans don’t think a woman president would do better or worse than a man when it comes to key leadership traits or the handling of various policy areas.” Pew Research Center continues, “At the same time, the public sees differences in the way men and women running for higher office are treated by the media. And many think women candidates are punished more than men for showing emotions and having young children at home, among other attributes.”
The report from Sept. 14, “Public Has Mixed Views on the Modern American Family,” is based on a survey of U.S. adults that asked their views on the future of the family, different family types, divorce and open marriages, family responsibility, and what makes a fulfilling life. Attitudes about the future are mixed: 40% say “they are very or somewhat pessimistic about the institution of marriage and the family,” while 29% “are neither optimistic nor pessimistic,” and 25% “are very or somewhat optimistic”—although nearly half (49%) think the trend of fewer children being raised by two married parents “will have a negative impact” on society.
Economy & Work
On Nov. 28, Pew Research Center published an interactive graphic on tipping culture, “Do You Tip More or Less Often Than the Average American?” It examines tipping at places such as hair salons and coffee shops and for services such as food delivery. For more information, read the associated report, “Tipping Culture in America: Public Sees a Changed Landscape,” which finds that “even as Americans say they’re being asked to tip more often, relatively few have a great deal of confidence about when and how to do so.”
“Most American Workers Say Their Boss Is Capable, Confident and Fair,” from Nov. 13, shows that the relationship between managers and supervisors and their employees tends to be a good one: 55% of workers say their boss “is excellent or very good to work for.” Pew Research Center notes that “these assessments don’t vary depending on whether the boss is a man or a woman.” When determining whether their boss “is excellent or very good” on a variety of actions and attitudes, majorities or about half tend to rate them as follows:
- Giving employees flexibility to balance work and their personal life (63%)
- Giving employees credit when it’s due (56%)
- Staying calm under pressure (56%)
- Setting high standards (53%)
- Being open to new ideas (52%)
- Being clear about expectations (50%)
- Making tough decisions (49%)
Science
The report from Nov. 14, “Americans’ Trust in Scientists, Positive Views of Science Continue to Decline,” covers Americans’ “trust in scientists and other groups,” their “views of the impact of science on society,” and their “support for government investments in science.” It “finds [that] the share of Americans who say science has had a mostly positive effect on society has fallen and there’s been a continued decline in public trust in scientists.” But 57% still do say that “science has had a mostly positive effect on society,” although this is a decrease from before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Oct. 25 report was “How Americans View Future Harms From Climate Change in Their Community and Around the U.S.” It’s based on survey findings that “a majority of Americans think climate change is causing harm to people in the United States today and 63% expect things to get worse in their lifetime.” Young adults are most worried: 78% of 18- to 29-year-olds say the harm caused by climate change will get either a little or a lot worse in their lifetime. Americans are preparing to make sacrifices in their day-to-day lives, with 23% saying they’ll have to make major ones, and 48% saying they’ll have to make minor ones. Only 27% say that individuals “can do a lot to reduce climate impacts”; 55% think the energy industry needs to reduce the impacts, and 52% say it’s up to large businesses and corporations.