Portraits of American Life Study
Home | About PALS | Contact Us | Download | Paper Contest
Hosted by The ARDA
OverviewResults & SummariesResearchersReligious LeadersPress & Media
The PALS seeks to understand the impact of religion in everyday life, and ultimately the connections between religious change and other forms of change among diverse individuals and families over the course of their lives.
Results & Summaries

Moral and Political Attitudes (ACASI)

  All frequencies weighted by PAWT2


The next questions are about your opinions on social and political issues. For each statement, please indicate whether you strongly disagree, somewhat disagree, neither agree nor disagree, somewhat agree, or strongly agree. The only legal marriage should be a marriage between one man and one woman. (AMA_1)
TOTAL%
-7) Refused361.4
-4) Don't know3.1
1) Strongly disagree56221.6
2) Somewhat disagree2188.4
3) Neither agree nor disagree31812.2
4) Somewhat agree1475.6
5) Strongly agree132050.7
Missing5 
TOTAL2604100.0
[ Analyze results ]
Immigrants coming into the U.S. are taking too many jobs away from other American citizens. (AMA_2)
TOTAL%
-7) Refused331.3
-4) Don't know13.5
1) Strongly disagree51419.7
2) Somewhat disagree39615.2
3) Neither agree nor disagree55021.1
4) Somewhat agree54621
5) Strongly agree55321.2
Missing5 
TOTAL2605100.0
[ Analyze results ]
Sexual intercourse before marriage is wrong. (AMA_3)
TOTAL%
-7) Refused321.2
-4) Don't know6.2
1) Strongly disagree71927.6
2) Somewhat disagree41515.9
3) Neither agree nor disagree66125.4
4) Somewhat agree28911.1
5) Strongly agree48218.5
Missing5 
TOTAL2604100.0
[ Analyze results ]
It is usually a good idea for a couple to live together before marriage. (AMA_4)
TOTAL%
-7) Refused291.1
-4) Don't know10.4
1) Strongly disagree66325.5
2) Somewhat disagree32212.4
3) Neither agree nor disagree67225.8
4) Somewhat agree52120
5) Strongly agree38714.9
Missing5 
TOTAL2604100.0
[ Analyze results ]
It's OK to have a country where the races are basically separate from one another, as long as they have equal opportunity. (AMA_5)
TOTAL%
-7) Refused391.5
-4) Don't know15.6
1) Strongly disagree102439.3
2) Somewhat disagree38614.8
3) Neither agree nor disagree67525.9
4) Somewhat agree26010
5) Strongly agree2057.9
Missing5 
TOTAL2604100.0
[ Analyze results ]
Government should do more to help minorities increase their standard of living. (AMA_6)
TOTAL%
-7) Refused341.3
-4) Don't know14.5
1) Strongly disagree42016.1
2) Somewhat disagree37814.5
3) Neither agree nor disagree61723.7
4) Somewhat agree58322.4
5) Strongly agree55821.4
Missing5 
TOTAL2604100.0
[ Analyze results ]
One of the most effective ways to improve race relations in the U.S. is to stop talking about race. (AMA_7)
TOTAL%
-7) Refused401.5
-4) Don't know15.6
1) Strongly disagree51619.8
2) Somewhat disagree34213.1
3) Neither agree nor disagree60623.3
4) Somewhat agree56421.7
5) Strongly agree52120
Missing5 
TOTAL2604100.0
[ Analyze results ]
The government should financially compensate black Americans who are descendents of slaves. (AMA_8)
TOTAL%
-7) Refused441.7
-4) Don't know261
1) Strongly disagree145155.7
2) Somewhat disagree2579.9
3) Neither agree nor disagree46617.9
4) Somewhat agree1756.7
5) Strongly agree1857.1
Missing5 
TOTAL2604100.0
[ Analyze results ]
If we want to create a society where people get along, we must recognize that each ethnic group has the right to maintain its own unique traditions. (AMA_10)
TOTAL%
-7) Refused381.5
-4) Don't know18.7
1) Strongly disagree1776.8
2) Somewhat disagree1726.6
3) Neither agree nor disagree37514.4
4) Somewhat agree77129.6
5) Strongly agree105440.5
Missing5 
TOTAL2605100.0
[ Analyze results ]
In the U.S., street signs and other public signs should only be written in English. (AMA_11)
TOTAL%
-7) Refused321.2
-4) Don't know14.5
1) Strongly disagree33512.9
2) Somewhat disagree27810.7
3) Neither agree nor disagree42516.3
4) Somewhat agree42716.4
5) Strongly agree109442
Missing5 
TOTAL2605100.0
[ Analyze results ]
Instructions
View each question on our survey and how our respondents answered to the left.

To perform an auto-analysis of how an item relates to key demographics such as gender, education, church attendance and more, click on the "Analyze results" link below a variable.
Modules
Click on a link to jump to a topic module. Move the mouse over links to see short descriptions.

Household Roster
Current Living Arrangement
Race/Ethnicity
Race Ethnicity (ACASI)
Housing Choice
Work/Job
Sensation-Seeking
Social Activities
Congregational Identity
Congregational Affiliation
Religious Identification
Centrality and Salience of Religious Identity
Networks and Network Density
Intergroup Contact
Political Participation
Volunteering and Informal Helping
Moral/Political Attitudes
Moral and Political Attitudes (ACASI)
Religion - Importance
Religious Guidance/Religious Authority
Religious Guidance and Religious Authority (ACASI)
Relationship Behaviors (ACASI)
Relationship Quality (ACASI)
Deviance (ACASI)
Religious Beliefs (ACASI)
Religious Attendance (ACASI)
Spiritual Experiences
Health
Demographics
Generated Variables
Appended and Other Variables

Give us your feedback!

Through out these sections, we invite you to enter the discussion about these findings and what their implications may be. Click on the COMMENT link to send your thoughts to pals@rice.edu. Where appropriate we will include comments for others to read and discuss. Names of contributors will not be posted, but, if you like, include your religious tradition.

Search Geographical Profiles
ARDA's Geographic Profiles allow you to view maps of the social, economic, demographic, and religious landscape of the United States, all the way down to the neighborhood level. You can even generate a summary report using a variety of options.

Enter a zip code to see a map now:
US Congregational Membership Reports
Explore congregational membership across the United States. These data are provided by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies.

Enter your 5-digit zip code to see a religious profile now:
Visit TheARDA.com
Copyright © PALS. The ARDA. All Rights Reserved.