Majority of Americans say religion and spirituality can bring people together
Washington, D.C., December 6, 2022 – This Public Agenda/Ipsos poll examines the intersection between religion, spirituality, and political divisiveness in the United States. The poll finds that most Americans are concerned about political divisiveness between ordinary people. While Americans agree that religion and spirituality can play a role in bringing people together, more say giving ordinary people a greater voice in decisions that affect their lives is effective in reducing divisiveness and destructive disagreements.
Detailed Findings
1. A majority of Americans, regardless of party, are concerned about political divisiveness between ordinary people. Half attribute divisions among political leaders to a limited common ground between Americans.
- Eight in ten—and a majority within each party—say political hostility and divisiveness between ordinary Americans is a serious problem, and nearly half (48%) say it is very serious.
- Fifty-one percent of Americans agree that the main reason our political leaders are divided is because there is not much common ground among Americans.
2. That being said, most Americans say there is more common ground among the American people than is portrayed by politicians or the news media. A majority is optimistic about finding common ground and about people doing the right thing.
- Seven in ten (68%) say there is more in common among Americans than the news media or political leaders portray. Although, more Republicans (76%) than Democrats (68%) and Independents (67%) agree with this sentiment.
- Over half (56%) of Americans say most people are trying to do the right thing.
- Sixty-six percent say politicians should put aside their differences and compromise, while only about a third (34%) say politicians should fight for what is right without compromise.
- Women (69%) and people ages 55+ (72%) are more likely to agree that politicians should compromise compared to men and younger adults.
3. In their personal lives, most people are open to learning about differences in political opinions, and a majority say having a variety of opinions is important for the country.
- Fifty-five percent of Americans say it isn’t difficult to be friends with someone whose political views are different from their own. Even more (75%) say they can learn something by talking to people with different political views.
- People engaged in the community and those who identify as very/moderately religious or spiritual are more likely to say they can learn something by talking to people with different political views.
- Half (49%) say they have had a constructive conversation about politics with someone with opposing political views. But fewer (38%) report that it is worth trying to change someone’s mind.
- Overall, nearly 8 in 10 (77%) say it’s a good thing Americans have multiple political viewpoints, including some they disagree with.
4. American attitudes towards the role of spirituality and religion in politics are divided, with most saying they can play an important role but half saying religions institutions already have too much influence in politics.
- Six in ten say spirituality (62%) and religion (57%) can play an important role in bringing people together in our nation. Although, more Republicans than Democrats and Independents agree.
- Forty-nine percent of Americans agree that religious institutions have too much influence in national politics, but differences emerge by partisanship and other demographics.
- Democrats (65%) are most likely to agree that religious institutions have too much political influence, followed by 46% of independents. In contrast, most Republicans (55%) disagree, saying that religious institutions do not have too much political influence.
- Younger Americans (ages 18-34), those who are slightly/not at all spiritual or religious, and those who are engaged in the community are more likely to agree that religious institutions have too much political influence.
5. Few Americans think increasing the role of religion and spirituality in the US would be effective in reducing political divisiveness. They are optimistic, however, about the effectiveness of collaboration and interaction across religious institutions and varying viewpoints.
- Of all measures considered, Americans say making spiritual values and religion bigger factors in American life are the least effective ways to reduce divisiveness.
- In contrast, 61% say interacting and collaborating across different religious institutions would be effective at reducing destructive disagreements. This sentiment is consistent across party lines.
- Even more (72%) agree that creating opportunities for people to talk and interact with those who have different values and views would be effective at mitigating divisiveness.
6. A supermajority believes the most effective way to reduce divisiveness in the U.S. is through community empowerment and representation.
- A majority (61%) say ordinary people have more influence in how problems are addressed in local communities than at the national level.
- Compared to other measures considered, the highest share of Americans (80%) says that giving ordinary people a greater voice in the decisions that affect their lives would be effective at reducing divisiveness.
- Americans ages 55+, those who are college-educated, and those earning $50K+ are more likely to say that giving people a greater voice is effective in reducing destructive disagreements.
For the release from Public Agenda click here. For the release from USA TODAY, please click here.
About the Study
These are some of the findings of an Ipsos poll, conducted between August 24 – 26, 2022 on behalf of Public Agenda. For this survey, a sample of 2,219 adults age 18+ from the continental U.S., Alaska, and Hawaii was interviewed online in English. The sample includes 917 both religious and spiritual individuals, 99 largely religious individuals, 369 largely spiritual individuals, and 834 neither religious nor spiritual individuals.
The sample for this study was randomly drawn from Ipsos’ online panel (see link for more info on “Access Panels and Recruitment”), partner online panel sources, and “river” sampling (see link for more info on the Ipsos “Ampario Overview” sample method) and does not rely on a population frame in the traditional sense. Ipsos uses fixed sample targets, unique to each study, in drawing a sample. After a sample has been obtained from the Ipsos panel, Ipsos calibrates respondent characteristics to be representative of the U.S. Population using standard procedures such as raking-ratio adjustments. The source of these population targets is U.S. Census 2019 American Community Survey data. The sample drawn for this study reflects fixed sample targets on demographics. Posthoc weights were made to the population characteristics on gender, age, race/ethnicity, region, and education. Party ID benchmarks are from recent high quality telephone polls.
Statistical margins of error are not applicable to online non-probability polls. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error and measurement error. Where figures do not sum to 100, this is due to the effects of rounding. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points for all respondents. Ipsos calculates a design effect (DEFF) for each study based on the variation of the weights, following the formula of Kish (1965). This study had a credibility interval adjusted for design effect of the following (N=2,219, DEFF=1.5, adjusted Confidence Interval=+/- 4.0 percentage points).
The poll also has a credibility interval of plus or minus 4.0 percentage points for both religious and spiritual individuals, plus or minus 12.1 percentage points for largely religious individuals, plus or minus 6.2 percentage points for largely spiritual individuals, and plus or minus 4.2 percentage points for neither religious nor spiritual individuals.
The survey is trended with three surveys. The first one was conducted October 14-21, 2019, the second was conducted February 23-26, 2021, and the third was conducted September 20-28, 2021, all for Public Agenda by Ipsos. The October 2019 survey was based on a nationally representative probability sample of adults age 18 or older (n=1,548). The February 2021 survey was conducted based on a nationally representative probability sample of adults age 18 or older (n=1,283). The September 2021 survey was conducted based on a nationally representative probability sample of adults age 18 or older (N=2,345).
Further information about the October 2019 survey can be found here. Further information about the February 2021 survey can be found here. Further information about the September 2021 survey can be found here.
For more information on this news release, please contact:
Chris Jackson
Senior Vice President, US
Public Affairs
+1 202 420-2025
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