Sources of guidance on right and wrong among whites by state (2014) Switch to: State among whites by sources of guidance on right and wrong

% of whites who say they look to…most for guidance on right and wrong

StateReligionPhilosophy/reasonCommon senseScienceDon't knowSample size
Alabama51%4%38%3%4%346
Alaska27%8%49%10%6%226
Arizona33%11%46%8%2%463
Arkansas48%6%40%5%1%229
California25%15%46%11%3%2,098
Colorado29%16%43%11%2%383
Connecticut17%13%61%8%1%286
Delaware24%11%57%6%2%217
District of Columbia13%23%43%16%4%124
Florida28%10%52%7%3%1,311
Georgia44%8%39%7%2%576
Hawaii15%16%56%10%3%141
Idaho35%7%51%6%1%280
Illinois28%12%48%10%2%975
Indiana37%7%46%9%2%532
Iowa34%11%48%4%3%304
Kansas36%10%47%5%2%255
Kentucky41%9%44%5%2%362
Louisiana42%10%41%5%2%289
Maine17%12%59%10%2%281
Maryland26%10%50%13%2%379
Massachusetts12%12%57%17%2%559
Michigan30%9%51%8%2%755
Minnesota26%11%52%8%3%483
Mississippi49%9%33%7%3%187
Missouri39%11%40%6%5%516
Montana29%12%48%7%3%278
Nebraska35%10%48%7%1%253
Nevada23%14%56%6%1%200
New Hampshire13%14%59%11%3%275
New Jersey24%11%54%9%2%605
New Mexico37%11%35%10%7%168
New York21%15%52%8%3%1,319
North Carolina40%10%41%7%2%712
North Dakota29%6%52%10%3%307
Ohio32%10%48%8%2%913
Oklahoma36%9%47%6%2%277
Oregon28%13%47%12%1%338
Pennsylvania33%8%47%10%2%1,124
Rhode Island23%12%54%10%2%258
South Carolina47%8%37%5%3%341
South Dakota36%12%45%6%1%268
Tennessee46%7%40%5%2%526
Texas42%10%39%7%2%1,379
Utah46%7%41%4%2%274
Vermont17%14%53%13%2%293
Virginia37%11%41%8%2%632
Washington29%13%45%10%3%542
West Virginia49%5%42%3%2%272
Wisconsin31%10%46%9%3%512
Wyoming37%10%43%6%4%277
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