the Science X network is one of the largest online communities for science-minded people. A comprehensive list of the all the fears from The Chapman Survey on American Fears 2017 can be found www.chapman.edu/fearsurvey, Provided by We now have two years of data collected about American fears since Trumps election. Chapman University. 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. And, when compared with the rest of the ethnic groups in the American population, whites showed significantly higher levels of Islamophobia than non-whites. and Terms of Use. Director of Public Relations, Corrupt government, cyber attacks and corporate snooping top list in annual Survey of American Fears, Financial . The information you enter will appear in your e-mail message and is not retained by Tech Xplore in any form. Calculator, Fish Interfaith Fear of the government had the strongest relationship with buying a gun because of fear, said L. Edward Day, Ph.D., and lead researcher on this portion of the survey. The survey sample was a random sample of 1,541 Americans who are English speaking and over the age of 18. Founded in 1861, Chapman University is a nationally ranked private university located in Southern California. Economic Concerns in America According to the Chapman poll, the number one fear in America today is walking alone at night. One in five Americans is afraid Extreme Environmentalists are a threat. Chapman University sociologists and researchers have released the ninth annual Survey of American Fears revealing 92 terrifying trends and new insights into the nation's top fears.. Americans fear being a victim of mass shootings, pollution and biological warfare and their fears also relate to immigration, gun control, the Jan. 6 violent attempt to overthrow of the U.S. government. However, the survey data do not allow us to dig deeply into the sources of anti-Muslim prejudice. "It is a simple, straight-line effect the more one watches talk TV, the more fearful one tends to be." Fear of corrupt government officials has remained the greatest fear for yet another year since first landing in the spot in 2015. Content on this website is for information only. Other behaviors driven by fear included sending kids to private schools and purchasing a home alarm system. ScienceDaily. 0000003196 00000 n you feel more nervous than you are coming off, concentrate on message, frame public speaking as an everyday conversation, prepare, practice, positive self-talk. 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. Without these components, the message is likely to cause fear without action," Dr. Gordon continued. Criminologists often get angry responses when we try to tell people the crime rate has gone down.". ", The survey also looked at the personal characteristics that are significantly associated with higher levels of paranormal belief. by More education is needed. paranormal, said Bader. For more information and articles, visitwww.chapman.edu/fearsurvey. Phys.org is a part of Science X network. Excellence, Graduate Research The sample of the Chapman University Survey of American Fears mirrors the demographic characteristics of the U.S. Census. The SSRS Omnibus survey is a national (50-state), bilingual telephone survey. "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. Director of Public Relations, Political Corruption, Illness, and the Threat of Nuclear Attack from Russia Top Chapman Universitys Annual Survey of American Fears. 3 0 obj 0000001108 00000 n 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. Government corruption aside, our top ten list suggest that Americans are preoccupied by fears of three different types. Support, The Chapman University Survey on American Fears, The Ludie & David C. Social Sciences Research Laboratory, Chapman University Survey of American Fears, Wilkinson College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Daniel Canogars Pareidolia Multimedia Artwork Unveiled at Chapman University. The top five things Americans worry or are concerned about are: 1) Having identity stolen on the internet, 2) Corporate surveillance of internet activity, 4) Government surveillance of internet activity, "The sky is falling (and a serial killer is chasing me)". 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. Americans Fear Terrorism - and the Public's Role in Preventing Terrorism. Chapman University, American's Top 10 Fears in 2017. Credit: Chapman University. Government use of drones within the U.S. 48. According to the Chapman University Survey on American Fears, public speaking is regarded as the number one fear in America, with 25.3 percent of Americans say they fear speaking in front of a crowd. The top 10 things Americans fear the most are: More than half of the respondents fear they will experience a natural or manmade disaster. "The survey shows that paranormal beliefs are quite common in the United States by examining how many such beliefs a person holds," said Dr. Bader. 50.4 percent fear for the quality of their drinking water. Deletions from the Genome, End for Indus Megacities: Prolonged Droughts. Neither your address nor the recipient's address will be used for any other purpose. "We learned through this initial survey that we had to phrase the questions according to fears vs. concerns to capture the information correctly, so that is how we present it," Bader continued. And the Chapman study notes that Republicans are indeed morelikely to express anxiety about certain topics, like immigration, the government, and "today's youth.". Therefore, this might explain some of the difference.". Corporate tracking of \personal data, 33. Turns out there's indeed a wide variety of things frightening. and discover alongside remarkable faculty. The survey also shed light on certain characteristics of people who believe in the paranormal. 0000001586 00000 n Americans Fear Terrorism - and the Public's Role in Preventing Terrorism, Americans Fear Terrorism - and the Public's Role in Preventing Terrorism. "Results from the Chapman University Survey of American Fears 2016 show significant portions of the U.S. population distrust Muslims and believe the nation is justified in singling out one religious tradition for increased law enforcement scrutiny," said Dr. Day. When it comes to feelings about and treatment of Muslims, nearly half of Americans reported that they would not be comfortable with a Mosque being built in their neighborhood; one-third reported that Muslims are more likely to engage in terrorism, as well as agree that the U.S. should halt all immigration from Muslim nations. 2 0 obj The survey took, on average, 20 to 25 minutes to complete. Nearly 3/4 of Americans said they are afraid or very afraid of corrupt governmental officials in 2018. Not a single environmental concern made the top 10 list in 2016. Many of the top 10 fears this year can be directly correlated to the top media stories of the past year. People who have purchased a gun because of fear also have high levels of fear of technology and crime. Its ten schools and colleges foster a vibrant intellectual community, and provide extensive opportunities for students to learn, grow Americans fears were drawn elsewhere like the coronavirus pandemic and tense political climate. This month Pamela Coelho 23 (Creative and Cultural Industries minor) took over Career Corner and this time the tables were turned. This could be linked to the prominent news coverage of lead poisoning in the drinking water of Flint, Michigan, during the past year. Computers replacing people in the workforce, 55. Additionally, the survey asked respondents if they have rethought everyday activities due to fear of terrorism. The Top 10 Fears in America 2022 - Did your fears make the list? "We found clear evidence that the United States is a strongly conspiratorial society," said Dr. Bader. Americans fear climate change [48 percent] and air pollution [44.9 percent]. Sciences, Argyros School of Business & 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? The Chapman Survey on American Fears asked how they think prevalence of several crimes today compare with 20 years ago. Administration, Post-Award Chapman researchers asked about a dozen different phobias, ranging across everything from public speaking to zombies. Beliefs in conspiracy theories were a new element to the 2016 survey and included questions asking about levels of belief in nine different popular conspiracies and conspiracy theories, such as the JFK assassination, Barack Obama's birth certificate, alien encounters, the moon landing, the 9/11 attacks, the AIDs virus and more. 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. Those top three fears are connected in a kind of hand-wringing trifecta, said Christopher Bader, Ph.D., who led the team effort. Environmental Concerns in America ScienceDaily. Since Trumps election, Americans are increasing fearful of pollution, global warming and other environmental disasters. 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The 2016 survey data is organized into five basic categories: personal fears, conspiracy theories, terrorism, natural disasters, paranormal fears, and fear of Muslims. . It would be interesting to find what percentage of Americans are very afraid of any item on this list, of two or more items etc. What aren't they telling us? Despite evidence to the contrary, Americans do not feel like the United States is becoming a safer place. What are you afraid of, Wonkblog readers? Americans believe that both Islamic Extremists and White Supremacists represent a threat to national security. "We see a degree of paranoia in the responses. 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. 0000003447 00000 n More than 1,500 adults from across the nation and all walks of life were surveyed. The fears are ranked by the percent of Americans who reported being afraid or very afraid. Insects/arachnids (spiders, bees, etc. The survey asked respondents about 65 fears across a broad range of categories including fears about the government, crime, the environment, the future, technology, health, natural disasters, as well as fears of public speaking, spiders, heights, ghosts and many other personal anxieties. Questions? Science X Daily and the Weekly Email Newsletter are free features that allow you to receive your favorite sci-tech news updates in your email inbox, Phys.org 2003 - 2023 powered by Science X Network. ), 85. A comprehensive list of the all the fears from The Chapman Survey on American Fears 2016 can be found http://www.chapman.edu/fearsurvey. 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. The remainder of The Chapman Survey on American Fears looks at fear factors. At that time, one-third of the participants feared a major epidemic in this country. The third annual Chapman University Survey of American Fears (2016) has been released by researchers. As greater distance is placed between the United States and the height of the coronavirus pandemic, it will be interesting to see if environmental concerns continue to reemerge in the top 10 list, or if Americans continue to find their attention diverted to other issues. The same relationship is true when looking at the fear regarding illness. This years topics range from fear of being the victim of mass shootings, to fears related to Jan. 6th and the violent overthrow of the U.S. government to fears related to immigration and gun control. 0000001932 00000 n 0000003526 00000 n When it comes to feelings about and treatment of Muslims, nearly half of Americans reported that they would not be comfortable with a Mosque being built in their neighborhood; one-third reported that Muslims are more likely to engage in terrorism, as well as agree that the U.S. should halt all immigration from Muslim nations. Administration, Institutes & I would like to subscribe to Science X Newsletter. Phys.org is a part of Science X network. He or she is likely to be Catholic - or a Christian denomination - but attend religious services infrequently. By 2018 all the top ten fears were held by more than half of Americans. America's Knowledge of Disaster Preparedness Outdated, Dangerous, The survey asked Americans about fears of man-made disasters, such as a nuclear melt-down, and nuclear and terror attacks, as well as natural disasters. Nevertheless, 74 percent have made no effort to put together such a kit. "Having a lower level of education, particularly having only a high school diploma/GED or less, was the most consistent predictor of fear," he wrote in analysis. technology (Tech Xplore) and medical research (Medical Xpress), Phys.org is a leading web-based science, research and technology news service which covers a full range of topics. Environmental fears include drought (35.1%), wildfire (30.9%), devastating natural disaster where I live (37.5%), global warming and climate change (47.4%), and air pollution (47.3%). They learned that nearly a quarter of Americans report voting for a particular candidate because of their fears; and more than 10 percent have purchased a gun out of fear. The 2017 Chapman University Survey of American Fears includes a battery of items on paranormal beliefs. Media Contact: Support, Chapman University Survey of American Fears, Daniel Canogars Pareidolia Multimedia Artwork Unveiled at Chapman University, Sandi Simon Center for Dance Ushers in New Era for Dance at Chapman, Chapman Students Find New Power in the Work of Nobel Laureate Nadia Murad, Corporate tracking of personal information, Government tracking of personal information. Nuclear Attack from Russia 2073 24 ), 67. %%EOF "When we looked at statistical data from police and FBI records, it showed crime has actually decreased in America in the past 20 years. "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. and policies. By 2017, the top fear (corrupt government officials) was up to 74.5% and five of the top ten fears were expressed by more than half of the population. ScienceDaily, 21 October 2014. About Chapman University Last week I reported on partisan differences in Americans' belief in the occult, noting that Democrats were more enthusiastic believers in the paranormal than Republicans. Factors Bader and his team looked at included: age, gender, race, work status, education, income, region of the country, urban vs. rural, political preference, religion, TV viewing, and gun ownership. The last time a similar fear landed in the top 10 was in 2017, with fear of North Korea using weapons placing at number nine. 0 And, the vast majority (78 percent) believes an emergency kit would improve their chances of surviving a disaster. "Watching television talk shows with frequency proved to be strongly related to fear," Bader wrote. "Although the trend isn't perfect, as a general rule, Americans are more afraid of extremist groups that have been discussed in the media," said Ed Day, Ph.D., chair of Chapman's sociology department. People often fear what they cannot control, and technology and the future of our economy are two aspects of life that Americans find very unpredictable at the moment. Desk: 714-289-3143 Mobile: 657-390-6760, Paul Pe, Public Relations Coordinator, [email protected] Beliefs in conspiracy theories were a new element to the 2016 survey and included questions asking about levels of belief in nine different popular conspiracies and conspiracy theories, such as the JFK assassination, Barack Obama's birth certificate, alien encounters, the moon landing, the 9/11 attacks, the AIDs virus and more. Put another way, by year, the top ten fears have ranged from: 2016: 35.5% to 60.6% 2017: 9% to 74.5% 2018: 9% to 73.6% Americans are becoming more afraid. Corruption of government officials topped the surveys list of the 10 things Americans fear most. Murder by a stranger 28.9% 56. Of those surveyed only 29% were afraid of dying themselves, while 58.1% were afraid of a loved one dying. However, we do not guarantee individual replies due to the high volume of messages. Public speaking 29% 55. Can You Describe a Sensation Without Feeling It First? In the top 10 fears cited in the survey overall, "terrorist attack" ranks second, with 41 percent of Americans being afraid of a terror attack--and more than 60 percent believing the United States is likely to experience a large scale terrorist event (such as 9/11) in the near future. The Chapman Survey on American Fears Chapman University Survey of American Fears What they learned is more than half of all Americans believe the government is concealing information about the 9/11 attacks; as well as the assassination of John F. Kennedy. College of Film and Media Arts, Schmid In its fourth year, the annual Chapman University Survey of American Fears included more than 1,207 adult participants from across the nation and all walks of life that is a direct slice of the American population according to census data. Americans fear for the environment (#s 2, 3, 7, 8, 9), fear bad things happening to loved ones (#s 5 & 6) and worry about their finances (#s 4 and 10). realistic expectations: Its the schools highest position in Cerise Valenzuela Metzger The CSAF was conducted online via the SSRS Probability Panel among adults age 18 and older who participated via the web on PC, laptop, tablet or mobile phone. Financial fraud (such as a Ponzi scheme, embezzlement, etc. Half of Americans fear traveling abroad; one-fifth reported they are less likely to attend a concert, sporting or other public event; and three-fourths are more willing to accept longer lines and security screenings at airports. Data were collected between May 16, 2015, and May 25, 2015. Also, a greater number of women than. Data were collected between May 5, 2016, and May 18, 2016. A striking difference between 2016 and 2017-2018 has to do with the environment. Chapman University's Third Annual Survey of American Fears released, image:Chapman University Survey of American Fears 2016 is shown. Each country exhibits its own psychological profile. The way Americans see it, the bogeyman is not hiding under the bed. In addition to the set of fears examined in previous waves, the survey team took a closer look at one particular fear-related phenomena: fear of extremism. 0000011715 00000 n 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. Coelho sat me down for a one-on-one interview about my job and how I can help Wilkinson College students during their time at Chapman and beyond, with internships, jobs, and so much, Wilkinson College English professor Tom Zoellner (whose Island on Fire: The Revolt that Ended Slavery in the British Empire won the 2020 National Book Critics Circle Award for the best nonfiction book) recently published Rim to River: Looking into the Heart of Arizona a story about his 46-day journey hiking through the redrock country, On average, Americans fears lay highest in the domains of man-made disasters, such as terrorist attacks, followed by technology and then the government such as corruption and the Affordable Health Care Act. Performing Arts, Crean College of Health and Behavioral 44. For the first time ever, the fear survey included a question regarding Russia using nuclear weapons. However, we do not guarantee individual replies due to the high volume of messages. 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