The survey sample was a random sample of 1,541 Americans who are English speaking and over the age of 18. 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. "People often fear what they cannot control," continued Dr. Bader, "and we find continued evidence of that in our top fears. A 2014 survey by Chapman University found a fear of public speaking was the biggest phobia among respondents - 25.3% said they feared speaking in front of a crowd. Assuming a certain baseline of fear that we all carry with us, do we apply that fear to what we might call trivial items in the absence of larger threats, such as haunted houses versus economic collapse, so we are afraid of more little things in times of peace and prosperity? Despite this being the first time the question was included it landed within the top three fears, with 59.6% of Americans being afraid of Russia using nuclear weapons. The survey asked respondents about 80 different fears across a broad range of categories including fears about the government, the environment, terrorism, health, natural disasters, and finances, as well as fears of public speaking, spiders, heights, ghosts and many other personal anxieties. Have any problems using the site? Fear of pollution of drinking water increased from 44.6% (2020/21) to 54.5% (2022) moving it up over ten spots and placing it as the 6th greatest fear among the American public. The Chapman University 2015 Survey of American Fears included items on paranormal beliefs ranging from Bigfoot and psychic powers to haunted houses and the power of dreams. Founded in 1861, Chapman University is a nationally ranked private university located in Southern California. Currently, the most common paranormal belief in the United States is the belief that places can be haunted by spirits with nearly half of Americans believing this. As has been seen before, elevated fears over national security can lead to lower support for national values. Here are the top 10 fears of 2016: Corruption of government officials (same top fear as 2015) 60.6%. Americans believe that both Islamic Extremists and White Supremacists represent a threat to national security. Phys.org is a part of Science X network. Neither your address nor the recipient's address will be used for any other purpose. Chapman University. Through their analysis two key factors emerged: having a lower level of education and also high frequency of television viewing were the most consistent predictors of fear. 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? CCPA/CPRA: Do Not Sell or Share My Information. 86. Reclaiming Our Voices: The Ethnic Studies Movement in Santa Ana Unified School District, Financial cognitive restructuring is process that builds confidence because it replaces negative thoughts with positive thoughts called affirmations. Researchers release 4th annual Survey of American Fears. This site uses cookies to assist with navigation, analyse your use of our services, collect data for ads personalisation and provide content from third parties. Terrorist attacks 41%. and discover alongside remarkable faculty. Criminologists often get angry responses when we try to tell people the crime rate has gone down.". When it comes to gender, the survey showed that men are more likely than women to hold anti-Muslim opinions. What makes speaking in front of a large crowd so scary? Urban residents are much less likely to distrust Muslims or support institutionalized discrimination. 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. "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. Regardless of the sources, the prevalence of anti-Muslim sentiment is a concern.". People who have purchased a gun because of fear also have high levels of fear of technology and crime. He notes, though, that it's unclear whether TV makes people more fearful, or whether more fearful people watch more TV. While other types of extremist groups are a concern to large groups of Americans, only those two were identified by a majority of survey respondents. %%EOF Corrupt Government Officials And, the vast majority (78 percent) believes an emergency kit would improve their chances of surviving a disaster. Democrats are fond of caricaturing Republicans as fear-stricken Fox News viewers, clinging to "gunsorreligionor antipathy to people who aren't like them," in Barack Obama's famous formulation. However, the fear has declined from 79.6% in 2020/2021 to 62.1% in 2022, its lowest point since 2016. 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. "However, of all the items we asked about, Americans are most skeptical of Big Foot with only 13 percent expressing belief in its existence.". ", Environmental Quality Ranks among Americans' Top Fears. Annual Survey of American Fears released. For the first time, in 2017, four of the top 10 fears were centered around the environment. xA 04(F~\GczC. xref Harm to Loved Ones PDF What do Americans fear? 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"For a nation that touts its commitment to religious liberty, the prevalence of these beliefs should be disturbing," said Ed Day, Ph.D., chair of the department of sociology at Chapman University and one of the three researchers on this survey.