Essay:Surveys of the American public opinion

It is easy to claim support from the vaguely defined American public. Here are statistics on what "the American public" believes:

Media

The American public appears to puts low trust in the media in general, but high trust in specific free press institutions.

Morning Consult #161201 (1650 people, 2016)

How credible are each of the following?	Very credible (%)	Credible (%)	Not too credible (%)	Not at all credible (%)	Graphic
CNN	26	34	15	14
Fox News	25	30	17	19
MSNBC	20	35	15	14
ABC	24	43	14	9
CBS	24	41	14	10
NBC	24	41	13	11
The New York Times	27	36	12	11
The Wall Street Journal	26	38	12	7
National Public Radio	21	30	12	8
Huffington Post	14	32	16	13
Breitbart	7	12	12	14
InfoWars	6	11	11	10
The Onion	6	12	12	23

Science

PSVSS

America

American science

Question	Best in the world (%)	Above average (%)	Average (%)	Below average (%)	Number of respondents	Year	Source
Do you think the U.S. is the BEST IN THE WORLD, above average, average or below average in [Its scientific achievements] compared to other industrialized countries?	15	39	34	9	N=2002	2014	PSVSS, p.81
Do you think the U.S. is the BEST IN THE WORLD, above average, average or below average in [Its scientific achievements] compared to other industrialized countries?	17	47	26	5	N=2001	2009	GPSS, p. 63

American military

Question	Best in the world (%)	Above average (%)	Average (%)	Below average (%)	Number of respondents	Year	Source
Do you think the U.S. is the BEST IN THE WORLD, above average, average or below average in [Its military] compared to other industrialized countries?	39	37	15	5	N=2002	2014	PSVSS, p.81
Do you think the U.S. is the BEST IN THE WORLD, above average, average or below average in [Its military] compared to other industrialized countries?	42	39	13	3	N=2001	2009	GPSS, p. 63

American economy

Question	Best in the world (%)	Above average (%)	Average (%)	Below average (%)	Number of respondents	Year	Source
Do you think the U.S. is the BEST IN THE WORLD, above average, average or below average in [Its economy] compared to other industrialized countries?	7	26	36	29	N=2002	2014	PSVSS, p.81
Do you think the U.S. is the BEST IN THE WORLD, above average, average or below average in [Its economy] compared to other industrialized countries?	12	22	33	31	N=2001	2009	GPSS, p. 63
Do you think the U.S. is the BEST IN THE WORLD, above average, average or below average in [Its standard of living] compared to other industrialized countries?	22	41	26	9	N=2001	2009	GPSS, p. 63

American education

Question	Best in the world (%)	Above average (%)	Average (%)	Below average (%)	Number of respondents	Year	Source
Do you think the U.S. is the BEST IN THE WORLD, above average, average or below average in [Its science, technology, engineering and math education for grades K to 12] compared to other industrialized countries?	7	22	39	29	N=2002	2014	PSVSS, p.82

American politics

Question	Best in the world (%)	Above average (%)	Average (%)	Below average (%)	Number of respondents	Year	Source
Do you think the U.S. is the BEST IN THE WORLD, above average, average or below average in [Its political system] compared to other industrialized countries?	12	22	32	31	N=2002	2014	PSVSS, p.82
Do you think the U.S. is the BEST IN THE WORLD, above average, average or below average in [Its political system] compared to other industrialized countries?	19	31	29	16	N=2001	2009	GPSS, p. 63

American healthcare

Question	Best in the world (%)	Above average (%)	Average (%)	Below average (%)	Number of respondents	Year	Source
Do you think the U.S. is the BEST IN THE WORLD, above average, average or below average in [Its health care] compared to other industrialized countries?	9	16	32	39	N=1001	2014	PSVSS, p.82
Do you think the U.S. is the BEST IN THE WORLD, above average, average or below average in [Its medical treatment] compared to other industrialized countries?	17	34	29	20	N=1001	2014	PSVSS, p.82
Do you think the U.S. is the BEST IN THE WORLD, above average, average or below average in [Its political system] compared to other industrialized countries?	15	23	32	27	N=2001	2009	GPSS, p. 63

Surveys

Survey title	Survey conductor	Number of respondents	Margin of error	Survey method	Date
Morning Consult National Tracking Poll #161201 (Morning Consult 161201)	Morning Consult	1605 adults	2%	unstated	2016-12-01 to 02
Public and Scientists’ Views on Science and Society (PSVSS)	Pew Research Center	2002 18+year-olds from 50 states+DC	3.1%	live callers, landline + cellphone, English + Spanish	2014-08-15 to 25
General Public Science Survey (GPSS)	Pew Research Center	2001 18+year-olds from 50 states+DC	2.5%	live callers, landline + cellphone, English + Spanish	2009-04-28 to 05-12

External links

• Polling Report

To do

• http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/02/10/darwin-day/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polls_about_9/11_conspiracy_theories
• http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/2011/PPP_Release_National_ConspiracyTheories_040213.pdf
• http://www.gallup.com/poll/9751/americans-kennedy-assassination-conspiracy.aspx
• http://www.cbsnews.com/news/60-minutes-vanity-fair-poll-conspiracy/
• https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/-public-opinion-on-conspiracy-theories_181649218739.pdf
• https://today.yougov.com/news/2016/12/27/belief-conspiracies-largely-depends-political-iden/