Moral Issues

In U.S., Two-Thirds Continue to Support Death Penalty

Little change in recent years despite international opposition

October 13, 2009
Two-thirds of Americans (65%) continue to support the use of the death penalty for persons convicted of murder, while 31% oppose it -- continuing a trend that has shown little change over the last six years.More ...

Renewed Desire for U.S. Gov’t. to Promote Traditional Values

Trend had been moving toward view that government should not favor any values

September 29, 2009
Americans have shifted back to thinking the government should promote traditional values in society (53%) rather than not favor any set of values (42%). Last year, Americans were evenly divided in their views. Political independents and moderates are largely driving the change.More ...

U.S. Abortion Attitudes Closely Divided

Forty-seven percent of Americans identify as “pro-life,” 46% as “pro-choice”

August 4, 2009
A mid-July USA Today/Gallup poll finds 47% of Americans calling themselves “pro-life” and 46% “pro-choice.” While the “pro-life” percentage has declined some compared to Gallup findings from May, both 2009 readings find more Americans labeling themselves “pro-life” than has been true in recent years.More ...

Extramarital Affairs, Like Sanford’s, Morally Taboo

Recent confessions of affairs by elected officials fly in face of Americans’ normative standards

June 25, 2009
A recent Gallup Poll finds 92% of Americans agreeing that having an extramarital affair, such as the ones South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford and Nevada Sen. John Ensign have confessed to, is morally wrong -- making it the most objectionable of any issue tested.More ...

Knowing Someone Gay/Lesbian Affects Views of Gay Issues

Opposition to gay marriage higher among those who do not know someone who is gay/lesbian

May 29, 2009
Americans who personally know someone who is gay or lesbian are more likely than those who do not to support legalized gay marriage, 49% to 27%. They are also more likely to think gay or lesbian relations should be legal and to be comfortable around people who are gay or lesbian.More ...

Majority of Americans Continue to Oppose Gay Marriage

No change in support from last year

May 27, 2009
Even though an increasing number of states have moved toward legalizing same-sex marriage in the past year, Americans’ views on the matter have not changed, with 57% opposed and 40% in favor of legal recognition of gay marriages. Americans are more supportive of gay rights in other areas.More ...

Republicans Move to the Right on Several Moral Issues

No change in Democrats’ attitudes about what is morally acceptable

May 20, 2009
Americans’ views about the moral acceptability of 15 different social issues and policies haven’t changed dramatically over the past year. However, Republicans have grown less supportive of embryonic stem-cell research, divorce, and gambling -- pushing the overall figures slightly to the right, politically.More ...

More Americans “Pro-Life” Than “Pro-Choice” for First Time

Also, fewer think abortion should be legal “under any circumstances”

May 15, 2009
More Americans describe themselves as “pro-life” on abortion (51%) than “pro-choice” (42%) for the first time since Gallup began asking the question in 1995. Gallup also finds a shift to the right in terms of the circumstances in which Americans think abortion should be legal.More ...

Americans More Likely to Say Moral Values “Getting Better”

Still overwhelmingly believe values are getting worse

May 14, 2009
Americans still overwhelmingly believe moral values in the U.S. are getting worse (71%) rather than better (21%), but the percentage who say moral values are getting better is up from 11% last year.More ...

U.S., Canada Show More Interfaith Cohesion Than Europe

European Muslims embrace their nations, but the latter do not embrace them

May 7, 2009
A new report from Gallup and the Coexist Foundation reveals that residents of the U.S. and Canada are more likely than Europeans surveyed to be classified as “integrated.” It also reveals that European Muslims and the general publics have different perceptions of European Muslims’ loyalty to their nations.More ...
  • See popular topics
  • See all topics

Topic Search

Use this search form to find within this topic.
GALLUP NEWS
Get Gallup News delivered to your inbox whenever we add content to the topic:

Moral Issues

Subscribe to this topic
Related Items

Catholics Similar to Mainstream on Abortion, Stem Cells

March 30, 2009

Majority of Americans Likely Support Stem Cell Decision

March 9, 2009
Americans Lean Against Closing Guantanamo

Americans Lean Against Closing Guantanamo

January 21, 2009

Americans: Burris Should Be Blocked, Special Election Held

January 6, 2009

Marriage

Blagojevich Scandal Feeds Into Public Skepticism

December 12, 2008

Blacks as Conservative as Republicans on Some Moral Issues

December 3, 2008

Nurses Shine, Bankers Slump in Ethics Ratings

November 24, 2008

Before Recent Crisis, Public Wary of Active Federal Gov't.

September 23, 2008

By Age 24, Marriage Wins Out

August 11, 2008
Copyright © 2009 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2009 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved.
Gallup®, A8™, Business Impact Analysis™, CE11®, Clifton StrengthsFinder®, the 34 Clifton StrengthsFinder theme names, Customer Engagement Index™, Drop Club®, Emotional Economy™, Employee Engagement Index™, Employee Outlook Index™, Follow This Path™, Gallup Brain®, Gallup Consulting®, Gallup Management Journal®, GMJ®, Gallup Press®, Gallup Publishing™, Gallup Tuesday Briefing®, Gallup University®, HumanSigma®, I10™, L3™, PrincipalInsight™, Q12®, SE25™, SF34®, SRI®, Strengths Spotlight™, Strengths-Based Selling™, StrengthsCoach™, StrengthsFinder®, StrengthsQuest™, TeacherInsight™, The Gallup Path®, and The Gallup Poll® are trademarks of Gallup, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. These materials are provided for noncommercial, personal use only. Reproduction prohibited without the express permission of Gallup, Inc.