Nearly four-in-ten (38%) users of social networking sites discovered through a friend’s posts that his or her political beliefs were different than the user thought.

Nearly nine-in-ten (89%) Republicans favor allowing more oil and gas drilling in U.S. waters compared to about half of Democrats — a gap of 39 points.

Nearly six-in-ten (58%) Americans believe it is more important to have the freedom to pursue life’s goals without state interference than it is for the state to guarantee that no one is in need. Western European publics disagree.

By a 59% to 32% margin, most Americans think Barack Obama will win the 2012 presidential election if Mitt Romney is the Republican nominee. This margin expands significantly if Rick Santorum is the GOP nominee.

More than four-in-ten Americans (43%) view the increase in intermarriage as a societal change for the better, while about one-in-ten (11%) hold the opposite view. The rest of the public says it doesn’t make a difference.

About three-quarters of state prison chaplains (77%) say that a lot or some religious switching occurs among inmates in the prisons where they work.

Employment for men increased by 2.6 million jobs between the fourth quarter of 2009 and the fourth quarter of 2011. The gain in jobs was four times that of women, but was still not enough to bring male employment back to its pre-recession level.

About half (49%) the public now has a favorable opinion of the Democratic Party, up from 43% in January. Impressions of the Republican Party remain negative.