General Social Survey

GSS

75,699 respondents · 1972-2024 · View source · 15 questions

The General Social Survey has been monitoring social change and studying the growing complexity of American society since 1972. Conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago, it is one of the most frequently analyzed sources of information for social science research. The survey covers a wide range of topics including civil liberties, crime and violence, intergroup tolerance, morality, national spending priorities, psychological well-being, social mobility, and stress and traumatic events.

Consensus 76

Confidence 73

Alignment 35

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Category: Ethics & Values

Please tell me whether or not you think it should be possible for a pregnant woman to obtain a legal abortion if the woman wants it for any reason.

Human

57%

92%

yes

43%

Consensus 73

Confidence 80

Alignment 26

Category: Ethics & Values

Do you favor or oppose the death penalty for persons convicted of murder?

Human

100%

oppose

31%

favor

69%

Consensus 100

Confidence 68

Alignment 10

Category: Ethics & Values

There has been a lot of discussion about the way morals and attitudes about sex are changing in this country. If a man and woman have sex relations before marriage, do you think it is always wrong, almost always wrong, wrong only sometimes, or not wrong at all?

Human

always wrong

almost always wrong

11%

26%

wrong only sometimes

25%

74%

not wrong at all

63%

Consensus 67

Confidence 75

Alignment 82

Category: Ethics & Values

What about sexual relations between two adults of the same sex - do you think it is always wrong, almost always wrong, wrong only sometimes, or not wrong at all?

Human

always wrong

almost always wrong

11%

wrong only sometimes

16%

97%

not wrong at all

74%

Consensus 94

Confidence 88

Alignment 68

Category: Ethics & Values

Do you think the use of marijuana should be made legal or not?

Human

should not be legal

66%

97%

should be legal

34%

Consensus 87

Confidence 56

Alignment 13

Category: Ethics & Values

When a person has a disease that cannot be cured, do you think doctors should be allowed by law to end the patient's life by some painless means if the patient and his family request it?

Human

16%

31%

84%

yes

69%

Consensus 56

Confidence 23

Alignment 71

Category: Ethics & Values

Do you think a person has the right to end his or her own life if this person has an incurable disease?

Human

42%

95%

yes

58%

Consensus 79

Confidence 69

Alignment 40

Category: Politics & Policy

We hear a lot of talk these days about liberals and conservatives. Where would you place yourself on this scale?

Human

extremely liberal

liberal

12%

slightly liberal

13%

95%

moderate, middle of the road

38%

slightly conservative

15%

conservative

15%

extremely conservative

Consensus 90

Confidence 92

Alignment 45

Category: Politics & Policy

Generally speaking, do you usually think of yourself as a Republican, Democrat, Independent, or what?

Human

strong democrat

not very strong democrat

26%

10%

independent, close to democrat

19%

90%

independent (neither, no response)

26%

independent, close to republican

14%

not very strong republican

16%

strong republican

Consensus 89

Confidence 90

Alignment 40

Category: Social & Trust

Generally speaking, would you say that most people can be trusted or that you can't be too careful in dealing with people?

Human

10%

can't be too careful

58%

77%

depends

13%

most people can be trusted

37%

Consensus 61

Confidence 59

Alignment 24

Category: Social & Trust

Do you think most people would try to take advantage of you if they got a chance, or would they try to be fair?

Human

would take advantage of you

38%

62%

depends

33%

would try to be fair

55%

Consensus 43

Confidence 61

Alignment 37

Category: Social & Trust

Would you say that most of the time people try to be helpful, or that they are mostly just looking out for themselves?

Human

10%

looking out for themselves

45%

69%

depends

21%

try to be helpful

48%

Consensus 51

Confidence 68

Alignment 31

Category: Metaphysics & Religion

Which statement comes closest to expressing what you believe about God?

Human

87%

don't believe

13%

higher power

12%

believe sometimes

believe with doubts

17%

no doubts

62%

Consensus 84

Confidence 86

Alignment 4

Category: Metaphysics & Religion

Do you believe there is a life after death?

Human

92%

20%

yes

80%

Consensus 73

Confidence 76

Alignment 8

Category: Epistemology & Science

Human beings, as we know them today, developed from earlier species of animals.

Human

false

47%

97%

true

53%

Consensus 87

Confidence 100

Alignment 31