Social Values

Like U.S. adults overall, the majority of U.S. Catholics say abortion should be legal – at least in some cases.

At least 20 nations preceded the U.S. in granting women the right to vote, according to an analysis of measures in 198 countries and territories.

In most of the 18 countries analyzed, religiously unaffiliated adults were more likely to say homosexuality should be accepted by society.

A majority of Americans say the country still hasn’t gone far enough in giving women equal rights with men.

About half of U.S. Hispanics said in our December 2019 survey that they had serious concerns about their place in the country.

A median of 45% across 34 surveyed countries say it is necessary to believe in God to be moral and have good values. However, public opinion on this question, as well as the role of God, prayer and religion varies by country, region and economic development.

Many of the values of the feminist movement have been accepted across the political spectrum in the United States.

A hundred years after the 19th Amendment was ratified, about half of Americans say granting women the right to vote has been the most important milestone in advancing the position of women in the country.

When it comes to abortion, members of Congress are starkly divided by party. Yet the partisan divide among Americans themselves is less stark.

Across the surveyed countries, opinion varies widely about the value of diversity. But interacting with people of different backgrounds is related to more positive attitudes about the role of diversity in society.