Motivating Disaster Preparedness. The data shows more than 40 percent of Americans believe that places can be haunted by spirits; and more than a fourth believe that the living and the dead can communicate . Gang Violence 28.4% The award is conferred annually to the outstanding graduating masters and doctoral students with distinguished records of academic accomplishment, scholarship, and/or service. The third annual Chapman University Survey of American Fears (2016) has been released by researchers. Your email address is used only to let the recipient know who sent the email. 2012-2023 Chapman University, Chapman University Survey of American Fears, The Chapman University Survey on American Fears, HerStories: A Celebration of Women in History, Makena Metz Wins 2023 James L. Doti Outstanding Graduate Student Award, Crean College of Health & Behavioral Sciences, Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities, & Social This year, for the first time, the survey included a question regarding Russia using nuclear weapons. Fight," which is the recommended preparedness slogan for a mass or random shooting. Democrats are slightly more likely to be afraid of ghosts. On average, Americans fears lay highest in the domains of man-made disasters, such as terrorist attacks, followed by technology and then the government such as corruption and the Affordable Health Care Act. He notes, though, that it's unclear whether TV makes people more fearful, or whether more fearful people watch more TV. What they learned is more than half of all Americans believe the government is concealing information about the 9/11 attacks; as well as the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Fear of Extremism and the Threat to National Security. "When communicating with the public about the importance of disaster preparedness, it is vital that the message emphasize these four beliefs. American Beliefs in Conspiracy. Government use of drones within the U.S. 48. The Chapman Survey on American Fears Support, The Chapman University Survey on American Fears, The Ludie & David C. Social Sciences Research Laboratory, Chapman University Survey of American Fears, Wilkinson College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Daniel Canogars Pareidolia Multimedia Artwork Unveiled at Chapman University. Crimes specifically asked about were: child abduction, gang violence, human trafficking, mass riots, pedophilia, school shootings, serial killing and sexual assault. The survey shows that the top five things Americans fear the most are: 4) Being the victim of a mass/random shooting. <>/Metadata 1719 0 R/ViewerPreferences 1720 0 R>> Americans fear for the environment (#s 2, 3, 7, 8, 9), fear bad things happening to loved ones (#s 5 & 6) and worry about their finances (#s 4 and 10). The Complete List of Fears, 2019 Those top three fears are connected in a kind of hand-wringing trifecta, said Christopher Bader, Ph.D., who led the team effort. People with the highest levels of paranormal beliefs have the following traits: Roughly one percent of the U.S. adult population are Muslims. People who have purchased a gun because of fear also have high levels of fear of technology and crime. As has been seen before, elevated fears over national security can lead to lower support for national values. are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! This article was published more than8 years ago. Slightly more than half (52 percent) believe that places can be haunted by spirits. The extent to which Americans are afraid, in general, also appears to be on the rise. By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Privacy Policy endstream endobj 2095 0 obj <>/Size 2073/Type/XRef>>stream Fear of corrupt government officials has remained the greatest fear for yet another year since first landing in the spot in 2015. "We see a degree of paranoia in the responses. The survey further examined how Muslims are viewed relative to other segments of society based on trustonly "strangers" were more distrusted than Muslims. The survey also shed light on certain characteristics of people who believe in the paranormal. Half of Americans fear traveling abroad; one-fifth reported they are less likely to attend a concert, sporting or other public event; and three-fourths are more willing to accept longer lines and security screenings at airports. Content on this website is for information only. ", The survey also looked at the personal characteristics that are significantly associated with higher levels of paranormal belief. She is either currently single or cohabitating with someone and reports her race as "other.". xref 0000001932 00000 n More education is needed. Close on the heels of what respondents apparently see as a troop of conniving, colluding and cheating leaders is cyber-terrorism and corporate tracking of personal information. The survey took, on average, 20 to 25 minutes to complete. The top 10 things Americans fear the most are: More than half of the respondents fear they will experience a natural or manmade disaster. 0000000016 00000 n And, the vast majority (78 percent) believes an emergency kit would improve their chances of surviving a disaster. Your email address is used only to let the recipient know who sent the email. Chapman researchers asked about a dozen different phobias, ranging across everything from public speaking to zombies. Overall, the survey showed that half of Americans believe in the Science X network is one of the largest online communities for science-minded people. The survey took, on average, 20 to 25 minutes to complete. Seasonal phobias of ghosts (8.1%) and zombies (10.6%) continue to make the list. "Survey shows what Americans fear most." 2096 0 obj <>stream The SSRS Omnibus survey is a national (50-state), bilingual telephone survey. In its third year, the annual Chapman University Survey of American Fears included more than 1,500 adult participants from across the nation and all walks of life. "Conspiracy theorists tend to be more pessimistic about the near future, fearful of government, less trusting of other people in their lives and more likely to engage in actions due to their fears, such as purchasing a gun," added Dr. Bader. 0000006622 00000 n Another big predictor of fear? Undergraduate The 2015 survey data shows us the top fears are heavily based in economic and big brother type issues. Bader said. Many of the top 10 fears this year can be directly correlated to the top media stories of the past year. In addition to Bader, Day and Gordon, student involvement was key in helping throughout the process. Chapman University sociologists and researchers have released the ninth annual Survey of American Fears revealing 92 terrifying trends and new insights into the nations top fears. and Terms of Use. In 2016, the highest level of fear reported by our respondents was for corrupt government officials at 60.6%. Another 40 percent believe the government is hiding information about extra-terrestrials and global warming; and one-third believe there are conspiracies surrounding Obama's birth certificate and the origin of the AIDs virus. "Further, differences between various factions across America on which group represents the greatest threat reflects the political divisions we see in America on other issues.". "These attacks have added urgency to the need for the public to understand the precursors of terrorism," said Ann Gordon, Ph.D., associate dean of the Wilkinson College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Chapman University and one of the three researchers on the study. The survey also shed light on certain characteristics of people who believe in the paranormal. 0000011715 00000 n Through the use of multimedia presentations, the seniors highlight the histories, or Herstories, a term used to, Makena Metz (DualMA English/MFA Creative Writing23) has been awarded the highest honor for graduate students at Chapman University, The James L. Doti Outstanding Graduate Student Award. The Chapman University Survey of American Fears Wave 5 (2018) provides an in-depth examination into the fears of average Americans. Visit us at http://www.chapman.edu. Data were collected between May 5, 2016, and May 18, 2016. What makes speaking in front of a large crowd so scary? Further, 86 percent believe an emergency kit would improve their chances of surviving a disaster; however 72 percent indicate they have made no effort to put together such a kit. In its fourth year, the annual Chapman University Survey of American Fears included more than 1,207 adult participants from across the nation and all walks of life that is a direct slice of the American population according to census data. Factors Bader and his team looked at included: age, gender, race, work status, education, income, region of the country, urban vs. rural, political preference, religion, TV viewing, and gun ownership. Not having enough money for the future, 8. cognitive restructuring is process that builds confidence because it replaces negative thoughts with positive thoughts called affirmations. The survey asked respondents about 65 fears across a broad range of categories including fears about the government, crime, the environment, the future, technology, health, natural disasters, as well as fears of public speaking, spiders, heights, ghosts and many other personal anxieties. The Complete List of Fears, 2018 Phys.org is a leading web-based science, research and technology news service which covers a full range of topics. have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: What do Americans fear? One-third agree or strongly agree with the statement, "In order to curb terrorism in this country, it will be necessary to give up some civil liberties." Reclaiming Our Voices: The Ethnic Studies Movement in Santa Ana Unified School District, Financial The survey sample was a random sample of 1,541 Americans who are English speaking and over the age of 18. Americans tend to fear more for the health and safety of loved ones rather than their own. The sample of the Chapman University Survey of American Fears mirrors the demographic characteristics of the U.S. Census. Overall, fear of public speaking is America's biggest phobia - 25.3 percent say they fear speaking in front of a crowd. Standards such as public speaking (34.0%), flying (12.4%), germs (14.5%), heights (30.6%), needles (12.3%), small, enclosed spaces (21.7%), sharks (29.6%), insects (23.8%) and reptiles (27.2%) returned. The fact that water pollution has become such a prominent fear in 2017 may be traced to the reversal of environmental policies of the Obama Administration. The survey asked respondents about 65 fears across a broad range of categories including . This fear affects the daily lives of Americans and even leads some to question the value of American freedom?29 percent of Americans report being very afraid or afraid of being a victim of hate crime. The top five most feared natural disasters by Americans are: Despite these fears, only 25 percent of Americans have a disaster preparedness kit that includes food, water, clothing and medical supplies. Finally, there is a strong relationship between political party affiliation and anti-Muslim views--Republicans expressed the highest levels and Democrats the lowest, with independents in the middle. Please contact the Chapman Public Relations . Financial support for ScienceDaily comes from advertisements and referral programs, where indicated. Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! startxref Without these components, the message is likely to cause fear without action," Dr. Gordon continued. Our survey indicates Americans are more likely to report a shoplifter than a terrorist.". One in five Americans is afraid Extreme Environmentalists are a threat. Chapman University, American's Top 10 Fears in 2017. Credit: Chapman University. The war between Russia and Ukraine and the media attention this conflict has garnered explains this fear. The top five things Americans worry or are concerned about are: 1) Having identity stolen on the internet, 2) Corporate surveillance of internet activity, 4) Government surveillance of internet activity, "The sky is falling (and a serial killer is chasing me)". Nuclear Attack from Russia This years topics range from fear of being the victim of mass shootings, to fears related to Jan. 6th and the violent overthrow of the U.S. government to fears related to immigration and gun control. A comprehensive list of the all the fears from The Chapman Survey on American Fears 2016 can be found http://www.chapman.edu/fearsurvey. Fear of the government had the strongest relationship with buying a gun because of fear, said L. Edward Day, Ph.D., and lead researcher on this portion of the survey. 0 endobj Chapman University sociologists and researchers have released the ninth annual Survey of American Fears revealing 92 terrifying trends and new insights into the nation's top fears.. Americans fear being a victim of mass shootings, pollution and biological warfare and their fears also relate to immigration, gun control, the Jan. 6 violent attempt to overthrow of the U.S. government. By 2018, five of the top ten fears were environmental in nature (#s 2, 3, 7, 8 and 9). The fear of being the victim of a mass or random shooting is on the minds of 31 percent, and 35 percent report being familiar with the advice to "Run. Science X Daily and the Weekly Email Newsletter are free features that allow you to receive your favorite sci-tech news updates in your email inbox, Phys.org 2003 - 2023 powered by Science X Network. Sciences, Dodge Use this form if you have come across a typo, inaccuracy or would like to send an edit request for the content on this page. Fears of environmental degradation and climate change were prominent among Americans in previous surveys, however, over the past few years, there seems to be a shift away from these fears with focus falling elsewhere. Second annual Survey of American Fears released, New poll reveals what Americans fear most, Survey: Killing of bin Laden worsened Americans' views of US Muslims, Survey: 2/3 of Americans don't think presidential campaign addresses their most important concerns, AP-NORC Poll: Online surveillance is OK for most (Update), On issue of undocumented immigrants, survey finds young people of color prefer Clinton, young whites Trump, A century of newspaper ads shed light on Indigenous slavery in colonial America, Mobility-related data show the pandemic has limited the breadth of places people visit in cities, Statistical physics reveals how languages evolve, Team develops scale to rebalance burden of initiating trust in science, Instead of refuting misinformation head-on, try 'bypassing' it, New study explores human cultural learning and evolution, Speaking a tonal language could boost your melodic ability, but at the cost of rhythm, New 50-year study offers insight into effects of climate on bird reproduction, Scientists use power of AI to supercharge planetary studies, Upcycling method turns textile trash to functional coatings, Fur seals on a remote island chain are exposed to huge amounts of toxic heavy metals, yet somehow, they're healthy, Comparison of specimens and field observations reveals biases in biodiversity data, Silver nanoparticles spark key advance in thermoelectricity for power generation, Exploring the evolution of cannabinoid biosynthesis in a non-cannabis plant, Prevalence of transposable elements may provide clues to worldwide mammal biodiversity, Researchers uncover new mechanisms regulating plant response to temperature, Carbon sink models need nitrogen, says study, Finding the best liquids to maximize antioxidant content in spinach smoothies, Corruption of government officials (same top fear as 2015), Government restrictions on firearms and ammunition (new), The Affordable Health Care Act/"Obamacare", I can actually do something to help myself, The recommended action would make a difference, 1) Catholic2) Infrequent church attendance3) Protestant or just "Christian"4) Other (non-Christian) religions5) Lower income6) Lower education. According to the demographics gathered in the survey, the most likely person to believe in a conspiracy theory is a Republican who is employed, but has a lower level of income and education. "Our research indicated that Americans are aware, but better communication strategies are needed to encourage the nearly 75 percent who are unprepared for catastrophe," said Dr. Ann Gordon, who led this portion of the survey. Simply put, the person with the highest number of paranormal beliefs in the United States as of 2017 will tend to be a lower income, female living in a rural area in the Western states. Regardless of the sources, the prevalence of anti-Muslim sentiment is a concern.". . In 2018 and 2019, all the top ten fears were held by more than half of Americans. The survey is a nationally representative sample that gives us insight into what terrifies America. These are among the findings of the Chapman University Survey on American Fears, which examined American fears and anxieties across a variety of topics - personal safety, the government, disasters and more. However, there seems to be a return towards environmental concern in the most recent survey with both pollution of oceans, rivers, and lakes and pollution of drinking water returning into the top 10 list. The attention placed on environmental issues abruptly dropped off in the 2020/21 survey, with only pollution of oceans, rivers, and lakes remaining in the top 10. Note: Chapman University recently completed its third annual Chapman University Survey of American Fears (2016). Government corruption aside, our top ten list suggest that Americans are preoccupied by fears of three different types. But, assuming also that fear is a response to threats, and rises and falls in tandem with those threats, are times of turmoil (economic and social, as evidenced by the 18% here who fear loss of a white majority in America) likely to produce an elevated level of fear of many things, big and small? Please, allow us to send you push notifications with new Alerts. The Chapman Survey of American Fears The Complete List of Fears, 2020/2021 The following is a complete list of all fears addressed by the Chapman University Survey of American Fears Wave 7 (2020/21), ranked by the percent of Americans who reported being afraid or very afraid1. He or she is likely to be Catholic - or a Christian denomination - but attend religious services infrequently. Despite evidence to the contrary, Americans do not feel like the United States is becoming a safer place. The University is comprised of its main campus in Orange, California, and the Rinker Health Science campus for graduate health science programs in Irvine, California. Racial and political fears include racial/hate crimes (29.9%), violent overthrow of the U.S. government (35.6%), Left-wing extremists (30.8%), Right-wing extremists (35.8%) White supremacists (38.2%), The Proud Boys (34.0%), and Antifa (27.1%). "Conspiracy theorists tend to be more pessimistic about the near future, fearful of government, less trusting of other people in their lives and more likely to engage in actions due to their fears, such as purchasing a gun," added Dr. Bader. Below is a list of the 10 fears for which the highest percentage of Americans reported being Afraid, or Very Afraid.. Given the United States history with economic crises like the Great Depression and the Great Recession it is no surprise that fear of economic well-being for both the individual and the nation is of concern to Americans. Americans fear being a victim of mass shootings, pollution and biological warfare and their fears also relate to immigration, gun control, the Jan. 6 violent attempt to overthrow of the U.S. government. The Chapman University 2016 Survey of American Fears included a series of items on paranormal beliefs ranging from Bigfoot and psychic powers to haunted houses and extraterrestrial visitation. The data is organized into five basic categories personal fears, acting out of fear, natural disasters, paranormal fears and domains of fear. The survey was a random sample of 1,511 Americans who are English speaking and over the age of 18. The CSAF is an ongoing project, now in its ninth year. However, we do not guarantee individual replies due to the high volume of messages. For additional methodological details, see the full report. By 2018 all the top ten fears were held by more than half of Americans. The CSAF is an ongoing project, now in its ninth year. The Chapman Survey on American Fears was conducted in April 2014. Director of Public Relations, Political Corruption, Illness, and the Threat of Nuclear Attack from Russia Top Chapman Universitys Annual Survey of American Fears. Most indicative is nearly one-third of respondents believed the government is concealing information about 'the North Dakota crash,' a theory we asked about that - to our knowledge - we made up," Dr. Bader continued. Economic Concerns in America 0000002951 00000 n With a global reach of over 10 million monthly readers and featuring dedicated websites for science (Phys.org), Chapman University recently completed its third annual Chapman University Survey of American Fears (2016). The survey took, on average, 20 to 25 minutes to complete. The survey also shed light on certain characteristics of people who believe in the paranormal. In addition to Bader, Day and Gordon, student involvement was key in helping throughout the process. The 2017 survey shows that the top 10 things Americans fear the most are: 1) Corruption of government officials (same top fear as 2015 and 2016) 2) American Healthcare Act/Trumpcare (new fear) 3 . Chapman University, Chapman University Survey of American Fears 2016. Credit: Chapman University. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily, its staff, its contributors, or its partners. 0000004630 00000 n Identify the news topics you want to see and prioritize an order. For more information and articles, visitwww.chapman.edu/fearsurvey. Harm to Loved Ones This number increased to five for both 2018 and 2019, with pollution of oceans, rivers, and lakes ranking as the second highest fear for both years. In all cases, the clear majority of respondents were pessimistic; and in all cases Americans believe crime has at least remained steady. Chapman University Summary: The Chapman Survey on American Fears included 1,500 participants from across the nation and all walks of life. 0000005477 00000 n Of those surveyed only 29% were afraid of dying themselves, while 58.1% were afraid of a loved one dying. Top 10 Fears for 2022 % Of Very Afraid or Afraid. And as in the previous four years, the fear that our government is corrupt far exceeds all others we asked about. The 2017 Chapman University Survey of American Fears includes a battery of items on paranormal beliefs. A comprehensive list of the all the fears from The Chapman Survey on American Fears 2016 can be found http://www.chapman.edu/fearsurvey. 0000004854 00000 n The 2016 survey data is organized into five basic categories: personal fears, conspiracy theories, terrorism, natural disasters, paranormal fears, and fear of Muslims. Television viewing. 0000001108 00000 n Additionally, the survey asked respondents if they have rethought everyday activities due to fear of terrorism.