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. technology (Tech Xplore) and medical research (Medical Xpress), 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. The survey identified four attitudes that are essential components for motivating preparedness: The survey identified four attitudes that are essential components for motivating preparedness: "We found that each of these attitudes contributed significantly to the likelihood of preparing for disaster with an emergency kit and a plan," said Dr. Gordon. endobj Also, a greater number of women than. ", The survey also looked at the personal characteristics that are significantly associated with higher levels of paranormal belief. With a global reach of over 10 million monthly readers and featuring dedicated websites for science (Phys.org), College of Science and Technology, Wilkinson College of Arts, 0000005477 00000 n 0000004854 00000 n GFK (Knowledge Networks) Fears are ranked by the percent of Americans who reported being afraid or very afraid. Americans fear climate change [48 percent] and air pollution [44.9 percent]. Its the schools highest position in Cerise Valenzuela Metzger Overall, fear of public speaking is America's biggest phobia - 25.3 percent say they fear speaking in front of a crowd. the Science X network is one of the largest online communities for science-minded people. He or she is likely to be Catholic - or a Christian denomination - but attend religious services infrequently. The Complete List of Fears, 2019 "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. Just because gun-toting preppers, survivalists, supremacists and other strains of libertarians have fears doesnt mean they are not paranoid. Chapman University Honors Holocaust Survivors in Annual Art and Writing Since Trumps election, Americans are increasing fearful of pollution, global warming and other environmental disasters. Most striking about American fear in 2017 is that environmental fears figure more prominently than ever before. Government restrictions on firearms and ammunition, 36. ), 85. A striking difference between 2016 and 2017-2018 has to do with the environment. Turning to the crime section of the Chapman Survey on American Fears, the team discovered findings that not only surprised them, but also those who work in fields pertaining to crime. 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. 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. More education is needed. Americans fears were drawn elsewhere like the coronavirus pandemic and tense political climate. He or she is likely to be Catholic - or a Christian denomination - but attend religious services infrequently. The University is home to some 8,000 students pursuing bachelor, master and doctoral degrees, and is alma mater to more than 40,000 alumni found throughout the United States and the world. 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. I would like to subscribe to Science X Newsletter. Director of Public Relations, Political Corruption, Illness, and the Threat of Nuclear Attack from Russia Top Chapman Universitys Annual Survey of American Fears. Center, Pre-Award Sheri Ledbetter Excellence, Graduate Research The campus has produced a Rhodes Scholar, been named a top producer of Fulbright Scholars, and hosts a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nations oldest and most prestigious honor society. As an academically distinguished center of learning, Chapman University attracts extraordinary students and faculty from around the globe. 2012-2023 Chapman University, The Chapman University Survey of American Fears (CSAF), The Chapman University Survey on American Fears, Crean College of Health & Behavioral Sciences, Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities, & Social What do Americans fear? -- ScienceDaily What do Americans fear? Chapman University's | EurekAlert! Being unemployed 28.9% 58. "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.". Sorted by Percent Afraid/Very Afraid www.chapman.edu/fearsurvey The real monsters are in the halls of government, statehouses and elective offices across the land, according to the second annual The U.S. becoming involved in another world war, 7. "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. Please, allow us to send you push notifications with new Alerts. "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. It is not intended to provide medical or other professional advice. But Republicans weren't significantly more fearful on any of them. Have any problems using the site? "What we found when we asked a series of questions pertaining to fears of various crimes is that a majority of Americans not only fear crimes such as, child abduction, gang violence, sexual assaults and others; but they also believe these crimes (and others) have increased over the past 20 years," said Dr. Edward Day who led this portion of the research and analysis. "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. As has been seen before, elevated fears over national security can lead to lower support for national values. People who have purchased a gun because of fear also have high levels of fear of technology and crime. We found a major disconnect between peoples expectations of what would happen in a disaster and the reality of a disasters aftermath, said Ann Gordon, Ph.D., and lead researcher on the disaster portion of the survey. Sciences, Dodge Daniel Canogars Pareidolia Multimedia Artwork Unveiled at Chapman University, Pilgrimage to Broken Mountain: Nahua Sacred Journeys in Mexicos Huasteca Veracruzana, Razzano Family Legacy Gift Strengthens the Future of Italian Studies at Chapman University, Homeland Insecurity: Terrorism, Mass Shootings and the Public - Faculty Books, Government Corruption, Fear for Loved Ones, Civil Unrest Top Fears in America - A majority of Americans believe places can be haunted by spirits, Chapman Research Mentor Helps Undergrads Overdeliver, February 24, 2023 by Pamela Coelho 23 | News, STUDENT TAKEOVER! Here are the top 10 fears of 2016: Corruption of government officials (same top fear as 2015) 60.6%. This could be linked to the prominent news coverage of lead poisoning in the drinking water of Flint, Michigan, during the past year. Regardless of the sources, the prevalence of anti-Muslim sentiment is a concern.". Calculator, Fish Interfaith In 2016, the highest level of fear reported by our respondents was for corrupt government officials at 60.6%. In addition to Bader, Day and Gordon, student involvement was key in helping throughout the process. The 2016 Chapman University Survey of American Fears explored how Americans as a whole view this small subgroup. Nearly one-fourth of Americans also believe there is something suspicious about the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. The findings showed that despite widespread fear, the vast majority of those surveyed do not have emergency kits -- even in regions hardest hit by natural disasters. College of Film and Media Arts, Schmid The Chapman University Survey on American Fears website offers the full article on Americas Top Fears 2022 and articles on Americas Fear of Corrupt Government, Fear of Mass Shootings and Fear of Gun Restrictions. Humanities, and Social Sciences, 5. College of Film and Media Arts, Schmid 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. Chapman University, Chapman University Survey of American Fears 2016. Credit: Chapman University. Turns out there's indeed a wide variety of things frightening. Democrats are slightly more likely to be afraid of ghosts. 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. Content on this website is for information only. When it comes to gender, the survey showed that men are more likely than women to hold anti-Muslim opinions. 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. In addition to Bader, Day and Gordon, student involvement was key in helping throughout the process. More information: The CSAF is an ongoing project, now in its ninth year. The real monster is government corruption, according to the second annual Chapman University Survey of American Fears (2015). . "Following the San Bernardino attacks, President Obama reminded Americans that if they 'see something, say something." Researchers release 4th annual Survey of American Fears. By overcoming your fear of public speaking, it becomes much easier to overcome other fears that you might have. Crimes specifically asked about were: child abduction, gang violence, human trafficking, mass riots, pedophilia, school shootings, serial killing and sexual assault. (2014, October 21). American Beliefs in Conspiracy. 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. This article has been reviewed according to ScienceX's editorial process High levels of fear of loved ones becoming ill (#5) and high medical bills (#10) also indicate that health care remains a primary concern of Americans. For general inquiries, please use our contact form. However, we do not guarantee individual replies due to the high volume of messages. The 2016 Chapman University Survey of American Fears explored how Americans as a whole view this small subgroup. Conducted annually, it follows trends over time and identifies new fears as they emerge. Homeland Insecurity: Terrorism, Mass Shootings and the Public - Faculty Books, March 21, 2023 by Grace Galusha '23 | News, Every March, in Honor of Womens History Month, students in Wilkinson Colleges Women and Gender Studies minor gather to tell stories of women past and present that have made their mark in the activist, academic, and political spheres. 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. The war between Russia and Ukraine and the media attention this conflict has garnered explains this fear.