final appendix

2014-2015

Purdue Institute for Civic Communication

CIVIC COMPETENCE POLLS

May 13, 2015

Ambassador Carolyn Curiel

Executive Director, PICC

Professor, Brian Lamb

School of Communication

AN EDUCATION

IN AND ABOUT

THE REAL WORLD

ABOUT THE POLL

2

PICC CIVIC COMPETENCE POLL

In the last year, the PICC Polling Unit, comprised of undergraduate students from the liberal arts

and engineering at Purdue University, worked under the direction of Professor Carolyn Curiel to

create polls measuring to what extent American citizens are invested in civic society: how much

they know, how much they contribute, and what matters most to them. Hundreds of questions

with answer choices were created, then debated and revised countless times.

The result was a series of four surveys with a unique perspective, that of undergraduate

students who hope to discern where they can make an impact in their world. The polls were

conducted from October 2014 to April 2015 with assistance from Penn Schoen Berland, which

polled a total of about 4,500 Americans online. The students, certified by Purdue University as

researchers, spent weeks poring over data, analyzing responses against demographics to

achieve a useful measure of Americans’ civic competence.

Also assisting the students were Dr. Glenn Sparks, Professor of communication, political

science doctoral candidates Katie Cahill and Robert Kulzick, the Purdue Office of Institutional

Assessment, and PICC’s Advisory Team of accomplished professionals.

The polls were conducted as an applied learning experience that required solid research and

data analyses, a cross-disciplinary project that could help these young people, and others, to

better understand their nation, divisions, unity, fears, and aspirations.

OUR STUDENTS

3

PICC UNDERGRADUATE

POLLING UNIT

• Mason Arnoldy, Senior in Aeronautical Engineering from Brownsburg, Indiana

• Rachel Bibler, Senior in Mass Communication from Warsaw, Indiana

• Liz Bitzer, Senior in Public Relations and Strategic Communication from Cincinnati, Ohio

• Hannah Compton, Senior in Corporate Communication from Fishers, Indiana

• Cecilia Daizovi, Graduating Senior in Public Relations and Strategic Communication

from Washington, D.C.

• Jonathan Goodwin, Graduating Senior in Political Science from Indianapolis, Indiana

• Haley Sands, Graduating Senior in Political Science from Blacksburg, Virginia

• Frank Speek, Graduating Senior in Political Science and History from Noblesville,

Indiana

• Allison Tucker, Graduating Senior in Communication and Spanish from Warsaw, Indiana

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

4

AMBASSADOR CAROLYN CURIEL

Many at Purdue know Carolyn Curiel as the founder and executive director

of the PICC. But her students call her Ambassador—just a hint at all she

has achieved.

After graduating from Purdue, Curiel worked as a journalist at United

Press International, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and at

ABC News Nightline, where she was was an Emmy-nominated producer

and writer for Ted Koppel, She answered the call to public service as

President Clinton’s senior speechwriter in 1993, and in his second term, as

Ambassador to Belize. She returned to The Times in 2002, directing the

editorial board’s election endorsements before returning to Purdue, where

she also is a professor of communication.

She created the university’s Washington Program at C-SPAN in 2010 with

Brian Lamb, then the network’s CEO and a fellow Purdue alumnus, as her

chief collaborator. PICC was designed to give Purdue students unique

opportunities to learn from and interact with professionals doing the jobs

the students aspire to in public service, media and related fields. Her idea

for a national poll by undergraduate students, made possible with help

from many partners, was based on the desire to allow students to conduct

serious research in an applied learning environment.

Above excerpt from: www.cla.purdue.edu/alumni/OurAlumni/Profiles/Curiel._Carolyn.html

Co-PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

5

PROFESSOR GLENN SPARKS,

COMMUNICATION

Glenn Sparks is a Professor in the Brian Lamb School of

Communication at Purdue University. Professor Sparks came to Purdue

in 1986 after five years of doctoral work in the Department of

Communication Arts at the University of Wisconsin-Madison–followed

by a 3-year appointment as an Assistant Professor in what is now the

School of Communication at Cleveland State University.

Sparks’ area of expertise is the cognitive and emotional effects of the

media. A number of his articles report the results of research on the

effects of frightening films and TV programs as well as media violence.

He regularly teaches a course on media effects for undergraduates and

occasionally teaches a graduate seminar on media effects or courses

on research methods. With Curiel, he is co-principal investigator for the

national polling project.

Sparks said it is has been a great honor and privilege to work with the

PICC Polling Unit. “For me, this project represents a unique opportunity

to work with students on an activity that creates new knowledge that

could be a significant catalyst for beneficial change in America.”

OUR GRADUATE STUDENTS

6

PICC TEACHING ASSISTANTS

FOR THE POLLING UNIT

Katie A. Cahill is a Ph.D. candidate at Purdue University in the

Department of Political Science. Her major field is public policy, with minor

concentrations in comparative politics and public health. Her research

uses an interdisciplinary, multi-level approach in examining public health

policies and outcomes in developing contexts. Katie is highly motivated to

conduct research that has both theoretical and practical implications. For

her dissertation research on child immunization, Katie conducted over 9

months of fieldwork interviewing public health officials and representatives

of international organizations in the countries of India and Bangladesh.

Robert Kulzick is completing his Ph.D. in Political Science at Purdue

University. His dissertation examines the role of state economic

bureaucrats in the process of financial liberalization. Robert received a

Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of

Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. He received Masters’ Degrees in Political

Science and Economics from Purdue.

PICC MANAGER

7

JULIE WISE

Julie Wise is the Manager for the Purdue Institute for Civic

Communication. Purdue has employed her since 2009 in positions that

have shown her the ins and outs of University services both for current

students and alumni.

Through these positions, she was able to learn that she enjoys working

with students and the everyday challenges that are presented in

managing an office.

Prior to coming to Purdue, she spent six years with Solideal Tire, an

industrial tire company, working her way up to North American

Marketing Manager.

Wise is a native of Idaville, Indiana. She received his Bachelor’s degree

in marketing from Johnson & Wales University, Providence, RI. Along

with her husband Matt, daughter Caroline, and dog-daughter Jasmine,

she resides in West Lafayette, IN.

FROM OUR STUDENTS

8

PICC POLLING UNIT

The view from a campus can be limited. We students typically learn in classroom settings,

using texts, studying research and theories developed by others – it is interesting but all too

often remote from the lives we hope to impact as contributing citizens.

With the PICC polls, we reached into thousands of homes, asking Americans to think about

their roles and contributions to our civic society. We sought to capture their feelings and

aspirations in our data. We worried when words, questions, or even results might offend

some respondents. That discomfort also helped us to recognize that the views of America are

as diverse as our citizen population, as are aspirations.. For example, most Americans

believe higher education is necessary for their futures, but most Americans don’t see that

education as attainable.

How lucky we are, then, to have had higher learning both in the classroom and through a

research experience like this poll. Our instructor, Ambassador Carolyn Curiel, as well

Professor Glenn Sparks, graduate assistants Katie Cahill and Robert Kulzick, and Rob Green,

Sam Hagedorn and the team at Penn Schoen Berland pushed us every day, making this

project possible. We thank them all.

~ PICC Undergraduate Polling Unit

ABOUT PICC

9

PURDUE INSTITUE FOR

CIVIC COMMUNICATION

The Purdue Institute for Civic Communication (PICC) is a nonpartisan, university-wide

initiative for applied and experiential learning at Purdue University, founded and directed

by Carolyn Curiel, a former journalist, senior White House speechwriter and diplomat. The

institute is made possible by the Daniels Fund of Denver and a partnership with C-SPAN,

the Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network.

The PICC offers undergraduate students from any discipline the opportunity to become

better citizens and informed contributors to democracy. In classes and activities, students

experience and explore the American system, interacting with leaders in public service,

journalism, industry and advocacy, at Purdue and in Washington, DC.

PICC Students with U.S. Speaker of the House, John Boehner

PICC students enjoy scholastic benefits including

innovative classes, internships and competitive merit

scholarships. Emphasis is placed on honing the

critical thinking skills of students from across

disciplines and helping them to translate complex

knowledge into communication that is accessible to

the larger public.

PICC ADVISORY TEAM

10

PURDUE INSTITUE FOR

CIVIC COMMUNICATION

• Kirk Cerny, former President and CEO, Purdue Alumni Association

• Howard Cohen, Professor of Philosophy, Purdue Calumet

• Paula Dwyer, Editor, Bloomberg View, New York

• Caitlin Harris, Northern Lights Locating and Inspection Services, Indiana

• David Kusnet, Principal, Podesta Group, Washington DC

• Brian Lamb, Founder and Executive Chairman, C-SPAN

• Joey Marburger, Director of Digital Products and Design, The Washington Post

• Kara McIver, former Senior Account Executive, Edelman Public Relations, DC

• Matt Miller, Vice President, Business Roundtable, DC

• Dale Pupillo, former Deputy Director, US Secret Service

• Gene Spafford, Professor of Computer Science, Executive Director of CERIAS

• Glenn Sparks, Professor, Brian Lamb School of Communication

• Hugh Totten, Attorney, LaPorte, Indiana

KEY PARTNER

11

PAULA DWYER,

BLOOMBERG NEWS

A Purdue alumna, Paula Dwyer is a member of the Bloomberg View

editorial board, focusing on economics, finance, regulation and politics.

For more than three decades, she has written and edited news stories --

and now editorials -- on the personalities, politics and policies driving

decision makers in the U.S. and overseas. She was named a Pulitzer

Prize finalist for editorial writing in 2012.

Ms. Dwyer spent 2004 to 2009 at The New York Times, where she was

deputy business editor in New York and then economics editor in the

Washington bureau. While at the Times, she was responsible for the

Washington bureau's coverage of the financial crisis, Wall Street reforms

and health-care overhaul.

She joined Bloomberg News's Washington bureau in late 2009 to edit

enterprise articles. Soon after Bloomberg acquired BusinessWeek, she

became an assistant managing editor of the magazine. She joined

Bloomberg View in April 2011 as part of its startup team.

Paula Dwyer, a member of the PICC Advisory Team, has been an

important mentor for the PICC Polling Unit, and is moderator for the

students’ forum at the National Archives in Washington on May 13, 2015.

KEY PARTNER

12

PENN SCHOEN

BERLAND

Penn Schoen Berland (PSB) is a market research, political polling and

strategic consulting firm based in the United States.

The firm is named for founding partners Mark Penn, Douglas Schoen

and Michael Berland. PSB was founded in 1975.

The company is known for its political polling on behalf of Bill Clinton

and, since the 1970s, PSB has worked on behalf of numerous political

campaigns in the U.S. and internationally, contributing to the election of

more than 25 political leaders worldwide. Its founders are also credited

with the introduction of overnight polling.

In particular, the PICC Polling Unit is grateful for the guidance and

mentorship of Robert Green, PSB Senior Vice President and PSB

project manager Samuel Hagedorn.

PICC National Poll

PILOT POLL

OCTOBER 2014


Penn Schoen Berland

AN EDUCATION

IN AND ABOUT

THE REAL WORLD

PILOT POLL 2014

14

RESULTS

OCTOBER 2014

The first poll, taken in October 2014, was comprised of 10 questions adapted from the

United States Naturalization Test, the test administered to immigrants seeking American

citizenship.

Penn Schoen Berland (PSB) conducted online interviews on October 1-3, 2014 among

n=1,110 American adults nationally. The margin of error for this study is +/- 2.94% at the

95% confidence level and larger for subgroups. Data are weighted based on Census

Bureau American Community Survey estimates for gender, age, region, and race, as well

as publically available 2014 survey data on party affiliation. Some percentages may add to

more or less than 100% due to rounding.

PILOT POLL 2014

15

11%

89%

What is the “rule of

law”?

• Nearly 9 in 10 Americans reported

that they know that the “rule of law” means that everyone must follow the law.

• When they answer incorrectly, Hispanic Americans were twice as likely as White Americans to select the incorrect answer, “that all laws must be the same in every state.”

Incorrect

Everyone must follow the law [correct answer]

Margin of error +/- 2.94%

PILOT POLL 2014

16

17%

83%

What is the supreme law of

the land?

• 8 in 10 Americans reported that they

know that the supreme law of the land refers to the Constitution.

• Hispanic Americans were less likely to respond correctly, with nearly 1 in 4 incorrectly answering “the Declaration of Independence.”

• Americans age 50 and older were more likely to respond correctly, with 9 in 10 answering correctly.

Incorrect

The Constitution [correct answer]


PILOT POLL 2014

17

22%

78%

What is one right or

freedom from the First

Amendment?

• Nearly 8 in 10 Americans knew that

freedom of speech is included in the First Amendment.

• Hispanic Americans were less likely than white and black Americans to answer correctly.

• White and Hispanic Americans were nearly twice as likely as black Americans to select the incorrect answer “to bear arms.”

Incorrect

Speech [correct answer]


PILOT POLL 2014

18

26%

74%

Who makes federal laws?

• 7 in 10 Americans know that

Congress makes federal law.

• Males were more likely than females to answer the question correctly.

• Hispanic Americans were less likely than white or black Americans to answer correctly, with 1 in 4 incorrectly selecting “the Supreme Court.”

• College graduates were much more likely to answer correctly (8 in 10) than those with only a high school diploma or less (6 in 10).

Incorrect

Congress [correct answer]


PILOT POLL 2014

19

30%

70%

What does the President’s

Cabinet do?

• 7 in 10 Americans knew that the

Cabinet advises the President.

• Males were more likely than females to answer this question correctly.

• Americans age 50 and older were more likely to respond correctly (8 in 10) than Americans under age 35.

• College graduates were much more likely to answer this question correctly than individuals with no or some college education.

Incorrect

Advises the President [correct answer]


PILOT POLL 2014

20

35%

65%

What is the economic system

in the United States?


United States has a capitalist economy.

• Republicans were more likely to

answer correctly (7 in 10) than Democrats or Independents.

• College graduates were much more likely to answer this question correctly (8 in 10) than those with only a high school diploma or less (5 in 10).

Incorrect

Capitalist economy [correct answer]


PILOT POLL 2014

21

36%

64%

What stops one branch of

government from

becoming too powerful?

• 6 in 10 Americans knew that checks

and balances among branches is the mechanism that keeps one branch from becoming too powerful.

• When they answered incorrectly, 1 in 4 Americans selected “the people” as the primary check on government power.

• Republicans were more likely to answer this question correctly than Independents and Democrats.

Incorrect

Checks and balances [correct answer]


PILOT POLL 2014

22

43%

57%

If both the President and the Vice

President can no longer serve, who

becomes President? • Just over half of Americans knew that

the Speaker of the House is the third in line to follow the President.

• 1 in 3 Americans incorrectly answered “the Secretary of State” to this question.

• Black and Hispanic Americans were slightly less likely than white Americans to answer this question correctly.

• Older Americans (50+) were more likely to respond correctly (7 in 10) than Americans under age 34 (4 in 10).

Incorrect

The Speaker of the House [correct answer]


PILOT POLL 2014

23

45%

55%

What does the Constitution

do?

• Just over half of Americans knew that

the Constitution defines and sets up the government and details the basic rights of Americans.

• Black Americans were more likely to answer incorrectly and to select only “protects basic rights” than to correctly answer this question.

• Republicans were slightly less likely to answer correctly than Democrats and Independents.

Incorrect

All the above: defines government, protects

basic rights of Americans, sets up the

government [correct answer]


PILOT POLL 2014

24

54%

46%

What does the

Judicial branch do?

• Over half of Americans incorrectly

answered this question, making the judicial branch the least understood of the branches of government.

• Those who answered incorrectly believed that the Judicial branch executes and/or creates laws.

• Older Americans (50+) were more likely to respond correctly (5 in 10) than Americans age 34 and under (4 in 10).

• College graduates were much more likely to answer this question correctly (6 in 10) than those with only a high school diploma or less (4 in 10).

Incorrect

Requires laws and determines constitutionality

[correct answer]


PICC National Poll

CIVIC KNOWLEDGE

JANUARY 2015


Penn Schoen Berland

AN EDUCATION

IN AND ABOUT

THE REAL WORLD

CIVIC KNOWLEDGE 2015

26

RESULTS

January 2015

This second poll, taken in January 2015, was composed of 20 questions addressing topics

the students viewed as important to understanding civic society.

Penn Schoen Berland (PSB) conducted online interviews on January 6-8, 2015 among







27

5%

95%

“Obamacare” refers to what?

• Nearly all Americans knew that

“Obamacare” refers to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

• Black Americans were slightly less likely than white Americans to answer this question correctly.

• Those making less than $35,000 were slightly less likely to answer correctly than those making $75,000 or more.

Incorrect

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

[correct answer]



28

7%

93%

What is the purpose of the

Social Security program?

• Nearly all Americans knew that Social

Security assures income for the aged, blind and disabled.

• Hispanic Americans were slightly less likely to answer correctly, with 1 in 10 selecting the incorrect response, “To create community centers where senior citizens can socialize.”

• Older Americans (50+) were slightly more likely to answer this question correctly than Americans age 34 and under.

Incorrect

To assure a minimum level of income for the

aged, blind, or disabled and those with limited

financial resources [correct answer]



29

9%

91%

What is the best

definition of a tax?

• 9 in 10 Americans knew that a tax is a

required payment that goes toward government revenue.

• Black Americans were slightly less likely than white or Hispanic Americans to answer correctly.

• Americans living in urban areas were

slightly less likely to answer this question correctly than those living in suburban or rural areas

Incorrect

A required payment that contributes to

government revenue [correct answer]



30

9%

91%

Citizens of New Mexico are

citizens of which nation?

• Nearly 1 in 10 Americans answered

this question incorrectly.

• Nearly 1 in 4 individuals with a high school diploma or less answered incorrectly, “Mexico.”

• There was very little variation across regions, including the South and West, in the percentage of correct responses.

Incorrect

United States [correct answer]



31

10%

90%

What was the direct

result of Brown v. Board

of Education?

We asked Americans about the result of the 1954 court case Brown v. Board of Education. • 9 in 10 Americans knew that this

case resulted in the desegregation of public schools.

• Americans in the South were slightly less likely to answer this question correctly.

• Americans under age 50 were less likely to answer this question correctly than those Americans who are over age 50.

Incorrect

Desegregation of public schools [correct

answer]



32

16%

84%

What are the three branches

of government?

• 8 in 10 Americans were able to

correctly identify the three branches of government.

• Black Americans were slightly less likely than white and Hispanic Americans to answer correctly.

• College graduates were more likely to answer this question correctly (9 in 10) than those with a high school diploma or less (7 in 10).

Incorrect

Executive, Legislative, Judicial [correct answer]



33

17%

83%

Which population of Americans

does Medicare benefit?

• Republicans were more likely to know that Medicare benefits are for individuals age 65 and older.

• White Americans were over 10 percent more likely than Black and Hispanic Americans to know which population Medicare benefits.

Incorrect

Individuals 65 and older [correct answer]



34

20%

80%

How large is the national debt?

• Black and Hispanic Americans were

about 10 percent less likely than white Americans to know how large the national debt is.

• Females were more than 15 percent less likely than males to answer this question correctly.

• Americans between the ages of 18 and 34 were more than 10 percent less likely to correctly identify the size of the national debt.

Incorrect

$18 trillion [correct answer]



35

25%

75%

Which of the following is a

Constitutional requirement for a person

to be eligible to become the President?


Constitution requires a person to be 35 years old to be eligible to become President.

• College graduates were most likely to answer this question correctly.

• Americans with annual incomes of $75,000 or more answered this question correctly more often than other income groups.

Incorrect

Must be at least 35 years old [correct answer]



36

29%

71%

Who has the power to

impeach the President?


Congress has the power to impeach the President.

• Hispanic Americans were less likely to answer this question correctly than white or black Americans.

• 9 in 10 college graduates answered this question correctly.

• Republicans were more likely to answer this question correctly than Democrats or Independents.

Incorrect




37

31%

69%

What is the Federal Reserve?

• Nearly 7 in 10 Americans knew that

the Federal Reserve is the central banking system of the United States.

• Females were slightly less likely than

males to answer correctly.

• Americans under the age of 35 were more than 10 percent less likely to answer correctly than Americans older than 35.

• Almost 8 in 10 college graduates answered this question correctly. Incorrect

The central banking system of the United States

[correct answer]



38

32%

68%

What is the Bill of Rights?

• 7 in 10 Americans knew that the first

10 amendments to the Constitution make up the Bill of Rights.

Incorrect

The first 10-amendments to the Constitution

[correct answer]



39

35%

65%

What was the result of

the Manhattan Project?

• Black Americans were least likely to

answer this question correctly, with 1 in 3 selecting the incorrect answer, “the creation of New York City.”

• Republicans and Independents were more likely than Democrats to answer this question correctly.

• Just over one half of females answered correctly, compared to nearly 8 in 10 males.

Incorrect

Creation of the first atomic bomb [correct

answer]



40

41%

59%

Which President signed

the Civil Rights Act?

• 6 in 10 Americans knew that President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act.

• Just over 4 in 10 Americans aged 18 to 34 answered this question correctly, with nearly 7 in 10 over age 50 answering correctly.

• Just over 4 in 10 Americans with a high school education or less answered correctly, while nearly 7 in 10 Americans with a college degree answer correctly.

Incorrect

Lyndon B. Johnson [correct answer]



41

44%

56%

How is an amendment to

the Constitution

proposed?

• Just over half of Americans knew

how an amendment is proposed.

• 4 in 10 Americans with a high school education or less answered correctly while nearly 7 in 10 college graduates answered correctly.

• Fewer than half of Americans who live in urban areas answered correctly, while those who live in suburban and rural areas are more than 5 percent more likely to answer correctly.

Incorrect

If two-thirds of both houses deem it necessary

or if two-thirds of states call for a convention

[correct answer]



42

55%

46%

Which part of the

government has the power to

declare war?

• Fewer than half of Americans knew

that only the Congress has the power to declare war.

• Males were nearly twice as likely as females to answer correctly.

• College graduates were more than twice as likely as those with a high school degree or less to answer correctly.

Incorrect




43

59%

41%

When questioned by law

enforcement, which of the

following is not a citizen’s right?

• Just 4 in 10 Americans knew that

citizens do not have the right to refuse to allow search of their vehicle under any circumstances.

• Only one-third of Americans who live in urban areas answered this question correctly, while more then 40 percent of those who live in suburban and rural areas answered correctly.

Incorrect

Refusing to allow search of the citizen’s vehicle

under any circumstances [correct answer]



44

63%

37%

When the U.S. sign the Kyoto

Protocol on greenhouse gas

emissions?


United States has not signed the Kyoto Protocol.

• Americans over age 50 were more than twice as likely to answer correctly as those age 18 to 34.

• Those who answered incorrectly were twice as likely to think that the Kyoto Protocol was signed during a Democratic Administration versus a Republican Administration.

Incorrect

Never [correct answer]



45

68%

32%

What is executive privilege?

• Just one-third of Americans knew that

executive privilege is the right of the Executive branch to withhold information from the public and Congress.

• One-quarter of Americans with an annual income under $35,000 answered correctly while nearly 4 in 10 with an annual income of $75,000 or more answered correctly.

• Less than 3 in 10 Republicans and Democrats answered correctly while nearly 4 in 10 Independents answered correctly.

Incorrect

The right of the Executive branch to withhold

information from the public and Congress

[correct answer]


CIVIC KNOWLEDGGE 2015

46

69%

31%

What is the core

principle of net

neutrality?

• Fewer than one-third of Americans

understood net neutrality.

• Fewer than a quarter of females answered this question correctly, as compared to correct responses from 4 in 10 males.

• A quarter of Americans with a high school degree or less knew the core principle of net neutrality while nearly 4 in 10 Americans with a college degree knew the core principle.

Incorrect

Internet content will be delivered to end users at

the same speed [correct answer]


PICC National Poll

CIVIC PARTICIPATION

APRIL 2015


Penn Schoen Berland

AN EDUCATION

IN AND ABOUT

THE REAL WORLD

CIVIC PARTICIPATION 2015

48

RESULTS

March 2015

In the third poll on civic participation, taken in March 2015, the students asked 20

questions that aimed to measure how frequently Americans participate in their community

and democracy.

Penn Schoen Berland (PSB) conducted online interviews on March 3-6, 2015 among







49

33%

24%

22%

14%

7%

How do you tend to interact

with individuals who live and

work in your community?

• One-third of all Americans reported

that they rarely or never participate in their community.

• Hispanic Americans are the least likely to rarely interact with their community

• The older the respondent, the less likely they were to interact with their community.

I rarely interact with my community

Via social media, email, or other online media

Planned face-to-face meetings

By phone-call or text message

Community watch/community organizations



50

49%

27%

8%

6%

6%

5%

In what circumstance do you

most often interact with your

neighbors?

• Half of all Americans answered “to

socialize.” • Those with annual incomes of less

than $35,000 were the least likely to interact with neighbors.

• Republicans were the demographic group the most likely to interact with their neighbors primarily to socialize.

To socialize

I rarely or do not interact with my neighbors

To support a community activity

To settle an issue that directly affects me, my family or property

To share resources

To settle an issue that directly affects the neighborhood



51

53%

33%

28%

14%

8%

8%

3%

25%

What are ways that you have

contributed to the public

good? [multiple responses

allowed]

• More than half of Americans have

donated money or resources other than time, while one-third of Americans have volunteered for a nonprofit organization.

• Republicans were more likely than Democrats and Independents to serve in the military.

• The higher the level of education attained, the more likely Americans were to contribute to the public good.

Donating money or resources other than time

As a volunteer for a non-profit organization

Other voluntary service

Serving in the military

Government employee (non-elected, non-military)

Non-profit employee


Elected official

None of the above


52

45%

23%

12%

12%

9%

In which type of local

programs or initiatives do

you most often participate?

• Almost half of Americans reported

rarely or never participating in local programs or initiatives.

• White Americans were most likely to participate in environmental conservation initiatives, while black Americans were most likely to participate in homelessness relief and education mentoring programs.

• Americans age 18 to 34 were more

likely to participate in local programs or initiatives than older Americans.

I rarely or do not participate in local programs or initiatives

Environmental conservation and protection

Education and/or mentoring programs

Poverty, unemployment, and homelessness relief

Community safety and security



53

28%

25%

20%

14%

9%

2%

2%

How many hours do you volunteer

or conduct voluntary community

service in a given month?

• Nearly one-third of Americans

reported that they do not volunteer or conduct voluntary community service.

• 1 in 4 of Americans reported that they volunteer less than five hours per month.

• Americans who live in urban areas

were most likely to volunteer 11 to 20 hours per month.

• Americans living in the Midwest were most likely to volunteer.

I do not volunteer or give money

Less than 5 hours

I do not volunteer, but I give money

5 to 10 hours

11 to 20 hours

21 to 30 hours


More than 30 hours


54

51%

12%

11%

10%

8%

4%

2% 2%

I believe the best way to

affect change is to:

• Over half of Americans believe the

best way to affect change is to vote.

• Black and Hispanic Americans are significantly more likely to believe that participating in a social movement or protest is the best way to affect change.

• Americans age 18 to 34 were least likely to believe that voting is the best way to affect change.

• Only 4 percent of Americans believe that the best way to affect change is to donate money to a cause or campaign.

Vote

I do not believe I can affect change

Volunteer

Participate in social movements or protests

Share opinions publically

Donate money to campaigns or causes


Run for office

Other


55

48%

29%

8%

8%

4% 3%

From what source or medium do

you get most of your news?

• Almost half of Americans get their

news from television.

• Those who earn more than $75,000 a year were more likely to get their news from online sources.

• More than half of Americans without

a college degree get most of their news from television.

Television

Online news

Printed newspaper and/or magazines

Social media

Radio

Word-of-mouth



56

52%

22%

11%

8%

5% 3%

What is most important to

you when choosing a news

source?

• Americans responded that accuracy

and lack of bias from news sources were the most important factors in choosing a news source.

• White Americans were more likely to select accuracy as most important than Black and Hispanic Americans.

• Males were more likely than females to prioritize lack of bias in their news sources.

Accurate

Unbiased

Serious

Timely

Aligned with my political views

Funny or satirical



57

43%

27%

25%

3%

2%

On a daily basis, how often do you

seek new information on current

events?


they seek new information on current once a day or more than once a day.

• Americans earning more than $75,000 annually were more likely to seek new information about current events than Americans making less than $35,000 per year.

• Almost one-third of Americans who make less than $35,000 per year seek news less often than once a day.

At least once a day

2 to 5 times a day

Less than once a day

6 to 10 times a day

More than 10 times a day



58

36%

28%

23%

10%

3%

I am most likely to share my

views on civic matters by:

• Half of Americans reported that they

share their views in private settings or by posting on social media.

• Americans age 18 to 34 were more likely to share views via social media.

• Black Americans were less likely to share their views about civic matter in private settings.

• Hispanic Americans were more likely

to share their views on social media.

I only share my views in private settings

I do not tend to share my views

Posting as part of a discussion on social media

Writing a letter to the editor or commenting on news content

Calling in to broadcast programs (television/radio)



59

32%

16% 21%

25%

7%

0

How often do you engage in

online community discussions

about the news?

• Almost one-third of Americans have

never visited online community discussions.

• Black and Hispanic Americans are

more likely to engage in online community discussions about the news than white Americans.

• Fewer than 1 in 10 Americans are

active in online discussions about the news.

I have never visited online community discussions

I do not contribute to online community discussions

I rarely engage in discussions

I sometimes engage in discussions

I am always responding to posts and looking

for a way to start or join discussions



60

44%

42%

22%

16%

13%

13%

In which way(s) do you

demonstrate support for a political

candidate or party? [multiple

responses]

• Just under half of Americans reported

they do not discuss political candidates or parties with family and friends, post in support of politicians online, volunteer their time to political campaigns, give money to politicians, wear buttons or clothing advertising political candidates or parties, or display bumper stickers or yard signs supporting candidates or parties.

• Almost one-third of Americans show support by volunteering and giving financial donations to a political candidate or party.

• Independents were nearly twenty percent less likely to support candidates or political parties in some manner than other Americans.

I do not openly demonstrate support

Talking with family, friends, and neighbors

Online support and/or posting

Buttons/clothing/bumper stickers/yard signs

Volunteering time

Financial donations



61

37%

22%

20%

10%

8% 3%

What is your main motivation

to vote in a U.S. presidential

election?


they vote because they are concerned about the country’s direction.

• Almost no Americans reported that

they felt pressure from their workplaces or from family and friends to vote in a U.S. presidential election.

Concern about the country’s direction

Sense of civic duty

Vote makes a difference

Care about an issue

I do not vote

Misc. (simple to do/pressure from family and

friends/pressure from workplace)



62

30%

28%

14%

13%

7%

3% 3%

2%

Which of the following would

most likely prevent you from

voting?

• Almost one-third of Americans cited

faulty voting machines as a likely obstacle to their voting, while almost as many cited the feeling that their vote doesn’t make a difference.

• Americans 50 and older were more likely to answer faulty voting machines, while Americans 18 to 34 years of age were more likely to feel that their vote does not make a difference.

Faulty voting machines

Feeling that my vote does not make a difference

Limited voting hours/days

Long lines

Absence of online voting or mail-in voting

Absence of same-day voter registration


Lack of reminders via phone, mail, or online

Requirement for voter identification


63

43%

26%

10%

9%

7%

4%

1%

I am most likely to vote for a

candidate because of that

candidate’s:

• A candidate’s overall message was

most important to 43 percent of Americans.

• Americans who self-identify as

moderates value reliability almost twice as much as Americans who identify as liberals or conservative.

• Black and Hispanic Americans are

equally likely to select overall message or reliability, while white Americans were twice as likely to select overall message as reliability.

Overall message

Reliability (i.e. s/he understands me and my needs)

Credentials (i.e. education, experience)

Party affiliation

Stance on a single policy issue

Image and personality


Endorsement by others


64

57% 20%

6%

6%

5%

4% 3%

Have you ever contacted your

local, state, or national

representatives’ office?

• More than half of Americans reported

they do not contact their representatives’ office.

• Americans age 50 and older are

nearly twice as likely to contact their representatives’ office via email than Americans ages 18 to 34.

• Only 3 in 10 Americans with a high

school diploma or less reported contacting their representatives’ office.

No, I have never contacted my representatives’ office

Yes, through email

Yes, through telephone

Yes, through posted mail

Yes, using multiple types of communication

Yes, in person


Yes, through social media


65

28%

21%

19%

9%

9%

1% 13%

By which method to you most

prefer to hear from your

government representatives?

• Americans age 50 and older were

twice as likely to prefer to hear from their representatives through email in comparison to the other age groups.

• Only 1 percent of Americans prefer to

hear from their representatives via telephone.

• Nearly 1 in 3 Americans have no

preference in how they hear from their representatives.

I have no preference

Through email

Through posted mail

Through social media

In person

Through telephone


I do not wish to hear from my elected

representatives


66

39%

38%

27%

38%

How do you react when a

company’s political views or values

do not align with yours? [multiple]

• Americans are as likely to say they

won’t buy from a company as they are to not care about a company’s political views or values.

• Half of Americans with a high school

degree or less do not care about a company’s political views or values.

• Over half of those who self-identify

as liberals will not invest in or buy from company’s whose political views or values do not align with their own.

I would not invest in it

I would not buy from it

I would not work for it

I do not care about a company’s political views or values



67

82%

52%

50%

20%

16%

7%

Which of the following do you

choose to do to care for the

environment? [multiple]

• 8 in 10 Americans recycle and/or

reuse materials to care for environment.

• Those who self-identify as

conservatives are 30 percent less likely to alter their mode of transportation to benefit the environment than those who identify as moderates or liberals.

• Conservatives are also less likely than others to engage in other environmental activities.

• Americans in the Western United

States are the most likely to report that they practice environmentally beneficial behaviors.

Recycling and/or reusing materials

Conserving resources

Shopping responsibly

Using public transportation, carpooling, biking, and/or walking

Using alternative sources of energy

I do not do anything to care for the environment


PICC National Poll

CIVIC CONFIDENCE

APRIL 2015


Penn Schoen Berland

AN EDUCATION

IN AND ABOUT

THE REAL WORLD

CIVIC CONFIDENCE 2015

69

RESULTS

April 2015

In the fourth and final poll, on civic confidence, taken in April 2015, 22 questions aimed to

measure how Americans perceived their opportunities and their degree of confidence in

government.

Penn Schoen Berland (PSB) conducted online interviews on April 7-9, 2015 among







70

30%

29%

15%

11%

5%

4% 5%

What unites Americans

the most?

• 6 in 10 Americans reported that they

think that fundamental rights and freedoms or patriotism most unite the country.

• Black Americans were less likely to select patriotism than white or Hispanic Americans.

• Republicans were more likely to select patriotism, while Democrats and Independents were more likely to select fundamental rights and freedoms.

Fundamental rights and freedoms

Patriotism

Sports

Democratic values and principles

Shared vision for the future

Belief in the free market

Other Margin of error +/- 2.83%


71

31%

28%

22%

7%

4%

7%

0

What divides Americans

the most?

• 6 in 10 Americans reported they think

that wealth or race/ethnicity most divides the country.

• Black Americans were most likely to report that race/ethnicity divides the country (more than 40 percent)

• Hispanic Americans were most likely to respond that wealth divides Americans the most (slightly less than 40 percent).

• Democrats were twice as likely as

Republicans to select wealth, with Republicans evenly splitting between race/ethnicity and political ideology as the categories selected most often.

Wealth

Race/Ethnicity

Political ideology

Religion

Education

Misc. (geography/gender/generational gaps/other)



72

37%

30%

23%

11%

In making decisions for the

good of the country, I trust:


they do not trust any branch of government.

• Black Americans were half as likely

as white and Hispanic Americans to choose the Supreme Court as their trusted branch.

• Democrats were 7 times more likely than Republicans to trust the Office of the President.

• Independents were the least trusting

of all branches. None

The Supreme Court

The Office of the President

Congress



73

50%

20%

7%

7%

6%

6% 4%

The U.S. government is

most prepared to protect

Americans from:

• Half of Americans reported they do

not think the U.S. government is prepared to protect them from unforeseen crises.

• Black Americans were more

confident than white or Hispanic Americans in the government’s preparedness.

• Democrats were twice as likely as Republicans to believe that the government could protect Americans from a physical terrorist attack.

None of the below

Physical terrorist attacks

Natural disasters

Epidemics

Power-grid outages

Economic meltdowns

Cyber-attacks Margin of error +/- 2.83%


74

62% 10%

7%

2%

2% 17%

I believe the U.S.

government cares most

about protecting:

• Two-thirds of Americans reported that

they think that the government cares most about protecting big businesses.

• Black and Hispanic Americans were 3 times more likely than white Americans to view individuals and families as the top government priority.

• Republicans and Independents were

twice as likely as Democrats to report that the government does not care about protecting any group.

Big business

Labor unions

Individuals and families

Religious groups

Small business

None of the above



75

27%

26%

20%

12%

8%

3% 4%

0

What I fear most about

the future of America

is:

• Nearly 1 in 3 Americans said they

fear economic failure or loss of freedom.

• Black and white Americans said they fear the loss of freedom and economic failure equally, with Hispanic Americans most concerned with economic failure.

• Republicans and Independents were

twice as likely as Democrats to have concerns about a loss of freedom; Democrats were most concerned about economic failure.

Economic failure

Loss of freedom

Social decay

Loss of safety

Environmental degradation

Other

Nothing Margin of error +/- 2.83%


76

58% 18%

11%

8%

2% 2%

In the future, most new

American jobs will come from

advancements in:

• Nearly 1 in 3 Americans reported that

they think new jobs will come from advancements in technology.

• In the second most chosen answer, white and Hispanic Americans selected health care, while black Americans choose manufacturing.

• Americans who self-identified as Democrats, Republicans, and Independents all answered this question similarly.

Technology

Healthcare

Energy

Manufacturing

Agriculture

Other



77

33%

46%

21%

I believe the next great

scientific advancement will

come from the United States.

• Over 2 in 3 Americans were neutral,

or disagreed with this statement.

• Black and Hispanic Americans were more hopeful than White Americans.

• Democrats and Republicans were more hopeful than Independents.

• Americans with low socio-economic status were less likely to agree than those with higher educational and/or income.

Strongly Agree or Agree

Neutral

Disagree or Strongly Disagree



78

33%

19% 16%

15%

10%

5%

2%

In the future, American

jobs will be most

threatened by:

• More than 1 in 3 Americans reported

they think outsourcing overseas will threaten jobs.

• White Americans were nearly twice

as likely to be concerned about immigration as Black and Hispanic Americans.

• Republicans were twice as likely as Democrats to be concerned with immigration.

Outsourcing overseas

Immigration

Under-educated workforce

Technological advancement

Overregulation

American jobs will not be threatened

Other Margin of error +/- 2.83%


79

22%

20%

17%

16%

14%

8%

1% 0

The federal budget

should include more

spending on:

• Over 4 in 10 Americans reported they

think that spending should be increased for education or for social safety-net programs.

• Black Americans were the least supportive of any spending increases.

• Republicans were nearly 3 times more likely than Democrats and Independents to think that spending should increase for defense.

• One-third of those ages 18 to 34

think that spending should be increased for education.

Education

Social safety-net programs

No spending increases

Infrastructure development

Defense

Environmental protection

Foreign aid Margin of error +/- 2.83%


80

55%

18%

14%

8%

5%

0 0

Could your household live on a

total budget of less than

$15,000 a year?

(In his 2015 State of the Union Address, President Obama challenged Members of Congress opposed to raising the minimum wage to try living on less than $15,000 a year.) • Over half of Americans said their

household could not live on less than $15,000 a year.

• White Americans were more likely than

any other race/ethnicity to answer “No, absolutely not.”

• Republicans were more likely than Democrats and Independents to answer “No, absolutely not.”

• Those making less than $35,000 were half as likely as those making $35,000 or more to answer “No, absolutely not.”

No, absolutely not

Yes, but barely

No, but almost

Yes, but I would have to move

Yes, comfortably



81

51%

31%

18%

I believe the American system allows

me the opportunity to be successful

and reach my full potential.

• Over half of Americans reported they

believe the system allows success.

• Hispanic Americans had the highest belief in the system of opportunity, though black and white Americans were equally close in second place.

• Independents were the least likely to express a belief in opportunity.

• Those making $75,000 or more a year were nearly twice as likely to agree with the statement than those making less than $35,000. Strongly Agree or Agree

Neutral




82

39%

32%

14%

10%

5%

Where do you believe children in

your area receive the best

education (K-12)?

• Almost two-thirds of Americans said

they believe students K-12 receive the best education in private schools.

• Citizens in the Midwest were more likely to believe that public schooling is the best education in comparison to other regions.

• White Americans were 10 percent more likely to believe private education is better than public education, while other races answered that they were about equal.

• Those making $35,000 or less a year were more likely to believe that homeschooling is the best choice for education.

Private schools

Public schools

Homeschooling

Charter schools

Vocational schools



83

71%

20%

9%

Higher education is necessary for

most Americans.

• Almost 3 out of 4 Americans believe

that higher education is necessary • Black and Hispanic Americans were

much more likely than white Americans to say they strongly agree with the statement.

• Democrats were more likely to agree

that education is necessary in comparison to Republicans and Independents.


Neutral




84

48%

24%

28%

Higher education is attainable for

most Americans.

• About half of Americans believe higher

education is attainable, with nearly a third of Americans disagreeing.

• Self-identified conservatives were more likely to agree than liberals and moderates.

• Republicans were more likely to agree

than Democrats and independents.

• Black Americans were twice as likely as white and Hispanic Americans to strongly disagree that higher education is attainable for most Americans. Strongly Agree or Agree

Neutral




85

40%

24%

11%

11%

8%

6%

If you were able to give an 18-year old

$50,000, how would you recommend

that they best use the money?

• More Americans chose using the

windfall to pay for further education than anything else, with a quarter of Americans recommending saving the money.

• White Americans were much more

likely to suggest paying for further education.

• Americans earning between $35,000

and $75,000 annually recommended saving the money much more often than those with either higher or lower incomes.

• Americans age 18 to 34 were much

less likely than older Americans to suggest financing further education with the windfall..

Pay for further education

Put it into savings

Invest in the stock market or real estate

Pay bills and/or debts

Start a business

Misc. (charity/shopping/buy lottery tickets/other)



86

55%

29%

16%

When I see a police officer,

I feel safe.

• Over half of Americans agreed with

the statement, saying they felt safe in the presence of a police officer.

• White and Hispanic Americans were

3 times as likely as black Americans to strongly agree that they feel safe when they see a police officer.

• Americans earning more than

$35,000 annually were more likely to feel safe than those earning less than $35,000.


Neutral




87

56%

24%

9%

9%

9%

8%

7%

In the name of public safety, I

believe it is acceptable for the

government without a warrant to:

• Over half of Americans said they

believe that none of the suggested actions are acceptable.

• Americans aged 18 to 34 are much

less likely to accept full body scans or pat-downs.

• White Americans were half as likely as

black and Hispanic Americans to accept analysis of phone calls, text messages, and emails.

• Citizens in the Northeastern United

States were more than twice as likely to accept all of the suggested actions.

None of the below

Conduct full-body scans/pat downs at public spaces

Analyze my phone calls/text messages/emails

Conduct video surveillance of private spaces

Any action deemed necessary

Use my personal technology to track my movements

Analyze my private records Margin of error +/- 2.83%


88

53%

30%

18%

If I had a major illness, I am confident

that I would receive the highest

quality of care in the United States.

Over half of Americans said they feel

they would receive the highest quality

of care.

Men were more likely than women to

agree that they would receive the

highest quality of care.

Americans age 18 to 34 were much

less likely to agree than the rest of

Americans that they would receive

the best quality of care.


Neutral




89

69%

24%

6%

Keeping the government

accountable requires a strong

and independent news media.

• 7 in 10 Americans said they believe a

strong and independent news media is necessary.

• Independents were less likely than conservatives and liberals to strongly agree.

• Americans over the age of 50 were

10 percent more likely than Americans under age 50 to agree that a strong and independent news media is required to keep the government accountable.


Neutral




90

83%

12%

5%

Does it make a difference to

you whether a candidate for

office is male or female?

Yes, I prefer a female candidate

Yes, I prefer a male candidate

No, a candidate’s gender does not matter when I vote


• 8 in 10 Americans said a candidate’s

gender makes no difference to them. • Americans over the age of 34 were

more likely to prefer a male candidate, while Americans ages 18 to 34 expressed no preference.

• Black Americans said they prefer a

female candidate at more than twice the rate as their preference for a male candidate.

• College graduates preferred a male

candidate twice as often as did those with only a high school diploma.

CONTACT US

91

PURDUE INSTITTUE FOR

CIVIC COMMUNICATION

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OUR STUDENTS

92

PICC POLLING UNIT WITH

GRADUATE ASSISTANTS

From left to right: Rachel Bibler, Cecilia Daizovi, Jonathan Goodwin, Liz Bitzer, Robert Kulzick,

Mason Arnoldy, Haley Sands, Katie Cahill, Frank Speeks, Allison Tucker, and Hannah Compton

final appendix

Documents