Sources of guidance on right and wrong among adults ages 65 and older by state (2014) Switch to: State among adults ages 65 and older by sources of guidance on right and wrong

% of adults ages 65 and older who say they look to…most for guidance on right and wrong

StateReligionPhilosophy/reasonCommon senseScienceDon't knowSample size
Alabama65%3%25%5%2%125
Arizona38%7%43%9%4%184
California32%11%44%8%6%964
Colorado43%13%33%9%2%104
Connecticut27%7%50%11%5%100
Florida35%8%45%9%3%632
Georgia53%4%36%5%1%225
Illinois37%7%48%4%4%365
Indiana41%8%45%5%2%178
Kentucky44%< 1%49%3%3%122
Louisiana43%4%47%4%3%121
Maryland51%2%38%6%4%161
Massachusetts22%11%55%9%3%186
Michigan44%4%42%5%4%258
Minnesota36%7%49%5%3%127
Missouri47%8%34%5%6%157
New Hampshire19%12%60%6%3%105
New Jersey36%9%44%6%4%258
New York28%12%50%6%5%590
North Carolina48%6%35%7%4%288
Ohio38%4%47%8%3%326
Oklahoma53%4%37%6%1%114
Oregon35%6%46%11%3%124
Pennsylvania40%6%45%7%2%438
Rhode Island27%9%58%4%2%111
South Carolina51%9%35%4%1%142
Tennessee57%5%32%1%4%195
Texas49%5%37%7%2%528
Virginia47%6%39%6%2%217
Washington29%9%49%8%5%183
Wisconsin40%5%44%8%3%161
Sample sizes and margins of error vary from subgroup to subgroup, from year to year and from state to state. You can see the sample size for the estimates in this chart on rollover or in the last column of the table. And visit this table to see approximate margins of error for a group of a given size. Readers should always bear in mind the approximate margin of error for the group they are examining when making comparisons with other groups or assessing the significance of trends over time. For full question wording, see the survey questionnaire.

Learn More: Religion, Philosophy/reason, Common sense, Science