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Patriotism In Modern America
Bronson D. Gray and Ben Gines
Utah Valley University

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Abstract
The heighteneddistrustful attitudesbetweencommunitiesandpolitical partiesinthe UnitedStates
providesthe unusual conditionstoexplore patriotisminAmerica. Examining patriotismin veterans,
immigrants, minorities,andwhite citizensinthe UnitedStatesmayproduce differentresultsforeach
classification. Through surveysparticipantswillbe measuredontheirlevelof patriotismandwhat
makesthempatrioticor not. We expectthatlevelsof patriotismwillbe extremelylow due tothe
turmoil the UnitedStatesisfacingpoliticallyandsocially.

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Patriotism In Modern America
Introduction & Background Information:
Throughoutthe historyof America,the level of patriotismhasvariedgreatlydependingonthe
time periodandthe eventsthatwere occurringinthe nation. Those born inthe firstfew decadesof the
20th
centurywill tell youhowWorldWar II broughtthe nationtogetherandincreasedthe amountof
patriotisminmostindividuals. Forthose livinginthe UnitedStateswhowere borninthe latterpartof
the 20th
century,theywill mostlikelytell youthatthe monthsfollowingthe September11th
attacks, the
level of theirpersonal patriotismandthe collectivepatriotismof the whole nationspiked(Osanloo,
2011). The currentpolitical andsocietal environmentinAmericaisone of distrustandunrest. There
seemstobe a gapingmoral divide andmuchanimositybetweenmajorpolitical parties,aswell asa
destructive relationshipbetweenminoritiesandlaw enforcement. There are professional athletes
kneelingduringthe national antheminprotest. These moodsencourage ustoasthe question. Dowe
still feel prideinbeinganAmerican? Are we grateful forthe sacrificesthathave beenmade tomake
Americaa free country? Has the influx of political correctnessinourpolitical andeducational systems
damagedour abilitytoexpresspatriotism? Consideredtobe one of the greatestcountriesinthe world
to live in,the morale andpatrioticfeel of the UnitedStatesmaynotbe to the level of where ituse tobe.
The main focusof our researchisto measure the level of patriotisminindividualscurrentlylivinginthe
UnitedStates,aswell asthe variablesthatinfluence themtofeel eitherpatrioticornot.
Study Questionsand Objectives:
We assume thatdue to the current eventsandpolitical andsocial attitudesinthe UnitedStates,
Americansexhibitlowlevelsof patriotismtoday. Fromourresearchwe expecttobe able toidentifythe

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variablesthatare affectinganindividual’slevel of patriotismamongactive military,immigrants,and
variousethnicgroups. We’ll accomplishthisbyaskingquestionssuchas: Isour politicallycorrect
societyandeducational systemsmakingithardto expresspatriotism? Shouldelementaryschoolsrecite
the pledge of allegiance? Shouldthe national anthembe sungbefore professional sportingevents,and
shoulditbe expectedtostandwhile itisbeingperformed? Whateventsortraditionsmakesyoufeel
more patriotic? By askingthese questionswe shouldrecognizethe reasonsastowhy Americansare
more or lesspatriotictodayand whatneedstohappenforthemto feel more patriotic.
Literature Review:
The unique circumstancesthatAmericahasenteredwithmuchsocial unrestanddistrust
amongstitsown political partiesandinitscommunitiesbegsthe question. WhichAmericansof
differentages,colors,religions,andcommunitygroupshave patriotism? Li andBrewer(2004) defined
patriotismasexhibitingorfeelingprideandlove forone’scountrywhile havingsecure ingroupand
intercultural manifestations. Patriotismisexhibitedinmanydifferentformsandhasdifferentmeanings
invariouscontexts. Interestingly“patriotismiscompatiblewithinternationalistvaluesandcooperation”
(Li & Brewer,2004). This suggeststhatrespectingandwelcomingotherculturesandethnicitieslivingin
theircountryof originispatriotic. Likewise,people who have emigratedorare of mixednationalitythat
can embrace theirtraditional culture andintegrate intothe traditionsof theirnew countryalsoare
exhibitingpatriotism.
Whencomparingnon-hispanicandnon-immigrantindividualstohispanics,immigrants,orboth,
there isa disparage betweenthe amountof civicknowledgeandunderstandingof civilian
responsibilities. ResearchbyTorney-Purta,Barber,andWilkenfeld(2006) foundthat 14 yearold
hispanicsandimmigrantsscoredlowerincivictestsand knowledge of political informationthannon-

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immigrants.Knowledge of political informationandnational historyisimportantinunderstandingthe
principlesof democracy. “Formal educationhasthe potential toinfluenceall students'potential for
citizenshipbycontributingtounderstandinghow policiesaffectindividual livesandhow toengage in
effectiveformsof political participation”(Galston,2001). Torney-Purtaetal.alsofoundthathispanics
and immigrantsalsohada more negative outlookonthe UnitedStatesthanthose whowere native-
born. These studiessuggestthatthe lackof civiceducationandpolitical knowledgecanleadtomore
negative feelingsaboutthe country,hinderingtheirsense of patriotism, orpositive viewstowardthe
nation.
Militaryveteransare naturallyassumedtohave ahighersense of patriotisminthe United
States. WhitesellandOwens(2012) studiedthe effectsthatgroupcohesion,patriotism, andmorale had
on 171 veteran’smental healthinthe UnitedStates. Usingsurveystheyfoundthatwhenaveteranis
sufferingfromextreme effectsof PTSDand poormental health,theirlevelsof patriotismandmorale
were muchlessthana veteranwhohadfewercomplicationsfromPTSD. We can conclude thatveterans
whoare not feelingnegative effectsfrompost-traumacombatwill mostlikelyhave strongfeelingsof
patriotismoveraveteranwhosuffersbadlyfromPTSD. It ispossible thatgroupcohesivenessormorale
cause veteranstohave a higherlevelof patriotismandthat helpsmitigatethe symptomsof PTSD. This
studysuggeststhatnot everyveteranfeelspatrioticbuttheirpatriotismishighlydependentontheir
experience inthe militaryconcerningtheirmorale andgroupcohesiveness.
Patrioticsymbolsandeventslikerecitingthe pledgeof allegiance andthe singingof the National
Anthemare demonstrationsof patriotismcommoninmanyschoolsandathleticeventsinthe United
States. The current streamof political correctnessinsocietyandschoolshaspressured leaderstohalt
these routine actsof patriotism. OnSeptember22,2016 PresidentObamasignedanexecutive order
“that revokesthe federal government’sofficial recognitionof the Pledgeof Allegiance. Underthe new

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order,it isnowillegal foranyfederallyfundedagencytodisplaythe pledge orforany federal employee
to recite,orencourage otherstorecite,the pledge while onduty”(Rustling,2016). Martin (2011)
surveyed100 middle school studentsontheiropinionsof the pledge of allegiance. The resultsfound
that the majorityof the middle school studentsemphasizedloyaltytothe nationandsupportedreciting
the pledge of allegiance. Similartothe researchbyTorney-Purtaetal.aboutimmigrantsneedingtobe
more educated, some of the studentsinthe survey,mostlyminorities,wantedmore instructionand
knowledge onthe pledge.
Osanloo(2011) also touchedonthe topicof Jingoism, whichisextreme patriotisminthe formof
warlike foreignpolicy. Thistype of patriotismwaspresentin the UnitedStatesimmediatelyafterthe
attacks of September11,2001. In anotherrelatedstudyof patriotismafter9/11. Participantswere
surveyedusingthe five itemsfromthe KostermanandFeshbach(1989) patriotismscale toassess
patriotismafter9/11. Theirpatriotismmeasure wasveryhigh,concludingthatheightenedpatriotism
was uniformamongrespondentsafter9/11. Havingexploredpastpatriotismof immigrants,veterans,
students,andAmericancitizensaftercrisis. There isanopportunity toexplore currentattitudestoward
patriotismamongall of these classificationsdealingwiththe currentsocial andpolitical approachesin
the UnitedStates.
Method
We hypothesize thatlevelsof patriotisminthe UnitedStateswill be low forimmigrantsand
minoritiesandhighforveteransandwhite citizens. We predictthatimmigrantswill have the lowest
level of patriotismwhileveteranswillhave the highestmeasure of patriotism. Thisisdue tothe political
and social unrestthathas plaguedthe countryinthe last decade causingsocial inequality. Political

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correctnessinschoolsandsocietyhasalsomade it more difficultforAmericanstoexpressthe
patriotismfreelycausingthemtolose pride inAmerica.
Participants
Participantswill eitherbe contactedbyusviainternetorreferredtothe online survey;orasked
to take the surveyinpersonat UVU. It will be a shortsurveyconsistingof fifteenquestionswithanswers
inthe formof the 5 pointLikertscale.Thentheywill be askedtoansweropen-endedquestionsreferring
to theirage,ethnicityandcitizenstatus.Lastlytheywill be askedanopenendedquestionaboutwhat
theythinkencouragesordiscouragespatriotism.The surveyswill thenbe submittedtousforreview.
Participants ageswill be between18-65.
Design
Thissurveycan be considereda4 (participantdemographic) X1(patriotism).The independent
variablesare consideredtobe eachparticipant'sage,ethnicity,citizenshipstatus,andmilitaryservice
while the dependent variablewe are lookingatispatriotism.We are alsotryingto identifyother
variablesthatrelate toparticipantdemographicsandpatriotism. Oursample participantswill be
randomlyselectedinUVUand online.
Procedure
Participantswill eitherbe contactedbyusviainternetorreferredtothe online survey;orasked
to take the surveyinpersonat UVU. It will be a shortsurveyconsistingof onlyafew questionswith
answersinthe formof 5 pointLikertscales.Thentheywill be askedtoanswerquestionsreferringto
theirage,ethnicityandcitizenstatus.Andfinallytheywill be askedanopenendedquestionaboutwhat
theythinkencouragesordiscouragespatriotism.The surveyswill thenbe submittedtousforreview.

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Results
Each participant's surveyanswerswill be analyzedtosee how patriotictheyare.Theiranswers
will be quantifieddependingonhowhighor low theywere onthe Likertscale.Thenwe will applyeach
participant'sscore to theirage,ethnicityandcitizenshipstatusandwe will average themouttosee if
any of the levelsof the independentvariablesare statisticallysignificant.We will alsobe lookingateach
questionindividuallyandrelatingittoThe participantsdemographictosee if age,ethnicityand
citizenshipstatusaffectaspectsof patriotism.
Discussion
Withthismany variablesitisimpossible topredictwhatkindof resultwe willcome upwithbut,
withenoughinformationwe shouldgetagoodideaof how residentsof the UnitedStatesfeel about
patriotism. One of the limitationsof ourresearchisdiscoveringhow tohelpAmericansincrease their
patriotismorhowto helpthe issue if levelsof patriotismare low. We cannotcome up withalternative
methodstomeasure patriotism. Consideredtobe one of the greatestcountriesinthe worldtolive in,
the morale and patrioticfeel of the UnitedStatesmaynotbe to the level of where ituse tobe.

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References
Galston,A.2001. Political knowledge,political engagement,andciviceducation.Annual Review of
Political Science,vol.4,pp.217-234.
Kosterman,R.,& Feshbach,S.(1989). Toward a measure of patrioticand nationalisticattitudes.Political
Psychology,10, 257–274.
Martin, LeisaA.1."Middle School Students'Viewsonthe UnitedStatesPledgeof Allegiance." JournalOf
Social StudiesResearch 35, no.2 (Fall2011 2011): 245-258.
Li, Q.,& Brewer,M. B. (2004). What DoesIt Mean to Be an American?Patriotism, Nationalism,and
AmericanIdentityafter9/11. Political Psychology,(5).727.
Osanloo,A.F.(2011). UnburyingPatriotism:Critical LessonsinCivicsandLeadershipTenYearsLater.
High SchoolJournal, 95(1),56-71.
Rustling,J.2016. Obama signsexecutive orderbanningthe pledgeof allegiance inschoolsnationwide.
ABC news.Retrievedfrom http://abcnews.com.co/obama-executive-order-bans-pledge-of-
allegiance-in-schools/
Torney-Purta,J.,Barber,C.,& Wilkenfeld,B.(2006). Differencesinthe CivicKnowledge andAttitudesof
Adolescentsinthe UnitedStatesbyImmigrantStatusandHispanicBackground. Prospects:
Quarterly Review Of ComparativeEducation,36(3),343-354.