Published Research
Research Note | Evolution of American Opinion on Same-Sex Marriage
[05.09.2012]The March PRRI/RNS Religion News Survey showed that a slim majority (52%) of Americans favor allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry legally, while 44% are opposed. There are large gaps on this issue by age, gender, party affiliation, and religious affiliation. Nearly three-quarters (74%) of Millennials (age 18-29) support same-sex marriage, compared to only one-third (33%) of seniors. There are religious groups on both sides of the same-sex marriage… more
Survey | A Generation in Transition: Religion, Values, and Politics among College-Age Millennials
[04.19.2012]2012 Millennial Values Survey Conducted jointly by Public Religion Research Institute and Georgetown University’s Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs, a new national survey of college-age Millennials (Americans ages 18-24) provides an in-depth portrait of younger Millennials on faith, values, and the 2012 election. College-age Millennials (age 18-24) are considerably more racially and ethnically diverse than the general population. Fewer than 6-in-10 (57%) Millennials self-identify as white,… more
Survey | Chosen for What? Jewish Values in 2012
[04.03.2012]Executive Summary The Influence of Jewish Values and Political Activity. At least 8-in-10 American Jews say that pursuing justice (84%) and caring for the widow and the orphan (80%) are somewhat or very important values that inform their political beliefs and activity. More than 7-in-10 also say that tikkun olam, healing the world (72%), and welcoming the stranger (72%) are somewhat or very important values. A majority (55%) say… more
Survey | Majority of Americans Do Not Believe Religious Liberty is Under Attack
[03.15.2012]March PRRI/RNS Religion News Survey Perceived Threats to Religious Liberty and Separation of Church and State Most (56%) Americans do not believe that the right of religious liberty is being threatened in America today. However, nearly 4-in-10 (39%) believe that religious liberty is threatened today. Majorities of Tea Party members (72%) Republicans (60%), and seniors (56%) believe that religious liberty is being threatened. White evangelical Protestants (61%) are the… more
Fact Sheet | Public Opinion on Economic Inequality
[02.29.2012]What You Need to Know I. ECONOMIC POLICY ISSUES There is broad public support for addressing economic inequality through policies aimed at both the top and bottom of the economic spectrum: increasing the minimum wage to $10 an hour, and increasing the tax rate on Americans earning more than $1 million year. The Minimum Wage: Overall, two-thirds (67 percent) of Americans favor increasing the minimum wage from $7.25 to… more
Survey | Majority of Catholics Think Employers Should Be Required to Provide Health Care Plans that Cover Birth Control at No Cost
[02.07.2012]February PRRI Religion and Politics Tracking Poll Majority Support Requirement that Employer Health Care Plans Include Contraception Coverage A majority (55%) of Americans agree that “employers should be required to provide their employees with health care plans that cover contraception and birth control at no cost.” Four-in-ten (40%) disagree with this requirement. There are major religious, generational and political divisions: Roughly 6-in-10 Catholics (58%) believe that employers should be… more
Research Note | Beyond Secular vs. Religious: Religious Divides in Support for Same-Sex Marriage
[01.27.2012]In 2011, majorities of most religious groups favored allowing gay and lesbian couple to marry legally, illustrating that the old narrative of battle lines between secular supporters and religious opponents no longer serves as an accurate characterization of the landscape of the same-sex marriage debate. In the general population, 2011 was also the first year on record in which supporting same-sex marriage was not a minority position. In May, several… more