This study analyzed survey responses from 1200 Americans about their views on various social issues. It found that views often differed based on respondents' gender, education level, religion, and other demographic factors. Higher education was generally linked to more liberal views. For example, support for abortion rights increased with education, while acceptance of gay marriage and evolution also rose with more education. Gender also influenced some opinions, such as more male support for the death penalty and legalizing marijuana. Religious affiliation similarly impacted attitudes on issues like abortion and same-sex marriage.

1. SOC 3120
Final Project
Randi Hovey
Usinga subsetof the General Social Surveyfrom2012 (n=1200), the presentstudyexplores
recentopinionsand attitudesonthese important,andsometimescontroversial,social issues.
Respondentswererandomlyselectedadults(18+) livinginhouseholdsthroughoutall areasof the
UnitedStates.Nearlyhalf (45.4%) of the sample subsetreported beingmarried,28.1% “nevermarried,”
and 15.3% “divorced.”Participantswere overwhelminglyProtestant,Catholic,orof noparticularreligion
(42.1%, 25.4%, and 20.5%), withthe remaining12% reportingvariousreligionssuchasBuddhism(.3%),
Hinduism(.6%),Muslim/Islam(.8%),Christian(5.5%),etc.A large portionof the population(46.5%)
reporta highschool diplomaasthe highesteducational degree earned,with20.5% holdingaBachelor’s
degree (itisof note,that13.4% reportedlessthana highschool educationattime of survey).Average
familyincome amongrespondentswas$53,611.20 witha medianincome of $34,470.00. Additionally,
64.8% reportyearlyincome of $25,000.00 or more.Of the 1200 respondents,62.6% reportlivingina 1
or 2-personhousehold(26.8%and35.8% respectively).The average numberof childrenperhousehold
is2 (27.9%), although29.3% reporthavingnochildrenatall. The meanage for becomingaparent(first
child) is24.44 years(sd= 5.69), witha range between13and 42 yearsof age.
Chi-Square analyseswere donetodeterminewhethercurrentattitudestowardvarioussocial
issueswere independentof respondent’sgender,educational level,orreligiousidentification. Support
for a woman’srightto an abortionforany reasonwasfoundto be independentof respondent’sgender
ina chi square testfor independence(x2
(1) =.000, p> .05), indicatingthatneithermalesorfemales
appearto supportabortionrightsmore than the other.Level of educationwasfoundtoinfluence
opiniononabortionrights(x2
(4) =47.04, p< .01). Supportfora woman’srightto abortiongenerally
increasesaseducationlevelincreases.Graduate degree holdersare mostlikelytosupportthe rightto
an abortion(77.1%) and respondent’swithlessthanahighschool diplomaare leastlikelytosupportthis
right(32%). Religiouspreference wasalsodetermined tobe indicative of respondent’sopinionon
abortionat a significance levelof .000 (x2
(12) = 68.57, p < .01) althoughthese resultsrequire afair
amountof cautiondue to expectedfrequenciesof lessthan5in multiple categories.Denominations
withsufficientdatasuggestJewish(86.7%),noreligiouspreference(72.8%),and“other”(71.4%) were
mostlikelytosupportthe rightto an abortion.
Malesare more likelytosupportthe deathpenalty(63.9%) thanfemales(57.3%) x2
(1) = 5.06,
p< .05. Educationwasalso determinedtohave asignificantimpactonsupportof capital punishment(x2
(4) = 28.32, p < .01). Interestingly,the associationappearstobe curvilinear,withthe majorityof
supportersholdingahighschool diploma(64.5),juniorcollege (72.2),andbachelor’sdegrees(60.6),and
thendecreasesatthe far endsof the spectrum(graduates=43.3% and lessthanH.S. = 52.4%).
Participant’sreligiouspreferenceappearstobe independentof opiniononthe deathpenalty(x2
(12) =
19.88, p > .05).
Supportfor same-sex marriage wasdeterminedtobe independentof gender(x2
(4) = 8.401, p >
.05), however,educationlevel andreligiouspreference show statistical significance forinfluencing
attitudesonthisissue (x2
(16) = 63.95, p < .01; x2
(48) = 140.67, p < .01) whenaskedaboutsupporton an
ordinal scale rangingfrom1 = stronglyagree to 5 = stronglydisagree.Respondentswithlessthanhigh
school education,andthose withjuniorcollege tendtoanswersimilarlywith16.5% and 19.4% strongly

2. infavor of gays rightto marriage.Outside of thisexception,supportforgaymarriage tendsto increase
withlevel of education(H.S.=26.7, bachelor = 31, and graduate = 55.2), eludingtohighereducationasa
factor ina more acceptingviewof differenceswithinsociety. Those withlessthanahighschool diploma
was mostlikelytostronglydisagree(37.1%). Resultsonthe effectsof religiouspreference shouldbe
interpretedwithcautiondue tomultipledenominationswithinsufficientamountsof respondents.
Those withno specifiedreligiouspreference weremostlikely(52.6) tostronglysupportgayrights.Of
those withsufficientdata,ChristiansandProtestantswere mostlikelytostronglydisagree withthe right
to same-sex marriage (31.7%and32.9%).
Favor of gun control lawswere foundtobe independentof botheducationlevel(x2
(4) =4.31, p
> .05) and religiouspreference (x2
(12) = 12.13, p > .05). However,genderdoesappeartohave a
substantial influence onopinionstowardguncontrol laws(x2
(1) = 10.56, p < .01) withwomenfavoring
gun control at a higherrate (83.1%) than men(73.6%). These findingsmayindicate women’sheightened
needforsecuritywhichmaybe accomplishedbymeanstodefendoneself.
Level of educationprovedtobe influential inarespondent’sbeliefinthe theoryof evolution(x 2
(4) = 9.74, p < .05). Withthe exceptionof asmall decrease withinjuniorcollege graduates(76%),
participantssupportof evolutionarytheoryincreasedaseducationincreased;beginningwith69.6%of
respondentswithlessthanahighschool education,highschool graduates(77%),Bachelor’sdegrees
(90.2%),and 93.1% of graduate degree holders. Thisseemslogical since furthereducationwould
produce more knowledge aboutthe theoryof evolution. Neithergenderorreligiouspreference
producedsignificantresultstoshowanyinfluence onbelief in the theorythathumansdevelopedfrom
earlierspecies(x2
(1) = .077, p > .05; x2
(9) = 13.25, p > .05).
Gender,educationlevel,andreligionall reportstatisticallysignificantfindings whentestedfor
independenceof opinionsonwomen’srole inahousehold.A Chi square testrevealedthe majorityof
men(39.4%) and women(46.3%) disagree thata woman’srole wastokeephouse while the man
worked(x2
(4) = 11.73, p < .05). Overall,menwere more likelytoagree (21.5%) thanwomen(14.3%)
that a woman’s role wasinthe home.Explorationbydegreetype (x2
(16) = 64.43, p < .01), showsthat
individualswithlessthanahighschool diplomawere mostlikelytoagree (35.4%) that womenshouldbe
inthe home while those withaBachelor’sdegree (10.9%) were leastlikely.Agreeance withthisattitude
increasedslightlyto14.5% for graduate alumni.Itispossible thatthose withgraduate degreesare ina
betterfinancial situationtoaffordagreeance withthisview,whereasbachelor’sdegreesmaynotbring
enoughincome tosupportthe familyandsatisfyanycostsrelatedtotheireducation;therefore,bringing
more of a necessitytotwoincomeswhichinteractswithahighereducatedview of genderequality. Of
those religionswithsufficientdata,Jewish(50%) andChristians(47.9%) were mostlikelytodisagree
withthe viewthatwomenshouldkeephouse(x2
(48) = 86.88, p < .01). Otherreligiouspreferences
whichfollowcloselyare “none”(43%),Catholic(44.1%),andProtestant(42%).
In termsof supportfor legalizationof marijuana,opinionwasfoundtobe dependent upon
gender(x2
(1) = 14.54, p < .01), withmenmore likelytofavorlegalization(56.6%) thanwomen(42.7%).
The study showsa linearrelationshipbetweensupportforlegalizationandeducationlevel.Support
increasesfromlessthanhighschool (35.5%) to 58.9% forgraduate degree participants.Knowledge of
social policyandthe effectsof criminalizingmarijuanalikelyplaysasignificantrole inaperson’sopinion
of continuingtoprosecute formarijuanapossessionanduse.Intermsof religiouspreference (x2
(12) =
49.45, p < .01), those claimingJewish(75%),other(75%),andno religion(69%) were mostlikelytofavor

3. legalization.Of those denominationswithsufficientdata,Catholicswere leastlikelytosupportsucha
movement(41.8%),closelyfollowedbyChristians(42.5%) andProtestants(43.9%).
On a scale from1 = stronglyagree to5 = stronglydisagree,menare statisticallymore likelyto
feel thatcohabitationisanacceptable option (53%),asopposedto43.8% of womenwhofeel thisis
acceptable (x2
(4) =13.76, p < .01). Generallyspeaking,aseducationallevel increases,individualswere
more likelytoacceptlivingtogetherasan acceptable option/alternative tomarriage.Those withless
than highschool agreeing41.7%and increasingina linearpatternthroughjuniorcollege graduates
(54%).Interestingly,the relationshipthendecreaseswithonly50% of those withbachelor’sorgraduate
degreesagree withcohabitationasacceptable. Religionalsoshowsinfluence onone’sopinionof
cohabitation.Of the denominationswithsufficientdata,Jewish(68.8%) andthose withnoreligion(61%)
were mostlikelytoagree thisisacceptable.Catholics,Protestants,andChristiansagree lesswiththis
social viewreporting54.3%,39.2%, and 34.7% respectively.
An independentsamplest-testwasdone comparingthe meannumberof hoursworkedwith
participantgender.Nostatisticallysignificantdifference wasfound (t(726) = -.063, p > .05) withthe
meanof men(M= 42.37, SD= 14.28) showingnodifferencefromthe meanof women(M=42.44, SD=
14.68). One-wayANOVAalsoshowednon-significance of resultsfornumberof hoursworkedbydegree
(F (4,723) = .329, p > .05). ANOVA resultsformeanhours workedincomparisonwithmarital status
foundnostatistical significance (F (4,723) = 1.438, p > .05). In accordance withthese resultsitdoesnot
appearthat educationlevelormarital statushas anydirectimpacton numberof hours worked.Pearson
correlationwascalculatedforthe relationshipbetweennumberof hoursworkedandnumberof
childrenandage of respondent.Testrevealedanon-significant,weakcorrelationbetweenhoursand
numberof children(r(2) = .027, p > .05), as well asbetweenrespondent’sage andnumberof hours
worked(r(2) = .002, p > .05).
Pearson’scorrelationswere calculatedforthe relationshipbetweenmeanfamilyincome and
numberof hourswatchingTV, numberof hoursworked,marital statusandrace. Resultsshow a
statisticallysignificant,extremelystrongnegative correlationbetweenfamilyincomeandmarital status
(r (2) = -.308, p < .01); as well asforthe relationshipbetweenfamilyincomeandrace (r (2) = -.102, p <
.01). These correlationssuggestthatfamily income ishighlycorrelatedwithanindividual’srace and
marital status.Logically,if apersonismarried,theyare more likelytohave more thanone income
contributingtothe familyincome,soitmakessense there wouldbe astrongcorrelation.Additionally,
the resultsonrace and familyincome suggestemploymentstillseessignificantracial discrimination.
Correlationbetweenfamilyincome andnumberof hoursperdayTV watchingdidnotpresentsignificant
results(r(2) = -.025, p > .05). Nosignificantfindingswere reportedforthe relationshipbetweenfamily
income and numberof hours workedlastweek(r(2) = -.044, p > .05). Calculationof linearregressionfor
the relationshipbetweenage,numberof children,andage whenfirstchildwasbornand familyincome
showssignificantpredictive qualitiesfor familyincome andage whenfirstchildisborn(F(1,747) =
133.036, p < .01). No statisticallysignificantresultswerefoundforfamilyincome inrelationtoage of
respondent(F(1,1064) = .429, p > .05), or for familyincome inrelationtonumberof children
respondenthas(F(1,1064) = 1.800, p > .05). Individualswhohave childrenatyoungeragesare possibly
lesslikelytocontinue theireducation,andtherefore have lesserincome.