Morality Ratings the Worst in Five Years

GALLUP NEWS SERVICE

PRINCETON, NJ -- Americans' perceptions about moral values in the United States are more negative today than at any other time in the last five years. Over three-quarters of Americans (77%) hold negative views about the nation's moral climate, up from 70% last year and 65% in 2002. That leaves only 7% of Americans holding positive views, and another 12% holding mixed views.

These results come from Gallup's annual Values and Beliefs survey, updated May 8-11. The survey includes two questions about the state of moral values in the country, which have been asked since 2002: one a rating of current conditions and the other an outlook measure. These are combined into a morality index.

Those "positive" about morality in the United States consider moral values to be excellent or good and believe they are staying the same or getting better.

Those "negative" about moral values believe they are only fair or poor and are either staying the same or getting worse.

Those with "mixed" views fall into one of two categories: either believing conditions are excellent or good but worsening, or saying conditions are only fair or poor, but improving.

Of the two index components, Americans have grown especially negative in their outlook on moral values. Asked whether the state of moral values is getting better or getting worse, 81% say things are getting worse. This is up slightly from 77% in 2004 and 2005, and from 67% in 2002 and 2003. The number of optimists has dropped by more than half, from 24% in 2002 and 2003 to 11% today.

This increase since 2002 and 2003 in pessimism about morality (from 67% to 81%) is seen fairly evenly across most major subgroups of society. The percentages of men, women, and various age groups who say morals are "getting worse" have grown by close to the sample average of 14 percentage points.

At the same time, the increase in pessimism is slightly higher among Republicans (up 16 percentage points since 2002 and 2003) and independents (+18) than it is among Democrats (+6). A similar pattern is seen by personal ideology, with the increase in pessimism a bit greater among conservatives (+16) than among liberals (+9).

Evaluation of Current Conditions Also Erodes

From 2002 to 2005, the percentage of Americans registering a negative opinion of current moral conditions -- calling them "only fair" or "poor" -- varied between 77% and 81%, but is now 85%. At the same time, positive perceptions ("excellent" or "good") have fallen to a new low of 14%.

Seniors the Most Negative

Criticism of moral values in the United States is widespread throughout society, but, as seen in previous years, it is particularly high among older Americans. More than four in five adults aged 65 and older (85%) are classified as negative on Gallup's morality index today, versus 68% of adults under 30.

While Republicans and Democrats express highly similar views about morality, slight differences are seen according to self-described political ideology. Seventy percent of "liberals," compared with 75% of "moderates" and 82% of "conservatives" are negative about moral values in the country.

Criticism of Morals Not New

As negative as Americans are today about morality, other Gallup polling suggests that the current level of criticism is not extraordinarily high. A question in 1991 about the "ethics and moral standards of the American people" found only 33% of Americans satisfied and 64% dissatisfied. A January 2006 survey found a nearly identical result: 33% were satisfied and 66% dissatisfied with the nation's "moral and ethical climate."

Survey Methods

These results are based on telephone interviews with a randomly selected national sample of 1,002 adults, aged 18 and older, conducted May 8-11, 2006. For results based on this sample, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum error attributable to sampling and other random effects is ±3 percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.

7. How would you rate the overall state of moral values in this country today -- as excellent, good, only fair, or poor?

8. Right now, do you think the state of moral values in the country as a whole is getting better or getting worse?

MORAL VALUES OUTLOOK GROUPS (Q.7-8 COMBINED RESPONSES)