Five years after the coronavirus outbreak, many Americans say public behavior in the United States has changed for the worse, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey.
Nearly half of U.S. adults (47%) say the way people behave in public these days is ruder than before the COVID-19 pandemic. That includes 20% who say behavior today is a lot ruder. Another 44% of adults say public behavior is about the same, while only 9% say people are behaving a lot or a little more politely in public.
A sizable share of Americans also say they regularly see rude behavior in their daily lives, according to the survey of U.S. adults, conducted Nov. 12-17, 2024. About a third of adults (34%) say they almost always or often see people behaving rudely when they go out in public these days, while another 46% see this sometimes.
Related: Many Americans perceive a rise in dangerous driving
Which kinds of behavior do Americans find unacceptable in public?
The concept of “rudeness” can involve many kinds of behavior. So, as part of our survey, we explored a variety of behaviors involving social etiquette in public spaces. These behaviors range from using technology around other people to displaying profanity, and they are just a few examples of what Americans might experience in public.
Of the eight actions included in our survey, two in particular draw the widest disapproval: 77% of adults say it’s rarely or never acceptable to smoke around other people, and 74% say the same about taking a photo or video of someone without asking for their permission.
Around two-thirds of adults or more say that it’s rarely or never acceptable to bring a child into a place that’s typically for adults, such as a bar or upscale restaurant (69%); to visibly display swear words, such as on a T-shirt or sign (66%); or to curse out loud in public (65%).
Smaller majorities say it’s rarely or never acceptable to play music out loud (59%) or wear headphones or earbuds while talking to someone, such as a shopkeeper, in person (57%). On both questions, sizable shares say it depends: 32% say it’s sometimes acceptable to play music out loud, and 26% say this about wearing headphones while talking to someone.
Of the behaviors we asked about, Americans’ opinions are most divided on whether it’s acceptable to bring a pet into an indoor space such as a grocery store or shop. Fewer than half say that this is rarely or never acceptable (45%). Four-in-ten say that it’s sometimes acceptable to do this, and 14% say that it is usually or always acceptable.
Related: About half of U.S. pet owners say their pets are as much a part of their family as a human member
Demographic differences in views of which behaviors are unacceptable in public
Even though there is broad agreement that certain behaviors are rarely or never acceptable, there are some demographic differences in views.
Age gaps exist on every question, with older adults more likely than younger adults to see each behavior as unacceptable. For example, 89% of adults 65 and older say it is rarely or never acceptable to curse out loud in public, but only 38% of adults under 30 say the same.
There is a similar gap on the acceptability of visibly displaying swear words, such as on a T-shirt or sign. Adults 65 and older are about twice as likely as those under 30 to say this is rarely or never acceptable (86% vs. 42%). Americans in the oldest age group are also far more likely than the youngest adults to say it’s unacceptable to wear headphones or earbuds while talking to someone in person (76% vs. 36%).
Attitudes about some behaviors also vary by other demographic characteristics:
- Gender: Women are slightly more likely than men to see five of the eight behaviors we asked about as rarely or never acceptable. The gap is largest on taking a photo or video of someone in public without their consent (78% of women say it’s unacceptable vs. 69% of men).
- Household income: Adults in higher-income households are more likely than adults with middle and lower incomes to say several of the actions we asked about are rarely or never acceptable. One exception to this pattern: Adults in lower- (76%) and middle- income (68%) households are more likely than those in higher-income households (62%) to say it is unacceptable to bring a child into a place that’s typically for adults, such as a bar or upscale restaurant.
There were not major differences in views by political party.
Is it easy for Americans to know what’s appropriate to do in public?
Even as a sizable share of Americans say that people around them are behaving more rudely than in the past, the vast majority of adults (84%) say it’s very or somewhat easy for them personally to know what’s appropriate to do in public these days. Just 13% say it’s somewhat difficult, and 2% find it very difficult.
While majorities across demographic groups say it’s at least somewhat easy to know what’s appropriate, some groups are more likely than others to find it easy:
- People with higher household incomes: 89% of adults in higher-income households find it very or somewhat easy to know what’s appropriate to do in public. This compares with 86% in middle-income households and 78% in lower-income households.
- Older adults: While 87% of adults ages 65 and older say it’s very or somewhat easy to know how to behave in public, a slightly smaller share (80%) of those under 30 say the same.
Note: Here are the questions used for this analysis, the topline and the survey methodology.
