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BUSINESS & POLITICS IN THE WORLD GLOBAL OPINION REPORT NO. 747-749 Week:
June 13 – July 03, 2022 Presentation:
July 15, 2022 60%
Of Major Firms Say Japan’s Economy Is Expanding 68%
Of Candidates Favor Bolstering Japan’s Defense S'pore
Residents Anticipate Their Cost Of Living To Increase, Plan To Cut
Non-Essential Spending Thailand’s
Most Talked-About Brand: May 2022 Internet
Access Of All Adult South Africans, 85% One
In Seven Secondary School Teachers Say They Face Violence From Pupils At
Least Once A Month Seven
In Ten People Say The Early Years Should Be More Of A Priority For Society War
In Ukraine: Britons Continue To Support Sanctions But Are Wary Of Costs At
Home Two-Thirds
Of People Believe The NHS Should Provide Fertility Treatment The
Conservative Celtic Fringe: Tories In Trouble In The Leave-Voting South West 72%
Of Britons Support Introducing Rent Controls In England Among
Unwed Britons Shows That They Tend To Want To Get Married (40%) Conservatives
Set To Lose 26 Of Their 64 Lib Dem Battleground Seats Shopper
Barometer 2022: 58% Of French People Do Their Daily Shopping To Within €10 Boom
In Holiday Departures: Three Out Of Four French People Intend To Leave This
Summer More
Than One In Two French People Do Not Know That Myopia Is A Disorder Affecting
Far Vision About
Six-In-Ten Americans Say Abortion Should Be Legal In All Or Most Cases 57%
Journalists Are Highly Concerned About Future Restrictions On Press Freedom Hispanic
Americans’ Trust In And Engagement With Science U S
Teens Are More Likely Than Adults To Support The Black Lives Matter Movement Politics
On Twitter: One-Third Of Tweets From U S Adults Are Political Belief
In God In U S Dips To 81%, A New Low Nearly
Half Of States Now Recognize Juneteenth As An Official Holiday Two-Thirds
(68%) Of Americans Continue To Think The U S Is Less Respected Today Than In
The Past 61%
Of U S Adults Say Abortion Should Be Legal Australians’
Personal Financial Assets Up 13.5% Compared To Pre-Pandemic At Value Of
$10.62 Trillion Half
Of Australia's Retail Investors Started Using Investment Apps/Platforms From
2020 Or Later ANZ
Roy Morgan New Zealand Consumer Confidence Down 1.8pts To 80.5 In June 2022 A
Global Average Of 78% Among 28 Countries Support Refugee Reception Inflation
All Over The World Is High And Getting Higher, Results From Survey Of 38
States Three
Out Of Five Global Consumers Of 18 Markets Say They Prefer Buying Local Foods
(60%) Global:
How Often Do Consumers Order Take-Away Food; Views Of People From 22
Countries International
Attitudes Towards The U S, NATO And Russia In A Time Of Crisis, A Survey In
18 Nations 45%
Of Global Consumers Use Their Phones To Shop Online On A Daily Basis, A
Survey From 43 Nations Globally
42% Of People Feel Secure About Their Future, View Of People From 24
Countries On
Average Across 30 Countries, Two In Three Adults (67%) Consider Themselves
Happy Large
Majorities In Most Of The 19 Countries Surveyed Have Negative Views Of China INTRODUCTORY NOTE 747-749-43-51/Commentary: One In Seven Secondary School Teachers Say
They Face Violence From Pupils At Least Once A Month
Teachers in
Britain say disruptive and violent pupils ruin
teachers’ lives, causing physical injury and
career-ending psychological harm. Recently, a London teacher received
Ł850,000 in compensation after being punched in the face and
kicked by a pupil with a history of violence. Teachers
experience regular aggression and even violence from school children,
according to new YouGov research. One in seven secondary school teachers
(15%) say they experience violence from a pupil at least once a month,
including 5% who say they are subject to attacks at least once a week.
In addition,
around half of secondary school teachers (47%) say they experience aggressive
behaviour from a student at least once a month, including three in 10 (28%)
who say this happens at least once a week. One in 14 (7%) teachers say they
deal with aggressive pupils every single day. Teachers
also have to deal with the belligerent behaviour of angry parents – one in
seven (15%) teachers say parents are aggressive with them on at least a
monthly basis. (YouGov UK) June 15,
2022 ASIA (Japan) 60% Of Major Firms Say Japan’s Economy Is Expanding A new survey found that more than half of
major firms in Japan believe that the nation's economy is expanding, although
an overwhelming number fear the impact of rising prices. In the survey,
conducted by The Asahi Shimbun, the firms reported that the lifting of
novel coronavirus restrictions on social activities has led to a resumption
of economic and social activities and consumer spending is growing. In the
findings, 61 of 100 leading companies from across Japan said the
domestic economy is “expanding” or “expanding moderately.” (Asahi Shimbun) June 21, 2022 68% Of Candidates Favor Bolstering Japan’s
Defense The survey was conducted by The Asahi
Shimbun and a team led by Masaki Taniguchi, a professor of political science
at the University of Tokyo. Sixty-eight percent of candidates in the July 10
Upper House election favor strengthening Japan’s defense, nearly double the
37 percent of three years ago, reflecting fears about Russia’s invasion of
Ukraine, a survey showed. Among candidates of the ruling Liberal Democratic
Party, a record 99 percent were in favor or somewhat in favor of
strengthening defense. That was even higher than the 95 percent in 2013 when
the Upper House election was held under then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. (Asahi Shimbun) June 24, 2022 (Singapore) S'pore Residents Anticipate Their Cost Of Living To
Increase, Plan To Cut Non-Essential Spending With inflation hitting a thirteen-year-high
in Singapore last month, it comes as no surprise that residents
have begun to feel the pinch. Latest data from YouGov suggests that majority
also expect the cost of living to rise over the next 12 months (83%), with
more likely to say this will be a substantial increase (51%) rather than a
minor one (32%). Older adults appear to anticipate a greater impact, with
those aged 45-54 (60%) and above 55 (57%) most likely to say that the cost of
living will increase substantially. On the other hand, those aged 18-24 (45%)
and 25-34 (37%) were most likely to say cost would increase slightly. (YouGov Singapore) (Thailand) Thailand’s Most Talked-About Brand: May 2022 Data from YouGov BrandIndex, which tracks consumer perceptions toward
brands on a daily basis worldwide, shows that Word of Mouth (WOM) Exposure of
the food company rose 6.9 percentage points over the four-week
period. According to data from YouGov BrandIndex, CP Foods’ WOM Exposure
score rose from 29.4 on 1 May to 36.3 by 30 May. WOM exposure is a BrandIndex
metric that measures the percentage of people who have spoken with their
family or friends about a particular brand in the previous two weeks. (YouGov Thailand) (Pakistan) Murree (23%) Is Popular Tourist Destination Followed By
Karachi (19%) Among Pakistanis Planning To Travel This Summer According to a survey conducted by Gallup
& Gilani Pakistan, Murree (23%) is popular tourist destination followed
by Karachi (19%) among Pakistanis planning to travel this summer. A
nationally representative sample of adult men and women from across the
country was asked the following question, “Do you have any plans to travel
this summer? For example, taking your family and children out of the city? If
yes, where are you planning to go?” In response to this question, 23% said
Murree, 19% said Karachi (Gallup Pakistan) July 1, 2022 MENA (Egypt) Views On Inflation In Egypt Inflation is the top concern for people in
Egypt. The majority (96%) believe that prices have increased over the past 12
months, and as a result, so has their spending. People have experienced price
increases across most categories, with food & beverage topping the list,
followed by fashion items, and utilities. People believe that the key
contributors to this inflation is linked to the retailers and traders
increasing their prices, wars and conflicts, and the increase in global oil prices. (Ipsos Egypt) 27 June 2022 AFRICA (Nigeria) Almost 9 In 10 Nigerians Attest To High Incidence Of Child
Abuse In Nigeria A new public opinion poll conducted by
NOIPolls has revealed that child abuse is prevalent in Nigeria, as disclosed
by 88 percent of adult Nigerians nationwide. Also, the poll revealed that 51
percent of adult Nigerians acknowledeged that they had personally seen
children undergo abusive treatment in their localities. The South-South (57
percent) and North-West (56 percent) zones had more respondents who made this
assertion. This is indeed a worrisome figure and everything possible must be
done to curtail this act as soon as possible. (NOI Polls) June 16, 2022 Young Adults Aged 15 – 29 Years Old Are Most Known Abusers
Of Drugs & Substances In Nigeria A new public
opinion poll conducted by NOIPolls has revealed that most abusers of drugs
and substances in the country are young Nigerians aged between 15 and 29
years as stated by 88 percent of adult Nigerians interviewed. This figure leaves
much to be desired as the menace of drug and substance abuse continue to
ravage and destroy the lives of many youths. The Chairman of the National
Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Buba Marwa, lamented over the pervasive
abuse of (cannabis) substance in the country, revealing that about 10.6
million Nigerians are actively abusing the substance. (NOI Polls) June 23,
2022 (South
Africa) Internet Access Of All Adult South Africans, 85% Young people in South Africa are definitely
well-connected, with 98% having access to a cellphone, albeit not always a
smart phone. In addition, a remarkably high proportion (92%) of young people
between the ages of 18 and 24 have also indicated that they have access to
the internet, although many of them do not have access at home, work, or an
educational institution, most have access via their mobile phones. (Internet
access of all adult South Africans is 85% - also mainly via mobile phone.) (Ipsos South Africa) 15 June 2022 WEST
EUROPE (UK) One In Seven Secondary School Teachers Say They Face
Violence From Pupils At Least Once A Month Teachers in Britain say disruptive and
violent pupils ruin teachers’ lives, causing physical injury and career-ending
psychological harm. Recently, a London teacher received Ł850,000 in compensation after being punched in the face and
kicked by a pupil with a history of violence. Teachers experience regular
aggression and even violence from school children, according to new YouGov
research. One in seven secondary school teachers (15%) say they experience
violence from a pupil at least once a month, including 5% who say they are
subject to attacks at least once a week. (YouGov UK) June 15, 2022 Seven In Ten People Say The Early Years Should Be More Of A
Priority For Society Nine in ten agree the early years are
important in shaping a person’s future life but less than a fifth recognise
the unique importance of the 0-5 period. Seven in ten think the early years
should be more of a priority for society. Majority of public recognise a
person’s future mental health and wellbeing most likely part of adult life to
be affected by their early childhood. Community support networks found to be
a crucial for parents. (Ipsos MORI) 16 June 2022 Half (45%) Of The Public Say Apprenticeships Are Better
Than University Degrees For Preparing Young People For The Future Britons see apprenticeships as at least
equally good as university degrees for young people, new polling from
YouGov/The Times shows. Approaching half (45%) of the public say
apprenticeships are better than university degrees for preparing young people
for the future, while 44% say both are equally good. Just 4% of Britons think
a university degree is best – despite university degrees having significantly higher uptake
among young people than apprenticeships. (YouGov UK) June 17, 2022 War
In Ukraine: Britons Continue To Support Sanctions But Are Wary Of Costs At
Home As the conflict in Ukraine drags past the
100-day mark, it seems increasingly likely that fighting will drag on
in a protracted war of attrition. Britons continue to back a wide range of
supporting measures for Ukraine, bar direct military conflict between British
and Russian forces. Three-quarters of people (76%) currently support
increased economic penalties against Russian interests in the UK, within the
margin of error for the 79% in the previous survey on 14-15 March. (YouGov UK) June 20, 2022 Two-Thirds Of People Believe The NHS Should Provide
Fertility Treatment The Progress Educational Trust (PET) and
Ipsos explored UK adults’ attitudes and beliefs around fertility treatment
and genomics in medicine. Survey participants were introduced to fertility
treatment as ‘medical intervention to help people conceive’. Respondents
showed support for the NHS offering fertility treatment for people who are
infertile and wish to conceive, with two-thirds (67%) saying that this
treatment should be offered (31% saying ‘Yes, definitely’ and 36% saying
‘Yes, probably’). (Ipsos MORI) 22 June 2022 The Conservative Celtic Fringe: Tories In Trouble In The
Leave-Voting South West Across the South West of England sit a raft
of Leave-voting, ageing, and sparsely populated constituencies which have
been held by the Conservatives since at least 2015, when a blue sea swept the
region, propelling David Cameron to a Westminster majority. Latest YouGov
figures suggest that, if an election were being held now, the Conservatives
would lose 11 seats in their Celtic Fringe, with a further four on the cliff
edge of falling into opposition hands. (YouGov UK) June 23, 2022 72% Of Britons Support Introducing Rent Controls In England New research by Ipsos shows most Britons
expect house prices in their local area will be higher in 12 months’ time,
and a similar proportion expect an increase in the average across Britain.
Around a quarter expect prices to rise a lot. Two-thirds (66%) believe
average house prices will increase in their local area while 69% say the same
for the country’s average. Those in the East of England (76%), South of
England (70%), West Midlands (66%) and Scotland (66%) are most likely to
expect prices to rise. (Ipsos MORI) 27 June 2022 Among Unwed Britons Shows That They Tend To Want To Get
Married (40%) A new YouGov survey among unwed Britons
shows that they tend to want to get married (40%), compared to 28% who say
they will not, and a further 29% who are unsure. There is also little
difference between the genders. Among unwed men, 38% want to marry versus 27%
who do not, compared to 42% of unwed women who want to tie the knot and 29%
who do not. (YouGov UK) June 28, 2022 Conservatives Set To Lose 26 Of Their 64 Lib Dem
Battleground Seats Now new YouGov MRP modelling shows that the
Conservatives would be set to lose no fewer than 24 Con-Lib Dem battleground
constituencies to the Liberal Democrats if an election were being held
tomorrow (with Labour picking up another two). Of the 64 English seats which
the Conservatives hold and the Liberal Democrats won above 20% of the vote at
the 2019 general election, our MRP model suggests that the Tories would lose
a number of high-profile contests to the Liberal Democrats including Esher
and Walton (YouGov UK) July 02, 2022 (France) Shopper Barometer 2022: 58% Of French People Do Their Daily
Shopping To Within €10 The budgetary room for maneuver of the
French has fallen sharply: 58% of them now do their shopping for around
€10 or less, an increase of 12 points since 2021 . Between energy and consumer
goods, the price increase is felt by nearly 9 out of 10 French
shoppers, half of whom consider it very significant. As a
result, visits to local businesses (convenience stores, food shops,
municipal markets) and organic businesses are falling, where 89% of
shoppers continue to visit large format hypermarkets and supermarkets. (Ipsos France) June 14, 2022 Boom In Holiday Departures: Three Out Of Four French People
Intend To Leave This Summer Record rate of departure intentions: 74% of
French people intend to go on vacation this summer (vs. 71% of Europeans). 56%
of them intend to spend their holidays on French territory. 40% plan to go
abroad: Spain (15%), Italy (8%), Portugal (5%). 23% have not yet chosen their
destination, and 55% have not yet booked. The coast remains the favorite
destination of 65% of French holidaymakers. (Ipsos France) June 14, 2022 More Than One In Two French People Do Not
Know That Myopia Is A Disorder Affecting Far Vision Only the hereditary character (65%) and the
time spent in front of the screens (68%) are factors mainly identified by the
French. The others remain little known: - ethnic origin : 86% of French people
are unaware of this risk factor even though we now know that certain populations
are more predisposed to myopia than others (for example, the Chinese and the
Eskimos vs the Indians) ; - the time
devoted to reading each day (unrecognized by 74% of those
questioned): however, prolonged reading in poor conditions (insufficient
lighting, distance of less than 30 cm, absence of regular breaks, etc.) leads
to a strong demand on near vision can promote myopia. (Ipsos France) NORTH AMERICA (USA) About Six-In-Ten Americans Say Abortion Should Be Legal In
All Or Most Cases Today, a 61% majority of U.S. adults say
abortion should be legal in all or most cases, while 37% think abortion
should be illegal in
all or most cases. These views are relatively unchanged in the past few
years. The latest Pew Research Center survey, conducted March 7 to 13, finds deep
disagreement between – and within – the parties over abortion. In fact, the
partisan divide on abortion is far wider than it was two decades ago. (PEW) JUNE 13, 2022 57% Journalists Are Highly Concerned About Future
Restrictions On Press Freedom Seven-in-ten journalists surveyed say they
are “very” or “somewhat” satisfied with their job, and an identical share say
they often feel excited about their work. Even larger majorities say they are
either “extremely” or “very” proud of their work – and that if they had to do
it all over again, they would still pursue a career in the news industry.
About half of journalists say their job has a positive impact on their
emotional well-being, higher than the 34% who say it is bad for their
emotional well-being. (Gallup) JUNE 14, 2022 Hispanic Americans’ Trust In And Engagement With Science A new Pew Research Center survey,
accompanied by a series of focus groups, takes an in-depth look at Hispanic
Americans’ views and experiences with science spanning interactions with
health care providers and STEM schooling, their levels of trust in scientists
and medical scientists, and engagement with science-related news and
information in daily life. The survey findings suggest that most Latinos see
scientific professions as potentially “unwelcoming” to Latino people. For
example, just 26% of Latinos feel that scientists as a professional group are
very welcoming of Latinos in these jobs; another 42% say they are somewhat
welcoming. (PEW) JUNE 14, 2022 U S Teens Are More Likely Than Adults To Support The Black
Lives Matter Movement Seven-in-ten U.S. teens say they at least
somewhat support the Black Lives Matter movement, including 31% of teenagers
who strongly support it, according to a survey conducted in April and May
among American teens ages 13 to 17. By comparison, a little over half of U.S.
adults (56%) said in a March survey that they support the Black Lives Matter
movement, similar to the 55% who said the same in September 2021 and September 2020. Around a quarter of adults (26%) strongly
support the movement. (PEW) Politics On Twitter: One-Third Of Tweets From U S Adults
Are Political Roughly one-quarter of American
adults use Twitter. And when they share their views on the
site, quite often they are doing so about politics and political issues. A
new Pew Research Center analysis of English-language tweets posted between May
1, 2020, and May 31, 2021, by a representative sample of U.S. adult Twitter
users finds that fully one-third (33%) of those tweets are political in
nature. Americans ages 50 and older make up 24% of the U.S. adult Twitter
population but produce nearly 80% of all political tweets. (PEW) JUNE 16, 2022 Belief In God In U S Dips To 81%, A New Low The vast
majority of U.S. adults believe in God, but the 81% who do so is down six
percentage points from 2017 and is the lowest in Gallup's trend. Between 1944
and 2011, more than 90% of Americans believed in God. Gallup has also in
recent years asked other questions aimed at measuring belief
in God or
a higher power. All find the vast majority of Americans saying they believe;
when given the option, 5% to 10% have said they were "unsure." (Gallup) JUNE 17, 2022 Nearly Half Of States Now Recognize Juneteenth As An
Official Holiday Juneteenth is a combination of the words
June and nineteenth. It commemorates the day, more than two months after the
end of the Civil War – and more than two years after Abraham Lincoln issued
the Emancipation Proclamation. At the state level, at least 24 states and the
District of Columbia will legally recognize Juneteenth as a public holiday
this year – meaning state government offices are closed and state workers
have a paid day off, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of state
human resource websites, state legislation and news articles. (PEW) JUNE 17, 2022 Two-Thirds (68%) Of Americans Continue To Think The U S Is
Less Respected Today Than In The Past A majority of Americans have long held the view that the United States is
less respected by
other countries today than it was in the past, and around two-thirds of U.S.
adults (68%) say that’s the case today, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. Only 13% think the U.S. garners more
respect internationally now than in the past, while 19% think it’s as
respected as ever. But the consistency of overall U.S. public opinion on this
question masks large swings among Republicans and Democrats. Around eight-in-ten
Republicans and Republican-leaning independents (81%) currently believe the
U.S. is less respected than in the past – among the highest GOP percentages
measured in Center surveys dating back to 2004. (PEW) JUNE 22, 2022 Nearly Half Of Americans (47%) Say That The United States’
Influence In The World Has Been Getting Weaker Nearly half of Americans (47%) say that the
United States’ influence in the world has been getting weaker in recent
years. Only about one-in-five say U.S. influence has been getting stronger,
while 32% say U.S. influence has been staying about the same. This is in
stark contrast with views of China: Two-thirds of U.S. adults say that the
country’s influence has been getting stronger in
recent years. Roughly one-in-five Americans say China’s global influence is
holding steady, and only one-in-ten say China’s influence has been weakening. (PEW) JUNE 23, 2022 61% Of U S Adults Say Abortion Should Be
Legal Pew Research Center has conducted many
surveys about abortion over the years, providing a lens into Americans’ views
on whether the procedure should be legal, among a host of other questions. In
our most recent survey, 61% of U.S. adults say abortion should be
legal all or most of the time, while 37% say it should be illegal all or most
of the time. With the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs
v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturning Roe v. Wade, the
1973 case that effectively legalized abortion nationwide, here is a look at
the most recent available data about abortion from sources other than public
opinion surveys. (PEW) JUNE 24, 2022 The Metaverse In 2040 In all, 624 technology innovators,
developers, business and policy leaders, researchers and activists provided
open-ended responses to a question seeking their predictions about the
trajectory and impact of the metaverse by 2040. The results of this nonscientific
canvassing: 54% of these
experts said that they expect by 2040 the metaverse WILL be a much-more-refined and
truly fully-immersive, well-functioning aspect of daily life for a half
billion or more people globally. (PEW) JUNE 30, 2022 (Canada) Forced Sale: As Many As One In Four (23%) Homeowners Who
Have A Mortgage Say They Would Be Forced To Sell Their Home, If Interest
Rates Were To Increase Further A new Ipsos poll conducted on behalf of
Manulife Bank reveals that as many as one in four (23%) homeowners who have a
mortgage believe they are at risk of being forced to sell their home if
interest rates were to increase further. Additionally, two-thirds (66%) do
not view home ownership in their local community as being affordable and
eighteen percent (18%) of homeowners believe they can no longer afford the
house they own. These figures suggest that many might have been priced out of
the housing market or are at risk of being priced out of the market,
including even some of the current homeowners. (Ipsos Canada) 14 June 2022 Seven in Ten (69%) Are Concerned They Cannot Afford
Gasoline If there is one topic that is on the minds
of car owners is the price of gas. Cost increases in crude oil over the
Russian-Ukrainian war, tax surges, and hikes in transportation costs for
distribution are all fueling pump prices, and Canadians are feeling the
impact in their wallets. According to a recent Ipsos poll conducted on behalf
of Global News, as much as 69% of Canadians are concerned about the
affordability of fuel, and 50% think they cannot afford to fill their gas
tanks. As gas prices continue to climb, some Canadians are even considering
purchasing electric vehicles within the next year to avoid dependence on
fuel. (Ipsos Canada) 28 June 2022 AUSTRALIA Australians’ Personal Financial Assets Up 13.5% Compared To
Pre-Pandemic At Value Of $10.62 Trillion New data from Roy Morgan’s Banking and Finance Report shows Australians’ personal financial
assets (Traditional Banking, Wealth Management, Owner-Occupied Homes &
Direct Investments) sat at $10.62 trillion in the year to March 2022. This
result represents an increase of $1.27 trillion (+13.5%) from two years ago
pre-pandemic. However, the total value of Australians’ personal financial
assets fell by $145 billion (-1.3%) after reaching a peak of $10.77 trillion
a year ago in March 2021. This is the same month that government stimulus
programs including the $90 billion JobKeeper program and the ‘boosted’
JobSeeker payments ended. (Roy Morgan) June 28 2022 Half Of Australia's Retail Investors Started Using
Investment Apps/Platforms From 2020 Or Later RealTime Omnibus research by YouGov in March 2022 found
that CommSec Pocket enjoys
the highest awareness among major investing apps in Australia – over two in
five Australians who know of at least one investment platform say they have
heard of it (43%). About a third of Australians are also aware of Raiz (35%) and Spaceship (32%). Meanwhile, a
quarter have heard of Superhero (24%),
and around a fifth of Swyftx (22%), SelfWealth (21%) and Stake (21%). But among 65+
year-olds, awareness of Spaceship drops
to fifth place (9%), after Swftyx (17%)
and SelfWeath (14%).
However, among 25-34 year-olds, Spaceship (44%)
is the most well-known platform, and is slightly ahead of CommSec Pocket (42%) and Raiz (40%). (YouGov Australia) June 29, 2022 (New Zealand) ANZ Roy Morgan New Zealand Consumer
Confidence Down 1.8pts To 80.5 In June 2022 ANZ-Roy Morgan New Zealand Consumer
Confidence was down 1.8pts to 80.5 in June, a touch above its record low, but
still deep within the “something to worry about” zone. The proportion of
people who believe it is a good time to buy a major household item, the best
indicator for spending, was up 7% points to 28% while there were now 49%,
down 2% points, who said now is a bad time to buy a major household item.
This is a decent bounce, with the net indicator up 9 points to -21, but it’s
too early to call this a recovery. This indicator is still dire in an
absolute sense. (Roy Morgan) July 01 2022 MULTICOUNTRY STUDIES A Global Average Of 78% Among 28 Countries Support Refugee
Reception A new Ipsos survey carried out for World
Refugee Day, celebrated on June 20, reveals that Brazilians are among those
who most support the right to refuge. When asked whether people should
be able to take refuge in other countries or their own, 86% of Brazilians
said they accepted. In the global ranking, Brazil is only behind Sweden,
which has an acceptance rate of 88%. The global average of the 28
countries surveyed is 78%. (Ipsos Brazil) 14 June 2022 Source: https://www.ipsos.com/pt-br/brasileiros-estao-entre-os-que-mais-apoiam-acolhimento-refugiados Half Of The World's Population, On Average, Say They Are
Familiar With The Metaverse (52%), A Study In 29 Countries To what extent do people know about the
metaverse? How will these new technologies impact our lives? What is the
attitude towards them?To answer these questions, Ipsos has carried out a
study in 29 countries, in collaboration with the World Economic Forum , between April 22 and May 6, 2022
through its Global Advisor platform. This study reveals that half of the
world's population, on average, say they are familiar with the metaverse
(52%) and have positive feelings about adopting these new technologies in
their daily lives (50%). However, we see how these data vary greatly
from one country to another and between demographic groups. (Ipsos Spain) June 15, 2022 Source: https://www.ipsos.com/es-es/metaverso-realidad-extendida-junio-2022 Inflation All Over The World Is High And Getting Higher,
Results From Survey Of 38 States Inflation in the United States was
relatively low for so long that, for entire generations of Americans, rapid
price hikes may have seemed like a relic of the distant past. Between the
start of 1991 and the end of 2019, year-over-year inflation averaged about
2.3% a month, and exceeded 5.0% only four times. The data covers 37 of the 38
OECD member nations, plus seven other economically significant countries.) Among the countries studied, Turkey had by
far the highest inflation rate in the first quarter of 2022: an eye-opening
54.8%. Turkey has experienced high inflation for years, but it shot up in
late 2021 as the government pursued unorthodox economic policies, such as cutting interest rates rather
than raising them. (PEW) JUNE 15, 2022 Three Out Of Five Global Consumers Of 18 Markets Say They
Prefer Buying Local Foods (60%) Of the 18 main markets examined, consumers
in Italy are the most satisfied with their local products: in fact, just
under three quarters prefer to buy food produced in their own country
(74%). Only 5% of Italians disagree with this statement, while just over
2 out of 10 consumers are neutral in this regard (21%). In the European
market, consumers who prefer local agricultural and aquaculture products are
in Sweden (71%), France (67%) and Spain (67%). On the other hand,
consumers in Denmark (57%) and Great Britain (54%) are the least likely to
buy locally sourced food, even if the majority of them continue to prefer
them over imported products. (YouGov Italy) Source: https://it.yougov.com/news/2022/06/15/global-cibo-locale-e-cambiamento-climatico-come-re/ Global: How Often Do Consumers Order
Take-Away Food; Views Of People From 22 Countries The latest data from YouGov's new tool,
Global Profiles, a powerful profiling and media targeting tool, with over
1000 questions in 43 countries, reveals the frequency with which consumers
buy take-away food - and as many as 1 in 3 orders multiple times per week. We
selected 22 countries for this survey and found that Taiwan (10%) and
Thailand (9%) are the markets where people are most likely to buy take-out
more than once a day. (YouGov Italy) Source: https://it.yougov.com/news/2022/06/21/global-con-quale-frequenza-i-consumatori-ordinano-/ Three-Quarters Of Gen Zs Across The Globe
In 25 Countries, Plan To Undertake Some Form Of Travel In The Next 12 Months As global travel opens up after two years
of restrictions amidst the pandemic, YouGov’s latest report “Youth of Today, Travel of Tomorrow”
reveals more than two in five Gen Zs (those aged 18-24 years) in the UAE
(43%) said they intend to travel abroad for leisure in the next 12 months,
with intent for international travel within this cohort being one of the
highest across the globe. The report aims to understand Gen Zs globally,
explores what matters to them as well as uncovers their expectations from
travel, and identifies the best ways to connect and engage with this
generation of travellers. (YouGov MENA) June 22, 2022 Source: https://mena.yougov.com/en/news/2022/06/22/gen-zs-uae-have-strong-desire-international-travel/ International Attitudes Towards The U S,
NATO And Russia In A Time Of Crisis, A Survey In 18 Nations Ratings for Russia, which were already
negative in most of the nations surveyed, have plummeted further following
the invasion. In 10 countries, 10% or less of those polled express a
favorable opinion of Russia. Positive views of Russian President Vladimir
Putin are in single digits in more than half of the nations polled. Large
majorities in most countries see America as a reliable partner to their
country, and the share of the public holding that view has risen over the
past year in most nations where trends are available. For instance, 83% of
South Koreans consider the U.S. a reliable partner, up from 58% in 2021. (PEW) JUNE 22, 2022 45% Of Global Consumers Use Their Phones To
Shop Online On A Daily Basis, A Survey From 43 Nations In fact, data from YouGov Global Profiles -
an audience intelligence tool with attitudinal and behavioral data on
consumers in 43 markets - reveals that more than 2 in 5 people worldwide use
their phone to shop online every day (45%). . In Europe, daily mobile
purchases are more frequent in Romania (44%), Italy (41%) , Ireland (41%), the Netherlands (40%) and
Spain (40%). In comparison, Switzerland, France and Belgium are the
European countries least likely to report shopping online with their mobile
phone every day. Nearly 2 in 5 Brits say they shop on mobile every day
(38%). (YouGov Italy) June 23, 2022 Source: https://it.yougov.com/news/2022/06/23/global-il-45-dei-consumatori-globali-usa-il-telefo/ Globally 42% Of People Feel Secure About
Their Future, View Of People From 24 Countries According to a Gallup Pakistan Survey in
Pakistan (and similar surveys done by Worldwide Independent Network of Market
Research (WIN) across the world), significantly more than the global average
of 42%, every 2 in 3 Pakistanis feel secure about their future. These
findings emerge from an international survey conducted across the globe by
The Worldwide Independent Network of Market Research (WIN). (Gallup Pakistan) June 24, 2022 Source: https://gallup.com.pk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/24-June-2022-English-1.pdf Over Half Of Consumers Globally (51%) Agree That 5g Will
Bring Many Benefits To Their Lives In 28 Markets The latest data from our new YouGov
Global Profiles tool, a powerful profiling and media
targeting tool, with over 1000 questions in 43 countries, reveals consumers'
attitudes towards 5G and how they think it can improve their daily lives. In
this article we examine 28 markets among all those analyzed by Global
Profiles and the data shows that, overall, just over half of consumers globally (51%) agree that 5G will bring
many benefits to their lives . (YouGov Italy) June 24, 2022 Source: https://it.yougov.com/news/2022/06/24/global-come-i-vantaggi-percepiti-del-5g-variano-da/ On Average Across 30 Countries, Two In Three Adults (67%)
Consider Themselves Happy A new Ipsos survey finds that, on average
across 30 countries, two in three adults (67%) consider themselves
“happy.” Among the countries surveyed, happiness is most prevalent
in the Netherlands and Australia, with 86% and 85% respectively
describing themselves as “very” or “rather” happy. China and Great Britain
(both 83%), India (82%), France and Saudi Arabia (both 81%), and Canada (80%)
follow. (Ipsos Denmark) 27 June 2022 Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en-dk/what-makes-people-happiest-health-family-and-purpose Large Majorities In Most Of The 19 Countries Surveyed Have
Negative Views Of China Negative views of China remain at or near
historic highs in many of the 19 countries in a new Pew Research Center
survey. Unfavorable opinions of the country are related to concerns about
China’s policies on human rights. Across the nations surveyed, a median of
79% consider these policies a serious problem, and 47% say they are a very serious problem. Among the
four issues asked about – also including China’s military power, economic
competition with China and China’s involvement in domestic politics in each
country – more people label the human rights policies as a very serious
problem than say the same of the others. (PEW) JUNE 29, 2022 Across 19 Countries, More People See The U S Than China
Favorably – But More See China’s Influence Growing In 19 countries surveyed by Pew Research
Center this spring, people see the United States and President Joe Biden more
favorably than China and its president, Xi Jinping. But when it comes to perceptions
of each country’s relative influence in the world, much larger shares in most
nations see China’s influence growing than say the same of the U.S. The U.S.
is generally seen more positively than China. In most countries,
majorities have a favorable view of the U.S., while fewer than around a third
tend to say the same of China. However, attitudes vary widely within the
Asia-Pacific region. In South Korea, 89% have a favorable view of China, 70
percentage points more than the 19% who say the same of China. (PEW) JUNE 29, 2022 ASIA
747-749-43-01/Polls 60% Of Major Firms Say Japan’s Economy Is Expanding
The Shinkansen platform at JR Tokyo Station
is crowded with families and passengers with large luggage on April 29 as the
Golden Week holiday period this year was the first time in three years that
restrictions on activities were not imposed. (Tatsuya Shimada) A new survey found that more than half of
major firms in Japan believe that the nation's economy is expanding, although
an overwhelming number fear the impact of rising prices. In the survey, conducted by The Asahi
Shimbun, the firms reported that the lifting of novel coronavirus
restrictions on social activities has led to a resumption of economic and
social activities and consumer spending is growing. However, an emerging concern is the speed
of rising prices for crude oil and raw materials following Russia’s invasion
of Ukraine. The Asahi Shimbun has been conducting the
survey on how major firms view the domestic economy twice annually. The most
recent survey was carried out from May 30 to June 10. In the findings, 61 of 100 leading
companies from across Japan said the domestic economy is “expanding” or
“expanding moderately.” Breaking the number down, 59 said the
economy is expanding moderately while two said it is expanding. Thirty-seven
said it is leveling off, while only one firm said it is receding moderately. When asked to choose up to two reasons why
they feel the economy is expanding, 53 of the 61 firms attributed it to
consumer spending. Retsu Togashi, executive managing officer
of Mitsui Fudosan Co., said that hotel occupancy rates have returned to
pre-pandemic levels. “Reservations during the summer vacation
period are coming in at a much faster pace than the past two years during the
pandemic,” he said. The government lifted pre-emergency
measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 across Japan in March. It is
gradually easing restrictions on foreign visitors entering the country. Kazuo Sato, managing executive officer of
Nippon Life Insurance Co., expressed optimism, saying, “If the restrictions
on activities continue to be lifted, personal consumption will recover on the
back of high levels of savings.” When asked about the outlook for consumer
spending over the next three months, 66 firms said it will recover. But the number was down from 75 who
expressed confidence in the previous survey conducted last fall. The number
of firms that expect consumer spending will continue to seesaw increased by
seven. When asked to choose up to two concerns
about the domestic economy, 12 firms cited, “the prolonged impact of the
coronavirus pandemic,” down sharply from the previous 67. The concern had
been at the top in the four previous surveys since 2020. On the other hand, the largest number of
firms, 76, cited "rising prices for oil and raw materials," up more
than 50 percent from the previous 49. This was the top concern this time. Fifty-four firms said that they plan to or
may raise prices from June to December following the soaring prices of raw
materials and natural resources. (Asahi Shimbun) June 21, 2022 Source: https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14649979 747-749-43-02/Polls 68% Of Candidates Favor Bolstering Japan’s Defense
Sixty-eight percent of candidates in the
July 10 Upper House election favor strengthening Japan’s defense, nearly
double the 37 percent of three years ago, reflecting fears about Russia’s
invasion of Ukraine, a survey showed. The latest figure is the largest over the
20 years of similar surveys conducted ahead of national elections. The survey was conducted by The Asahi
Shimbun and a team led by Masaki Taniguchi, a professor of political science
at the University of Tokyo. Questionnaires were mailed from mid-May to
545 candidates, and responses were received from 512 by the evening of June
22. Candidates were given five choices to
questions about strengthening defense and revising the Constitution: favor,
somewhat favor, neither, somewhat oppose, and oppose. Among candidates of the ruling Liberal
Democratic Party, a record 99 percent were in favor or somewhat in favor of
strengthening defense. That was even higher than the 95 percent in 2013 when
the Upper House election was held under then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. A similar trend was found among candidates
of junior coalition partner Komeito, which had long prided itself on being a
pacifist party. Although only 13 percent were in favor of
such a change in defense three years ago, the figure skyrocketed to 83
percent this time around. Among candidates of the main opposition
Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, those in the favor of strengthening
the nation’s defense increased from 2 percent three years ago to 31 percent. Similarly, the figure rose from 67 percent
to 89 percent among candidates of Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party), and
from 21 percent to 95 percent for the Democratic Party for the People. Candidates were also asked whether Japan
should possess the capability to strike enemy bases when there was the
possibility that they could attack Japan. Among candidates of the LDP, which included
possessing that capability in its campaign platform, 77 percent were either
in favor or somewhat in favor. But the figure was only 4 percent among
Komeito candidates, with 75 percent saying neither and 21 percent either
opposed or somewhat opposed. On the question about constitutional
revision, 61 percent of all candidates either favored or somewhat favored
such a move, a large increase from the 44 percent of three years ago. Candidates were also asked how the
Constitution should be amended. The largest ratio, at 66 percent, said the
legal existence of the Self-Defense Forces must be defined. By party, 97 percent of LDP candidates
favored constitutional revision, a figure even higher than the 93 percent of
three years ago when Abe, a strong advocate of constitutional revision, was
still prime minister. Among Komeito candidates, the percentage of
respondents choosing neither dropped from 74 to 50, while those favoring such
a move surged from 17 percent to 42 percent. Among opposition parties, all Nippon Ishin
candidates supported constitutional revision, the same trend as three years
ago. There was a sharp increase among DPP candidates,
from 26 percent to 86 percent, while there was decrease among CDP candidates
from 7 percent to 4 percent. All Japanese Communist Party and Social
Democratic Party candidates opposed constitutional revision, while 85 percent
of Reiwa Shinsengumi candidates were opposed. (Asahi Shimbun) June 24, 2022 Source: https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14652834 747-749-43-03/Polls S'pore Residents Anticipate Their Cost Of Living To Increase, Plan To
Cut Non-Essential Spending
With inflation hitting a thirteen-year-high
in Singapore last month, it comes as no surprise that residents
have begun to feel the pinch. Latest data from YouGov suggests that majority
also expect the cost of living to rise over the next 12 months (83%), with
more likely to say this will be a substantial increase (51%) rather than a
minor one (32%). Older adults appear to anticipate a greater
impact, with those aged 45-54 (60%) and above 55 (57%) most likely to say
that the cost of living will increase substantially. On the other hand, those
aged 18-24 (45%) and 25-34 (37%) were most likely to say cost would increase
slightly.
When asked about measures they would take
to counter rising costs, almost seven in ten residents said they would cut
back on non-essential expenses like dining out (68%). Other measures
residents are most likely to undertake include changing food shopping habits
(53%), travelling less (39%), and cutting domestic energy use (36%). One in three said they would either tap
into their existing savings (31%) or save less (30%), while a further one in
seven would switch jobs (15%) or work overtime (13%).
Amid rising costs, Singapore adults are not
hopeful about the future, with three in eight expecting their personal
finances to either get worse (35%) or remain the same (35%) over the next 12
months. Fewer are optimistic, with just two in ten expecting their financial
situations to improve (23%). Notably, younger adults are more confident
in their future financial situations, with those aged 18-24 (42%) and 25-34
(33%) most likely to say that their financial situations will improve in the
next 12 months. On the other hand, those above the age of 55 are most likely
to say their financial situations will worsen (42%).
(YouGov Singapore) Source: https://sg.yougov.com/en-sg/news/2022/06/23/spore-residents-anticipate-their-cost-living-incre/ 747-749-43-04/Polls Thailand’s Most Talked-About Brand: May 2022
CP Foods (Charoen
Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited) saw the biggest boost in the number of
people talking about it of any brand we track in Thailand, over the month of
May. Data from YouGov BrandIndex, which tracks consumer perceptions toward
brands on a daily basis worldwide, shows that Word of Mouth (WOM) Exposure of
the food company rose 6.9 percentage points over the four-week period. In late May, the agro-industrial and food
conglomerate showcased its new plant-based “Meat Zero” product at the
ThaiFex–Anuga World of Food Asia 2022, which was named the exhibition’s Taste
Innovation Show winner, as well as its Benja chicken and Cheeva pork fresh
meat products.
This comes as Singapore increases imports of chicken from
Thailand,
after the city-state's major poultry supplier Malaysia banned exports of chicken from
June 1 to
address surging prices and supply shortages. Additionally, CP Foods also recently
announced a partnership with electrical systems company Gunkul Engineering,
to develop a range of cannabidiol-infused food and beverage
products.
On 9 May 2022, Thailand became the first Asian country to
legalize the growing of marijuana and its consumption in food and drinks, although the smoking of marijuana remains
outlawed. (For a recent analysis of the Thai consumer market for cannabis
products, read the latest
YouGov research here).
According to data from YouGov BrandIndex,
CP Foods’ WOM Exposure score rose from 29.4 on 1 May to 36.3 by 30 May. WOM
exposure is a BrandIndex metric that measures the percentage of people who
have spoken with their family or friends about a particular brand in the
previous two weeks. (YouGov Thailand) Source: https://th.yougov.com/en-th/news/2022/06/13/Thailand-Most-Talked-About-Brands-May-2022/ 747-749-43-05/Polls Murree (23%) Is Popular Tourist Destination Followed By Karachi (19%)
Among Pakistanis Planning To Travel This Summer
According to a survey conducted by Gallup
& Gilani Pakistan, Murree (23%) is popular tourist destination followed
by Karachi (19%) among Pakistanis planning to travel this summer. A
nationally representative sample of adult men and women from across the country
was asked the following question, “Do you have any plans to travel this
summer? For example, taking your family and children out of the city? If yes,
where are you planning to go?” In response to this question, 23% said Murree,
19% said Karachi, 8% said Abbottabad, 6% said Islamabad, 4% said Swat, 3%
said Naran Kaghan, 2% said Lahore, 1% said Multan, 1% said Kalam, 3% said
anywhere, 12% said others and 18% said don’t know or gave no response.
Question: “Do you have any plans to travel this summer? For example, taking
your family and children out of the city? If yes, where are you planning to
go?” (The question was asked to only those who said they plan to travel
outside the city this summer)
(Gallup Pakistan) July 1, 2022 Source: https://gallup.com.pk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/July-1st.pdf MENA
747-749-43-06/Polls Views On Inflation In Egypt
Inflation is the top concern for people in
Egypt. The majority (96%) believe that prices have increased over the past 12
months, and as a result, so has their spending. People have experienced price
increases across most categories, with food & beverage topping the list,
followed by fashion items, and utilities. People believe that the key
contributors to this inflation is linked to the retailers and traders
increasing their prices, wars and conflicts, and the increase in global oil
prices. On the other hand, only 15% have taken
measures to deal with inflation, with consumers most likely to buy only
necessities, buy fewer items per shopping trip, and eat more home-cooked
meals. Looking at the future, around half are
optimistic that prices will start stabilizing within the next 12 months, and
3 in 10 believe it could take up to 3 years. (Ipsos Egypt) 27 June 2022 Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en-eg/views-inflation-egypt AFRICA
747-749-43-07/Polls Almost 9 In 10 Nigerians
Attest To High Incidence Of Child Abuse In Nigeria
A new public opinion poll conducted by
NOIPolls has revealed that child abuse is prevalent in Nigeria, as disclosed
by 88 percent of adult Nigerians nationwide. Also, the poll revealed that 51
percent of adult Nigerians acknowledeged that they had personally seen
children undergo abusive treatment in their localities. The South-South (57
percent) and North-West (56 percent) zones had more respondents who made this
assertion. This is indeed a worrisome figure and everything possible must be
done to curtail this act as soon as possible. The poll result also unearthed the types of
child abuse children undergo in their locality and they include physical
abuse (35 percent), sexual abuse (28 percent) and abandonment (21 percent)
amongst other types. A higher percentage of adult Nigerians nationwide cited
poverty (35 percent) and parental neglect (32 percent) as the main causes of
child abuse in the country. Impairing the future of children by
abusing their freedoms and rights is equal to impairing their
development, our national development and our
tomorrow’s society. Hence, it is essential that the issue of child abuse is
properly dealt with at individual , family, organizational
and governmental levels for development and
tomorrow’s good. It is therefore pertinent that awareness on
the effect of child abuse (28 percent), improving the economy (20 percent),
job creation, enacting and enforcing strict legislation on child abuse (22
percent each) as recommended by the respondents be adopted by key players as
a way of reducing the incidence of child abuse in the country. These are some
the key findings from the child abuse poll conducted by NOIPolls
in the week commencing 16th May,
2022. Survey Background The menace of child abuse has been an age
long practice that has derailed the lives of many children from the rightful
path of positive development thereby giving them a bleak, hopeless and
undesirable future. It is a menace that has been allowed to thrive for long
due to ineffective policies put in place by stakeholders thereby leading to
undesirable outcomes for the children involved in such menace. Child abuse is
any intention to harm or mistreat a child under 18 years. It is not just
physical violence directed at a child but any form of maltreatment by an
adult which is violent or threatening to a child. Child abuse can be meted on
a child by parents, family members, care givers, nursery workers, teachers
and sports coaches. Child abuse can occur in different forms which include
physical, emotional, abandonment, psychological, sexual and financial. A world health organization report
stated that nearly 3 in 4 children or 300 million children aged 2-4 years
regularly suffer physical punishment and or psychological violence at the
hands of parents or caregivers, it also stated that one in 5 women and 1 in
31 men report having been sexually abused as a child aged 0-17 years and
additionally, 120 million girls and young women under 20 years of age have
suffered some form of forced sexual contact[1]. UNICEF statistics show that abuse in all
its forms is a daily reality for many Nigerian children and only a fraction
receive help. It further stated that Six out of 10 children experience some
form of violence, and one in four girls and 10 percent of boys have been
victims of sexual violence[2]. It is believed that child abuse can be
precipitated by factors such as poverty, unemployment, marital strife,
alcoholism, difficult pregnancy and delivery, lack of knowledge of child
development and a lot of other factors. It’s effect can better be imagined as
it includes extreme stress which can impair the development of the nervous
and immune system. Other effects include perpetrating or being a victim of
violence, depression, obesity, high-risk sexual behaviors, unintended
pregnancy, alcohol and drug misuse. Measures to prevent and curb the menace
of child abuse include parental and caregiver support, educating the children
and encouraging life skills approaches, creating programs to prevent sexual
abuse and exploitation, encouraging interventions to build a positive school
climate, imbibing norms and value approaches, implementation and enforcements
of laws to prohibit violent punishment and to protect the child. Implementing
these solutions proffered will go a long way in curbing the menace of child
abuse. Against this backdrop, NOIPolls conducted a survey on child abuse to
gauge the pulse of Nigerians. Survey Findings The first question sought to gauge the
opinion of adult Nigerians regarding the prevalence of child abuse. The poll
result reveal that majority of adult Nigerians (88 percent) stated that child
abuse is prevalent across the country. This incidence cuts across gender,
geographical locations and age-group with at least 81 percent representation.
Trend analysis shows an 18 percent increase
in the proportion of Nigerians who stated that child abuse is prevalent in
Nigeria when current findings are compared with the result of the poll
conducted in 2017.
With regards to practice, the poll revealed
almost a split as 51 percent of adult Nigerians acknowledged that they have
personally seen children undergone abusive treatment within their locality.
Nigerians residing in the South-South (57 percent) and North-West (56
percent) zones accounted for respondents with this assertion.
Trend analysis shows a 1 percent increase in
the proportion of adult Nigerians who mentioned that they have seen children
undergone abusive treatment when current result is compared to the result
obtained in 2017
Interestingly, the poll revealed that
physical abuse (35 percent), sexual abuse (28 percent) and abandonment (21
percent) are the top three abuse children go through in their locality. The
South-West zone (55 percent) had more Nigerians who mentioned physical abuse
while the North-East zone accounted for a larger share of respondents who
stated sexual abuse (41 percent) and abandonment (21 percent).
Additionally, when respondents were asked
to state reasons for child abuse, the poll showed that 35 percent of the
respondents reported that poverty is one of the main reasons for child abuse
in Nigeria. The South-East and the South-West zones had more respondents with
this assertion. This is closely followed by parental neglect and bad economy.
Furthermore, respondents were asked if they
know any family member below 18 who has experienced some form of child abuse.
The poll result revealed that 13 percent of respondents know a family member
who was involved in physical abuse while 9 percent stated they know a family
member involved in sexual abuse. Others include financial abuse (10 percent),
abandonment and psychological abuse (11 percent each) amongst other abuses.
Subsequently, the poll revealed that 44
percent of adult Nigerians are not aware of any reporting channel for child
abuse cases. Nigerians residing in the North-West had more respondents who
disclosed this. On the contrary, 56 percent claimed to know where they can
report cases of child abuse.
Awareness on the effect of child abuse (28
percent), improving the economy (20 percent), job creation, enact and enforce
strict legislation ( 22 percent each) were some of the recommendations made
by the respondents as a way of reducing the incidence of child abuse in the
country. Other mentions includes encouraging free education (14 percent),
child walfare for the less privileged children (12 person) and encourage good
parenting (4 percent) amongst others.
Conclusion In conclusion, the poll results have shown
a high prevalence of child abuse in the country. Given this high prevalence
and the proportion of Nigerians who have witnessed an incidence of child
abuse in their locality, it is ensential that the Federal, State, Local
government and other stakeholders synergize and champion the course of
violence against children and focus on an enlightenment campaign as
recommended by 28 percent of the respondents. Also, strengthening and
enforcing relevant legislative and policy frameworks in the course of
protecting the Rights of the Nigerian Child as advocated by 22 percent of the
respondents is key. Finally, in order to achieve the Sustainable
Development Goal, SDG, to end all forms of violence against children by 2030,
it is imperative for the Federal Government to persuade the remaining 11
States in Nigeria that are yet to pass the Child Right Act of 2003 to do so
urgently so as to fully criminalize the despicable act, therefore providing
Nigerian children the opportunity where they are nurtured in a safe and
secure environment. (NOI Polls) June 16, 2022 Source: https://noi-polls.com/child-abuse-poll-report/ 747-749-43-08/Polls Young Adults Aged 15 – 29
Years Old Are Most Known Abusers Of Drugs & Substances In Nigeria
A new public
opinion poll conducted by NOIPolls has revealed that most abusers of drugs
and substances in the country are young Nigerians aged between 15 and 29
years as stated by 88 percent of adult Nigerians interviewed. This figure
leaves much to be desired as the menace of drug and substance abuse continue
to ravage and destroy the lives of many youths. The Chairman of the National
Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Buba Marwa, lamented over the pervasive
abuse of (cannabis) substance in the country, revealing that about 10.6 million
Nigerians are actively abusing the substance.[1] He made this statement in 2021 in
Abuja during the launch of War Against Drug Abuse in commemoration of the United
Nations International Day against drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking. More
findings indicated that the most abused illicit drug or substances in Nigeria
is marijuana, as cited by 41 percent of the respondents. This is followed by
Codeine (22 percent) and Alcohol (17 percent) amongst other drugs and
substances mentioned. Furthermore, when asked about the causes of drug and
substance abuse, the top three causes cited are peer pressure and
unemployment, both at 33 percent each, parental neglect (26 percent) and
poverty (17 percent). With regards
to curbing this menace, while 41 percent recommended that jobs should be
created to engage those involved in this act, 30 percent suggested that there
should be awareness campaigns on the effect of drug and substance abuse.
There is an urgent need to give young Nigerians evidence-based information on
addiction and other drug-related harm, this will curtail drug experimentation
and the growing culture of intoxication. Finally, the government and
stakeholders involved in the fight against drug and substance abuse should
expedite action and stamp out this menace to avoid the unwanted and
unwarranted ravenous consequence on those involved in the abuse of drugs and
substance. These are
key findings of the drug and substance abuse poll conducted on the week
commencing 16th May 2022. SURVEY
BACKGROUND On June
26th, the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking was
commemorated. This day is set aside by the United Nations to recap the goals
established by stakeholder states towards eradicating drug abuse and
attaining an international society that is free of drug abuse. This is done
mainly by creating awareness and educating youths and adults on the hazardous
and social effects of substance abuse, and to guard against it. The theme for
the 2022 commemoration was “Addressing drug challenges in health and
humanitarian crises”. Drug abuse
is a menace that has derailed the lives of many people into oblivion and
untimely death due to its adverse effects on the body. It has festered for
such a long time and has continued to stamp its catastrophic effects on its
users for such a long spell. Drug abuse is the use of illegal drugs, the use
of prescription drugs or over-the-counter drugs for purposes other than those
for which they are meant to be used, or in excessive amounts. Drug abuse may
lead to social, physical, emotional, and job-related problems. Examples
of drugs taken and abused include alcohol, tobacco, cannabis,
methamphetamines, synthetic drugs, cocaine and non-medical use of
prescription drugs. According to
world drug report by the United Nations office on Drugs and Crime, 275
million people used drugs worldwide while 36 million people suffered from
drug use disorders.[2] The report further stated that in the
last 24 years, cannabis potency had increased by as much as four times in
different parts of the world. Additionally, in the last 10 years, the number
of drug users has increased by 22 percent owing to global population growth.
The report further stated that 5.5 percent of population aged 15 and 64 years
have used drugs at least once, while 36.3 million people or 13 percent of the
total number of persons who used drug, suffer different and adverse effects
of drug use disorder. More so, in Nigeria, there are around 14.3 million drug
users and 3 million of them suffer drug use disorder. It is further believed
that globally, over 11 million people are estimated to inject drugs, half of
whom are living with hepatitis C and opioids continue to account for the
burden of disease attributed to drug use[3]. The factors
that lead people into drug abuse include absence of social support, use of
drugs amongst peers, socio-economic status, stress, and ability to cope with
it. It also includes parental and familial involvement, history of abuse or
neglect, and a history of compulsive behaviour. The risk factors of substance
abuse include social pressure, adverse childhood experiences, use of drugs
that are highly addictive, mental health problem as well and family history[4]. More so, the effect of drug abuse can be
devastating, and it includes depression, anxiety, panic disorder, increased
aggression, paranoia, and hallucination.[5] Against this backdrop, NOIPolls
conducted its latest poll on drugs and substance abuse in Nigeria to explore
the awareness of Nigerians regarding the most abused drugs and substance in
Nigeria; the predominant age group of abusers; causes of drugs and substance
abuse, as well as possible solutions. Survey
Findings The first
question sought to know the prevalence rate of drug and substance abuse, and
the poll result revealed that 92 percent of adult Nigerians nationwide attest
that drug and substance abuse is prevalent. On the other hand, 8 percent
stated that drug and substance abuse is not prevalent.
The poll
results also sought to know the opinion of Nigerians regarding the drug or
substance that is mostly abused. The findings showed that 41 percent of the
respondents stated that Marijuana is the most abused drug or substance and
South-East region (51 percent) has the larger proportion of respondents who
stated this. This is followed by 22 percent of the respondents who say
codeine is mostly abused, and the North-West region (30 percent) had more
respondents who made this assertion. Other drugs and substances cited include
Alcohol (17 percent), prescription drugs (16 percent), tobacco (12 percent),
tramadol (5 percent) and hard drugs (2 percent) amongst others.
Subsequently,
insight on age-group revealed that those aged between 15 – 29 years accounted
for the largest proportion (88 percent; (15 – 18 years) 40 percent + (19 – 29
years) 48 percent) of Nigerians associated with the abuse of various drugs
and substances in the country.
Furthermore,
the poll revealed that peer pressure and unemployment (33 percent each) are
perceived as the main cause of drug and substance abuse in the country. This
is followed by parental neglect and poverty, as mentioned by 26 percent and
17 percent of the respondents respectively. Other causes of drugs and
substance abuse revealed from findings include ‘illiteracy’ (13 percent),
‘frustration’ (13 percent), and ‘self-pleasure’ (9 percent) amongst other
causes.
Also,
respondents were asked if they have a family member involved in drug and
substance abuse, and the poll result revealed that 16 percent of the
respondents stated that their family members are involved with alcohol abuse.
Similarly, while 15 percent stated that their family members are involved in
smoking marijuana, another 15 percent mentioned tobacco and 11 percent of the
respondents also stated that their family members are involved in taking
prescription drugs.
With regards
to curbing this menace, 41 percent of the respondents suggested that jobs
should be created, while 30 percent recommended that awareness on the effects
of drug and substance abuse should be created. Other solutions proffered
include ban of the sale of illegal drugs, and the need to enact and enforce
strict legislation, both of which tied at 19 percent. 16 percent of
respondents also stated that government should improve the economy.
Conclusion In
conclusion, findings from the poll have revealed that 92 percent of Nigerians
admitted that there is a high prevalence of drugs and substance abuse in the
country especially amongst teenagers and young adults aged between 15 and 29
years. The poll also indicated that the top three drugs or substances mostly
abused are Marijuana, Codeine, and alcohol. With regards
to curbing this menace, while 41 percent recommended that jobs should be
created to engage those engaged in this act, 30 percent suggested that an
awareness on the effect drug and substance abuse will help curb the threat.
There also is an urgent need to give young Nigerians evidence-based
information on addiction and other drug-related harm. This will curtail drug
experimentation and the growing culture of intoxication. Finally, government
and stakeholders involve in the fight against drug and substance abuse should
expedite action and stamp out this menace to avoid the unwanted and
unwarranted ravenous consequence on those involved in the abuse of drugs and
substance. (NOI Polls) June 23,
2022 Source: https://noi-polls.com/drug-and-substance-abuse-poll-release/ 747-749-43-09/Polls Internet Access Of All Adult South Africans, 85%
Young people in South Africa are definitely
well-connected, with 98% having access to a cellphone, albeit not always a
smart phone. In addition, a remarkably high proportion (92%) of young people
between the ages of 18 and 24 have also indicated that they have access to
the internet, although many of them do not have access at home, work, or an
educational institution, most have access via their mobile phones. (Internet
access of all adult South Africans is 85% - also mainly via mobile phone.) Young South African adults do very well
when it comes to being able to understand different languages, especially
English that is seen as a lingua franca among them – no doubt fuelled by the
important role played by English in using either a mobile phone or the
internet. These are some of the findings of a
Khayabus study that Ipsos undertook at the end of 2021. A total of 3,600
interviews were conducted with adult South Africans from the last week of
November to the end of December 2021. During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic
countless jobs were lost, many of them by young people, therefore it is
relevant to have a look at the current work status of the young people in our
country – are they making inroads into the labour market and finding work? Unfortunately, looking at the next graph,
it is clear that young people do not feature much in different categories of
occupations when compared to the figures for all adults in South Africa. Far
more young people will have to gain access to the formal employment market in
the country for this situation to change. Perhaps this explains a bit of the fact
that a higher proportion of young people between the ages of 18-24 are
receiving government grants than in the population as a whole:
Somewhat surprisingly, the opinions
expressed by young people and all adult South Africans were almost on a par,
looking at those who either strongly agree or agree with a few opinions on
politics, political parties, and elections in our country: Apart from the fact that these figures look
rather similar it is a worry that less than half of South Africans in all
adult age groups agree with these opinions. It shows the phenomenon that
developed over the last number of years that voters became more and more
disillusioned in political parties (and politicians). This feeling of
disillusionment manifested in the low turnout of last year’s local government
election. The disillusionment can possibly explain
why less than half feel that elections are free and fair or are expressing
the will of the people – these are basic features of a democracy that are not
obvious to South Africans and also not clear to young South Africans. Even more
worrying is the opinion that, despite the assurances of the South African
constitution, only just more than a third agrees that all South Africans have
equal rights. Looking forward, a similar proportion of
young people and all South Africans (45%) expressed the view that they have
confidence in a happy future for people of all population groups in this
country. Although this is not exactly a low score, it is disappointing that
less than half of people feel this way. All in all, these findings support a view
that the “democratic project” in South Africa needs a lot more positive
support – from civil society, from concerned South Africans, but also from
government. (Ipsos South Africa) 15 June 2022 Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en-za/youth-features-politics-and-future WEST
EUROPE
747-749-43-10/Polls One In Seven Secondary School Teachers Say They Face Violence From
Pupils At Least Once A Month
Teachers in Britain say disruptive and violent pupils ruin
teachers’ lives, causing physical injury and career-ending psychological
harm. Recently, a London teacher received
Ł850,000 in compensation after being punched in the face and kicked
by a pupil with a history of violence. Teachers experience regular aggression and even violence from school
children, according to new YouGov research. One in seven secondary school
teachers (15%) say they experience violence from a pupil at least once a
month, including 5% who say they are subject to attacks at least once a week.
In addition, around half of secondary school teachers (47%) say they
experience aggressive behaviour from a student at least once a month,
including three in 10 (28%) who say this happens at least once a week. One in
14 (7%) teachers say they deal with aggressive pupils every single day. Teachers also have to deal with the belligerent behaviour of angry
parents – one in seven (15%) teachers say parents are aggressive with them on
at least a monthly basis. (YouGov UK) June 15, 2022 747-749-43-11/Polls Seven In Ten People Say The Early Years Should Be More Of A Priority
For Society
The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood has today unveiled
the findings of new research into early childhood development, as The Duchess
of Cambridge and the Centre host a roundtable with the early years sector,
Ministers and senior civil servants to discuss the results and the broader
importance of early childhood development to society. Conducted by Ipsos UK on behalf of The Royal Foundation Centre for
Early Childhood, the research comes two years after The Duchess’s landmark
survey – ‘5 Big Questions on the Under-Fives’ – which attracted the largest
ever response to a public survey of its kind with over 500,000 responses in
one month, sparking a national conversation on the early years. The research published today delves even deeper into public
perceptions of early childhood, focusing on three key areas: the
prioritisation of the early years, the link between the first five years of
life and lifelong outcomes for mental health and wellbeing and the support
parents seek when raising young children. Key findings in detail:
Speaking about the research, The Duchess of
Cambridge said: Our experiences in early childhood
fundamentally impact our whole life and set the foundation for how we go on
to thrive as individuals, with one another, as a community and as a
society. The findings published today present us
with a huge opportunity and demonstrate there is real appetite from the
public to bring this issue up all of our agendas. There is more we can all do
– every member of society can play a key role, whether that is directly with
a child or by investing in the adults around them – the parents, the carers,
the early years workforce and more. “If we come together to raise the
importance of early childhood development, we’ll soon see that healthy, happy
individuals make for a healthier, happier world. Which is why every second we
spend with a child, is an investment in our collective future. Kelly Beaver MBE, Chief Executive of Ipsos
UK and Ireland, said: Although the majority of us agree that the
experiences people have in childhood can have a significant impact on their
future, a minority of Briton’s recognise the unique importance of the first
five years of a child’s life. These formative years are crucial in the emotional,
social and physical development of every child and this critical new
research, for The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, provides the
opportunity for society to ignite a discussion about how parents and children
can be better supported during this period. (Ipsos MORI) 16 June 2022 Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/seven-ten-people-say-early-years-should-be-more-priority-society 747-749-43-12/Polls Half (45%) Of The Public Say Apprenticeships Are Better Than
University Degrees For Preparing Young People For The Future
In the Queen’s Speech, the government set out its plans to make
technical education more attractive to young people, including promoting
apprenticeships as an alternative to university education. Boris Johnson
promised at the start of the pandemic to offer
an apprenticeship to every young person, although apprenticeship
starts have fallen significantly. Britons see apprenticeships as at least equally good as university
degrees for young people, new polling from YouGov/The Times shows.
Approaching half (45%) of the public say apprenticeships are better than
university degrees for preparing young people for the future, while 44% say
both are equally good. Just 4% of Britons think a university degree is best –
despite university
degrees having significantly higher uptake among young people
than apprenticeships.
Conservative voters are considerably more likely than Labour voters
to see apprenticeships as better than degrees (55%) at preparing young people
for the future, rather than seeing them as equally good (40%). For Labour
voters, the figures are 38% for apprenticeships and 50% for ‘both equally’. Non-graduates are more likely to see apprenticeships as a better way
of preparing young people for the future. Around half (51%) of people who
have not graduated university say apprenticeships are better than university
degrees, while 38% say both equally. Those Britons who have graduated university are considerably more
likely to say apprenticeships are equally good as degrees at preparing young
people for the future (57%) than say they are better (just 29%). Even among
graduates, however, just 7% consider a university degree to be the better
option. Among non-graduates, those who have attained lower education levels
(GCSE or below) are more likely to see apprenticeships as superior to degrees
(56%), compared to 47% of those whose highest education is A-levels or
vocational training. However, regardless of education, age, gender or politics, few
Britons see university degrees as being better than apprenticeships. Parents of school-aged children say they
would prefer their child to take an apprenticeship, rather than a degree By 46% to 33%, parents of school-aged children say they would prefer
their child to take an apprenticeship rather than go to university. Again,
Conservative voters show a stronger preference for their child starting an
apprenticeship (52%) than a degree (27%), while Labour voters are narrowly in
favour of preferring their child to go to university (44%) rather than have
them start an apprenticeship (36%).
As before, those parents who do not have a degree say they would
prefer their children to take an apprenticeship (52%) rather than get a
degree (27%). Parents who graduated university feel the opposite: 51% of
graduate parents would prefer their children to get a degree at 18, compared
to 28% who would prefer their children to take an apprenticeship. Among non-graduates, those parents who are educated to GCSE level or
below say they would prefer apprenticeships over degrees for their children
by 57% to just 17%. Those who have A-levels or vocational qualifications are
more split, but still prefer their children to take an apprenticeship (49% to
34%). (YouGov UK) June 17, 2022 747-749-43-13/Polls War In Ukraine: Britons Continue To Support Sanctions But Are Wary Of
Costs At Home
As the conflict in Ukraine drags past the 100-day mark, it seems
increasingly likely that fighting will drag on in a
protracted war of attrition. Britons continue to back a wide range of supporting measures for
Ukraine, bar direct military conflict between British and Russian forces.
Three-quarters of people (76%) currently support increased economic penalties
against Russian interests in the UK, within the margin of error for the 79%
in the previous survey on 14-15 March. A further 71% continue to be in favour of additional weapons
shipments to Ukraine, with only 13% opposed to doing so. The level of support
is also little changed since March (74%), despite heavy-handed
threats from the Kremlin against arming the Ukrainian resistance.
Likewise, most Britons continue to support targeted media in
Russian-speaking parts of Ukraine encouraging them not to support the Russian
leadership or armed forces (62%) and sending additional troops to support
NATO members in Eastern Europe (60%). Half would still support providing
support to domestic political opponents of the Russian leadership (52%) and
cyber attacks against Russian military capabilities. Britons continue to oppose direct military action, however, with only
34% supporting air strikes on Russian targets in Ukraine and 27% backing
sending troops into Ukraine. Support for tougher sanctions wanes as the
cost of living begins to bite While most Britons are
in favour of supporting Ukraine, the
financial situation in the UK is growing ever more dire. Previously people
were willing to shoulder increased costs to put financial pressure on the
Kremlin, but now support begins to waver. Britons still tend to say they would support further sanctions on
Russia even if it led to a fuel shortage in the UK (44%), however, this is
down eight points from 52% in March. The number of those opposed to increased
sanctions in such a scenario has subsequently risen from 32% to 38%. People are split 42% to 42% on whether they would support or oppose
more sanctions on Russia if they would further raise the cost of living in
general. Support in this scenario has fallen the furthest of those asked
about, dropping 12 points since March. The number of those against has risen
10 points in the same time period.
The public is also split 44% to 41% on additional sanctions that
would lead to taxes hikes to cover defence spending. Again, the proportion of
support has fallen (eight points from 49% previously). Finally, people are now more likely to say they would oppose new
sanctions that would increase energy bills (45%) than support them (38%).
Previously, Britons were willing to support more sanctions leading to
increased energy bills by 48% to 38%. Concern about the conflict remains high,
but has also declined Britons remain concerned about the fighting in Ukraine. Overall, some
74% are concerned about the war, including 22% who are "very"
worried. However, this compares to 84% who were worried by the invasion when
it began in February, with nearly double (43%) claiming to be
"very" worried at the time. Only 19% of Britons currently claim to not be worried by the
situation in Ukraine. (YouGov UK) June 20, 2022 747-749-43-14/Polls Two-Thirds Of People Believe The NHS Should Provide Fertility
Treatment
The Progress Educational Trust (PET) and Ipsos explored UK adults’
attitudes and beliefs around fertility treatment and genomics in medicine.
The survey was wide-ranging in the topics that it investigated within this
area; findings, adapted from the contents of PET’s report entitled
“Fertility, Genomics and Embryo Research: Public Attitudes and
Understanding”, include the following:
(Ipsos MORI) 22 June 2022 Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/two-thirds-people-believe-nhs-should-provide-fertility-treatment 747-749-43-15/Polls The Conservative Celtic Fringe: Tories In Trouble In The Leave-Voting
South West
Across the South West of England sit a raft of Leave-voting, ageing,
and sparsely populated constituencies which have been held by the
Conservatives since at least 2015, when a blue sea swept the region,
propelling David Cameron to a Westminster majority. These seats make up the ‘Conservative Celtic Fringe’, a group of 41
constituencies which fit under the umbrella of being in the South West
region, have returned a Conservative MP since at least 2015, and voted Leave
in 2016 (according
to Professor Hanretty’s estimates). Back in 2010, many of these seats were part of a fully-fledged,
long-term Liberal Democrat heartland. No fewer than 12 constituencies in the
Conservative Celtic Fringe were represented by Lib Dem MPs, who campaigned
hard on local issues and provided a protest voice for voters with strong
regional identities, unwilling to support one of the two main British
political parties. Where they did not hold the seat, the Lib Dems were
pressing hard in second place, with an average vote share of 30% in the
Fringe constituencies they did not win
in 2010. Now, however, not a single Lib Dem MP remains in the entire region. While there is some commonality in terms of potential Lib Dem
strength and Conservative weakness, these seats are very different to the ‘Blue
Wall’. Namely, instead of being bastions of Remain, the Conservative
Celtic Fringe voted by some margin to leave the European Union in 2016. And
rather than being graduate-heavy and increasingly populated by young
professionals and commuters, the average age across Fringe seats is much
older than in Britain as a whole, and there are far more agricultural workers
per capita than the national average. But despite looking and sounding like exactly the sort of
constituencies and voters that the Conservatives ought to be able to bank on
as part of their voter coalition, rumblings in the Conservative Celtic Fringe
threaten to open up a whole new front in Boris Johnson’s quest to win the
next election. Latest YouGov figures suggest that, if an election were being held
now, the Conservatives would lose 11 seats in their Celtic Fringe, with a
further four on the cliff edge of falling into opposition hands.
According to our first ever polling of over 800 voters in the
Conservative Celtic Fringe this month, we find that both Labour and the
Liberal Democrats are gaining at the expense of a huge decline in
Conservative support. Across all Conservative Celtic Fringe seats combined, Johnson’s party
received 57% of the vote in 2019, with Labour and the Liberal Democrats on
19% apiece. Now, according to our survey, the Conservatives have dropped a full
19 points down to 38% of current vote intention. The Liberal Democrats are
now on 22%, and Labour have climbed by five points to 24% of the vote. As has been the case in so many polls this year, much of the decline
in Conservative support is down to 2019 Conservative voters telling us they
either won’t vote or don’t know who they would vote for if an election were
currently being held. If we calculate party-level swing from 2019 to now and apply these
figures uniformly across the 41 Conservative Celtic Fringe constituencies,
then no fewer than 11 Conservative seats would currently be lost. Of those,
Labour would pick up six, the Liberal Democrats four, and the independent
candidate Claire Wright would take the East Devon constituency (if she were
to stand again). The losses include the seat of Cambourne and Redruth, whose current
MP George Eustice is Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural
Affairs. In a further major worry for the Conservatives, Minister for Brexit
Opportunities and Government Efficiency, Jacob Rees-Mogg, would also be in
peril of losing his North East Somerset seat. Based on our figures, he would
be re-elected by only a slim margin. Elsewhere, Labour would also be picking up both Bournemouth
constituencies and the seats of Gloucester, Kingswood, and Swindon South. The Liberal Democrats would re-take Wells, Chippenham, Taunton Deane,
and St Ives. The scale of losses which might occur in the Conservative Celtic
Fringe do not come anywhere close to those in the Red Wall in 2019. But if
the Tory seat total takes a hit from its South Western flank at the same time
as it does in the Red Wall former Labour heartlands and across the new Blue
Wall front, this Labour and Liberal Democrat pincer movement could become
very costly to the Conservatives indeed. (YouGov UK) June 23, 2022 747-749-43-16/Polls 72% Of Britons Support Introducing Rent Controls In England
New research by Ipsos shows most Britons expect house prices in their
local area will be higher in 12 months’ time, and a similar proportion expect
an increase in the average across Britain. Around a quarter expect prices to
rise a lot. Two-thirds (66%) believe average house prices will increase in their
local area while 69% say the same for the country’s average. Those in the
East of England (76%), South of England (70%), West Midlands (66%) and
Scotland (66%) are most likely to expect prices to rise. Reflecting an expectation that prices will rise, people are more
likely to consider the next 12 months to be a good time to sell a property
(59%) than buy one (35%).
Are rising house prices a good or bad
thing? People are much less sure that rising housing prices are a good thing
for Britain than they are them personally – 18% think increases are good for
Britain, compared to 30% who think they are good for them personally. Four in
10 (41%) owner-occupiers agree that rising house prices are good for them
personally (only 24% disagree), while 58% of renters say it is not good for
them. What do people think matters? Britons are most likely to identify the lack of affordable homes and
high house prices as among the biggest problems with housing in Britain today
– both are identified by 36%. Around 3 in 10 say the lack of social housing
is a key problem (29%) while 28% say rents are too high. Least likely to be considered a big problem with housing is planning
restrictions making it too hard to build more homes (4%), public opposition
to building new homes (5%) and big homes being occupied by one or two people
(6%).
What can be done? Most Britons disagree with the statement “there isn’t much that
British governments can do to deal with the country’s housing problems”, 61%
disagree while only 17% agree. Similarly, 54% disagree that “there isn’t much
that British governments can do to deal with the country’s housing market”
(19% agree). Only a quarter of people (26%) are confident that the UK will
build enough affordable new homes in the next few years, up from 17% in 2016. At the 2019 General Election, Ipsos found support for a range of
housing policies contained in party manifestoes. As was the case then, most
Britons are in favour of Labour’s 2019 manifesto policy to introduce rent
controls in England, so that rents in the private sector do not rise by more
than the inflation rate. Just over seven in ten, 72%, support this idea, with
only 7% in opposition. Around two-thirds (65%) are in favour of the Lib Dems’ 2019 policy to
tackle second homes by giving powers to local councils to increase council
tax on second homes and homes that are left empty for more than six months. More than half (56%) are supportive of the policy to extend the Right
to Buy (a scheme in which tenants renting from councils are able to purchase
their homes at a discount price) to those who rent from housing associations.
Support has increased by 10 percentage points since the 2019 General
Election. Labour’s policy to build 100,000 council homes and 50,000 housing
association properties a year in England for the next 5 years is supported by
53% of Britons while 14% oppose. Ben Marshall, Research Director at Ipsos,
said: It is a sign of the pessimism surrounding
housing in Britain that people expect things to get worse in terms of the two
features of the housing crisis they consider to be the most important –
rising house prices and building enough affordable homes. (Ipsos MORI) 27 June 2022 747-749-43-17/Polls Among Unwed Britons Shows That They Tend To Want To Get Married (40%)
Family lawyers in England and Wales are expecting an influx of
divorce filings in the coming months, as the biggest change
to marriage law for half a century comes into effect. Under the
reformed law, couples wishing to divorce will no longer need to separate for
two years or assign blame to end their marriage. But are Britons still interested in marriage? A new YouGov survey
among unwed Britons shows that they tend to want to get married (40%),
compared to 28% who say they will not, and a further 29% who are unsure. There is also little difference between the genders. Among unwed men,
38% want to marry versus 27% who do not, compared to 42% of unwed women who
want to tie the knot and 29% who do not. Are young people more anti-marriage however? The research shows that
overall, while only 16% of people aged 18 to 34 are married, 49% of this age
group overall want to get married, for a total of 65% who are either married
or want to be. Only one in ten of this age group overall say they do not want
to marry. This means there is little difference to those aged 55 and over, for
example, 61% of whom are either married (59%) or want to be (2%), and 11% who
do not want to marry. It is those aged 45 to 54 who are most opposed to
marriage, however, this is still a minority. Some 47% of this age group is
married, and a further 8% want to for a total of 55%, versus the 17% who do
not want to. Why don’t people want to get married? Despite most still wanting to get married, it is not for everyone, but
what is putting them off? Approaching half (48%) of unwed Britons who do not want to get
married say they don’t see the point in doing so, while 34% say they don’t
think marriage is right for them. Another third (34%) think that the idea of
marriage is outdated, and no longer relevant. Around one in five (23%) do not think they will meet the right person
to marry – rising to 34% among unwed singletons who do not want to marry in
the future. The religious elements underpinning marriage is also putting off 20%. Another 14% are put off the idea of marriage by the prospect of a
messy divorce. While men and women tend to feel similarly about why they
might not want to marry, in this case, men are slightly more likely to say
the risk of divorce is off-putting (18%) than women (11%). Younger Britons who do not wish to marry are more likely to cite a
variety of reasons compared to older unwed people. While the top reason
across all age groups is not seeing the point in marriage, the most
significant difference between them is the idea that marriage is outdated.
Over half (56%) of those aged 18 to 34 who do not wish to get married say
that is at least partly behind why. In comparison, only 15% of those aged 55
and over who are unwilling to wed say the same. This younger age group is also more likely to say they are put off by
the religious aspect of marriage (36%) compared to those 55 and over (9%).
They are also more likely to say they have heard bad things about marriage
from others (18%) than those 55 and over (4%). (YouGov UK) June 28, 2022 Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/lifestyle/articles-reports/2022/06/28/do-britons-still-want-get-married 747-749-43-18/Polls Conservatives Set To Lose 26 Of Their 64 Lib Dem Battleground Seats
Last Thursday the Liberal Democrats overturned a huge Conservative
majority to comfortably win a by-election contest for the third time this
parliament. Following notable wins in both Chesham and Amersham and North
Shropshire, the Liberal Democrats won the South Western seat of Tiverton and
Honiton on a swing of no less than 30 points. Now new YouGov MRP modelling shows that the Conservatives would be
set to lose no fewer than 24 Con-Lib Dem battleground constituencies to the
Liberal Democrats if an election were being held tomorrow (with Labour
picking up another two). Of the 64 English seats which the Conservatives hold and the Liberal
Democrats won above 20% of the vote at the 2019 general election, our MRP
model suggests that the Tories would lose a number of high-profile contests
to the Liberal Democrats including Esher and Walton (the seat of deputy prime
minister Dominic Raab), Surrey South West (seat of former party leadership
contender and health secretary Jeremy Hunt), and Chippenham (seat of cabinet
minister Michelle Donelan). In London, Labour would pick up the marginal seats of Kensington and
Cities of London and Westminster. Many more Conservative seats are close to being flipped: no fewer
than 11 of the 38 predicted holds would be retained by a margin of less than
five points. None would be retained with a majority of over 20 points. Although constituencies would fall to the Liberal Democrats all
across the country, including Harrogate and Knaresborough in the North and
South Cambridgeshire in the East, perhaps the most striking losses come in
the South West, where we estimate that the Conservative vote share is down by
over 16 points on 2019. Here, of the 20 constituencies included in the definition, eight
would go to the Liberal Democrats. That includes the Conservative
"Celtic Fringe" seats, identified
by YouGov earlier this month, of Wells, North Cornwall, St Ives, North
Devon, and Taunton Deane. Elsewhere, many Blue
Wall seats would also fall to Liberal Democrat challengers. As well
as the aforementioned seats of Esher and Walton and Surrey South West, other
commuter-belt constituencies such as Guildford, Woking, Hitchin and
Harpenden, and Wokingham would also be lost. We estimate that nine of the 29
battleground seats in the South East region would go from the Conservatives
to the Liberal Democrats, if an election were being held now. Across each of the three parties there are interesting geographical
variations to vote share change among the constituencies analysed. For
instance, while the Liberal Democrats are up by eight points in battleground
seats in the South East, and nine points in the South West, they are
actually down in
London by one point. Meanwhile, the Conservatives are down 15 and 16 points in the South
West and South East respectively, 14 points in the East of England, the North
and the Midlands, and 11 in London. The only Con-Lib Dem battlegrounds region where Labour have increased
their vote share on 2019 is in London, where they are up by three points. In
all other regions their vote share in these battleground seats is down – despite Labour’s vote
intention being around six to nine points higher than the 32% they managed at
the last election.
(YouGov UK) July 02, 2022 747-749-43-19/Polls Shopper Barometer 2022: 58% Of French People Do Their Daily Shopping
To Within €10
The Shopper in-Store Media / Ipsos Barometer marks the return of
budgetary constraints and the deployment of varied purchasing strategies Key lessons
The return of inflation penalizes wallets The budgetary room for maneuver of the
French has fallen sharply: 58% of them now do
their shopping for around €10 or less, an increase of 12 points since 2021 . Between energy and
consumer goods, the price
increase is felt by nearly 9 out of 10 French shoppers, half
of whom consider it very significant. As a result, visits to local businesses (convenience
stores, food shops, municipal markets) and
organic businesses are falling, where 89% of shoppers
continue to visit large format hypermarkets and supermarkets. Choices have to be made After two years of relative budget relaxation linked to restrictions
and "forced savings", shoppers
today declare that they are making "chosen savings" on so-called
"secondary" needs such as outings and cultural
products for 60%, clothing for 56% and high tech products for 54%. This is not the case for food shopping where
76% to 83% of shoppers say they at least maintain their budget depending on
the department (83% my starchy foods, 79% for fruits and vegetables, 77% for
the dairy and 76% for fresh desserts). Purchasing strategies are implemented in
store In this context, 87% of
shoppers decide in store to reconcile their means and their desires. Indeed, 66% buy more products when they are on sale. It
even becomes the first criterion pushing
people to deviate from the shopping list (62%) ahead of
forgetfulness and cravings (59% and 56% respectively). Also 1 out of 2 shopper is more attentive to in-store
information to optimize and complete their purchases. Finally , the hunt for promotions allows
45% of people questioned to maintain, or even increase, their impulse
purchases, whether for innovations or pleasure products (chocolate,
confectionery and biscuits). Difficult to reconcile end of the world and
end of the month This dilemma is more topical than ever because decisions in favor of products that are more
responsible for the environment and health are on the decline. Only
39% of shoppers are willing to pay more for environmentally friendly products
(down 4 points from 2021 ) and 49% for health-friendly
products. When analyzing by type of product consumed, the results are
mixed. Shoppers are always careful to
consume healthy, balanced (75%), local or made in France (67%) food
products. However, the majority of
shopping remains a pleasure for shoppers, since 56% of them
consider it a pleasant moment. Daily
shopping is the priority of the French who, in the event of a
drop in their purchasing power, will be 84% to maintain these expenses. (Ipsos France) June 14, 2022 747-749-43-20/Polls Boom In Holiday Departures: Three Out Of Four French People Intend To
Leave This Summer
Forecast for summer 2022
Trends for 2022
Budget & duration for 2022
A 15-year record for holiday intentions
this summer After 2 years of health crisis, there is a marked increase in French
departure intentions (74% or +7 pts vs 2021) which exceed the level before the health crisis (+5
pts vs 2019). Moreover, 71% of French people say they are enthusiastic
about the idea of going on vacation. This trend is also confirmed among our
European neighbors with 71% intentions to leave
(+14 pts vs 2021 and +8pts vs 2019) led by the Portuguese (79%), the
Spaniards (78%) and the Italians (76 %).
However, a large proportion of vacationers are still undecided about
their destination. On the date of the survey [1] , 23% of French people had not yet chosen their
destination. In terms of bookings, 55% of French holidaymakers had not
yet booked , 22% of whom said they wanted to book at the last
minute. Note that only 25% had already booked their entire vacation
(transport, accommodation, etc.). An increase in holiday budget but still
lower than in 2019 The average budget devoted to French summer
holidays is up sharply for a holiday length almost similar to 2021 (2.1
weeks), i.e. €1,806 [2] (+11%),
an amount equivalent to the average European (€1,805, +14%). However,
the level of expenditure remains lower than in 2019 (-€400 in France). Concerns about inflation and rising prices are very
present in the minds of the French and impact the desire to
travel this year: this is the case for 72% of the French. In addition, financial
considerations are mentioned as one of the main reasons for not traveling
by the French who will not go
on a trip this summer (26%). Indeed, 50% of them plan to give
up going on holiday for lack of means (vs. 41% of Europeans) and 24% to save
money. By way of comparison, in 2021, 32% of French people did not go on
vacation, 40% of them for lack of budget. Concerns linked to Covid-19 less present,
in the minds of holidaymakers For 49% of French people, COVID-19 has an impact on their enthusiasm
for travelling, but less than
inflation which reaches 72%. On the travel and leisure side, concerns
related to Covid-19 are also fading with only
37% of French people worried about their travel plans (- 17% vs 2021) and 38%
about their leisure plans (- 22% vs. 2021). The French, although less concerned, remain
cautious and still plan to avoid traveling to
certain countries (64%, -12 pts), cruises (55%, -13 pts), crowded places (53%,
-18pts) ,), and favor nearby destinations (53%, -12 pts). The French still favor France, but reaffirm
their desires elsewhere France remains this year the flagship
destination of French holidaymakers surveyed with
56% of them intending to spend their holidays in the territory, i.e. a rate
identical to 2019 but up by 2 points vs 2021. even for Italians (65%),
Spaniards (59%) and Portuguese (54%) who will also favor holidays in their
own country. The French who will travel in France will
head for the South with the top three of the most attractive regions: the
PACA region (23%), Occitanie (20%) and New Aquitaine (18%). There is a rebound in
international travel with 40% of French people (+12 pts vs 2021) planning to
go abroad. Their favorite destinations this summer will be Spain (15%), Italy (8%), and Portugal (5%). As for France, it remains an attractive
destination for foreign holidaymakers. It thus arrives in the
top 3 of the favorite destinations of European respondents for the summer of
2022: 30% of Belgian holidaymakers
say they want to go there (France is their favorite foreign destination), 20%
of Swiss holidaymakers, 13% of Portuguese , 10% of Spaniards, and even 4% of
Australian travellers. Family holidays, feet in the water French vacationers always express the desire to spend time with their
loved ones. Thus, 84% of French people will spend part
of their holidays with family, 15% with their friends and 12% will go on an
adventure alone. The French, a holiday model apart In terms of accommodation, the
French stand out from the trends of
other European countries, making them the European champions in seasonal rentals (39%,
up 4 pts vs. 2021 and vs 30% of Europeans). Finally, the appeal of hotel stays is
increasing (29%, +4 pts vs 2021), although
France is the European country that least favors this type of accommodation
(European average of 46%, +9 pts). There is thus a return to
accommodation choices similar to the pre-covid period. On the transport side,
despite the significant increase in fuel prices, the car will be the preferred means of transport for
73% of French holidaymakers (+1% vs 2021). The French
are moreover those who will use the car the most as a means of transport for
holidays, all countries combined (vs. Europe 60%, -8
pts). Nevertheless, the choice of
plane is up sharply (22%, +6 pts vs 2021) and the train
remains stable with 15% of followers. A return to normal travel? The pandemic has forced all French people to change the way they
travel and for nearly a third of them,
these new habits will last over time:
Many French people are divided about the future of travel under “normal
pre-pandemic conditions”, without a mask or test. Although for 15% of
French people (+5 pts vs 2021), this seems like an impossible goal, 31% of
optimists believe that the situation will return to normal by the end of the
year, 24% in 2023 and 30 % in 2024 and beyond. (Ipsos France) June 14, 2022 747-749-43-21/Polls More Than One In Two French People Do Not Know That Myopia Is A
Disorder Affecting Far Vision
The French have little knowledge of the
behaviors likely to promote or aggravate myopia Risk factors little identified by the
French. Only the hereditary character (65%) and the time spent in front of
the screens (68%) are factors mainly identified by the French. The
others remain little known: - ethnic origin :
86% of French people are unaware of this risk factor even though we now know
that certain populations are more predisposed to myopia than others (for
example, the Chinese and the Eskimos vs the Indians) ; - the time devoted to reading
each day (unrecognized by 74% of those questioned): however,
prolonged reading in poor conditions (insufficient lighting, distance of less
than 30 cm, absence of regular breaks, etc.) leads to a strong demand on near
vision can promote myopia; - low exposure to daylight (unrecognized
by 66% of French people): daylight is nevertheless a recognized protective
factor against myopia. By promoting the secretion of dopamine, natural
light would contribute to limiting the elongation of the eye and therefore to
slowing down the development or aggravation of this vision disorder; - and, to a lesser extent,
intensive work in the context of studies in particular (58%
of French people do not know this): however, educational pressure is a factor
favoring the onset and progression of myopia, as evidenced by the strong prevalence
of this visual disorder within populations particularly invested in studies
(pupils of Orthodox schools in Israel, or students from East Asia). This level of knowledge illustrates a certain inability to do what is
necessary to prevent the development of myopia by having the appropriate
behaviors. Parents of children are just as concerned: 62% of them do not
know that low exposure to daylight is one of the risk factors. Little is known about the protective role
of daylight during childhood. Only 1 in 4 French people know that the
more time a child spends outdoors, the lower their risk of becoming
nearsighted (23%). And on the side of the
parents, the observation is identical: only 31% know it. The environmental
factors likely to reduce the risk of myopia
are also little known, and the French doubt the effectiveness of certain
preventive practices. 1 out of 3 interviewees wrongly considers that
spending at least 1 hour a day outside has no impact on the risk of becoming
myopic. Similarly, only a minority of French people know that certain
behaviors are "very" effective in avoiding becoming myopic or in
slowing down the development of myopia, such as having sufficient lighting
for close-up activities (only 35%), limiting time spent on these activities (28%),
being at least 30 cm away from a book or screen (22%) or even taking
20-second breaks every 20 minutes while looking into the distance (24
%). The French are not convinced of their effectiveness, most often
believing that these behaviors are only “fairly” effective. This can be
explained in particular bythe relatively
recent nature of scientific knowledge on myopia risk and prevention factors. A lack of knowledge that hinders the
adoption of a certain number of preventive behaviors. More than 1 in 3 parents say their child spends 2 hours or less
outdoors every day (36%). Although it is recommended to spend at least 2
hours a day outdoors to significantly reduce the risk of myopia in
children, parents do not seem to be
informed or at least not to perceive the effectiveness of this type of
precautionary measure. On the other hand, the time estimated by parents for activities
requiring near vision for their children is very high today: on average, 5
hours and 17 minutes per day. A time that explodes after 10 years: 6h54
for children aged 11 to 13 and 7h28 even for those aged 14 to 17. The time spent by children on screens
probably has a strong negative impact on the time spent on outdoor
activities. A strong lack of knowledge of myopia and
its warning signs can delay diagnosis and treatment. 51% of French people do not give a good
definition of myopia. Myopia is the most widespread and yet misunderstood visual
disorder: more than 1 in 2 French
people do not know that this disorder affects distance vision (51%). Wrongly,
14% think that this disorder affects near and far vision, 13% that it affects
near vision, 8% that this disorder affects near vision due to advanced age,
while 16 % can't decide on any definition. This lack of knowledge is also particularly high among parents (54%)
and even among parents with myopic children (43%). The signs of suspicion of myopia are
unknown; an additional factor of delay in care? Given the poor knowledge of the very nature of myopia, it seems
difficult for the French to identify the signs allowing to suspect
myopia. Many French people are not
aware, or do not know that these signs can reveal myopia :
for example, a child who blinks excessively (67%), a child who often has
headaches or eyestrain ( 46%), a child who reads, draws, or writes glued to
his sheet (44%) or a child who approaches the television to watch it (41%) Only three attitudes seem to be better
identified : a child who frowns and squints to
see from afar (64% know this but 1 in 3 people do not know this or are
unaware of it), a child who complains that objects from a distance are blurry
(68%) and a child who complains of having difficulty deciphering the
blackboard at school (71%). Although these latter signs, which are more
visible, are identified a little more often, it is likely that in many cases
this lack of knowledge generates a delay in the detection and management of
myopia in children. Many French people are not subject to
regular ophthalmological screening and monitoring. If nearly 2/3 of French people are aware of the need to detect myopia
as soon as possible (64%) and believe that it is recommended to consult an
ophthalmologist before entering CP or college (65%), a conversely, more than
1 in 3 don't really know. On the parents' side, despite being on the
front line to start screening their children, the finding is similar: more than a third are wrong or do not know that
screening as soon as possible can prevent a rapid progression of myopia (35%
), and that it is recommended to consult an ophthalmologist before entering
primary school and upon entering college (34%). Nearly 1 in 5 parents report that their myopic child consults an
ophthalmologist less than once a year. And on the side of the parents
whose children do not have sight problems, more than 4 out of 10 admit to
taking them to consult only every 4-5 years or less often. Finally, almost a third of parents with a myopic child under the age
of 6 consult the ophthalmologist once every 2-3 years or less often (32%),
this is also the case for parents of myopic children aged 15 to 17 (33%). The French are unaware of the risks and
potential complications of myopia More than 8 out of 10 French people do not
imagine that myopia can lead to blindness. It is certain that the French
underestimate the potential seriousness of the complications of myopia :
more than 8 out of 10 French people do not imagine that it can cause
blindness. The finding is also quite alarming among those most concerned, namely
nearsighted people and parents of nearsighted children. They are
respectively only 19% and 21% to know that myopia can cause blindness. The information is weak. Moreover, only a third of myopes (34%)
and less than one in two parents (46%) say they have already received
information on the risks associated with the development of their
myopia. Thus, for example, only 18% of myopes and 26% of parents of
myopic children have already had information about retinal detachment. The ophthalmologist is the main vector of
information that the French receive on the possible
complications linked to myopia (67% of myopes who received explanations got
them from him), far ahead the optician (29%) or the general practitioner (16%). Real misinformation about refractive
surgery. Little informed of the complications and risks associated with the
development of their myopia, 9 out of 10 myopic people do not know that
refractive surgery does not prevent myopia-related complications. Thus,
45% mistakenly think that this operation makes it possible to avoid
complications and 45% indicate that they do not know what it
is. However, a myopic eye remains anatomically fragile, even after
refractive surgery, hence the need for patients who have been operated on to
continue to be regularly monitored by an ophthalmologist. Nearly 2/3 of French people think that once
myopia has set in, there is nothing to do. Myopia is experienced as inevitable: the
vast majority of French people doubt that it can be curbed (61%),
or even consider that there is nothing that can be done to get
there. This lack of information can no doubt be explained by the
relatively recent character of braking solutions in France. However, it
challenges all the more that this lack of knowledge is found among people
with myopia (57%). A real effort of information and education on all of
these solutions therefore appears essential in view of the number of people
now affected by myopia. (Ipsos France) NORTH
AMERICA
747-749-43-22/Polls About Six-In-Ten Americans Say Abortion Should Be Legal In All Or
Most Cases
Abortion has long been a contentious issue in the United States, and
it is one that sharply divides Americans along partisan, ideological and
religious lines.
Today, a 61% majority of U.S. adults say abortion should be legal in
all or most cases, while 37% think abortion should be illegal in all or most cases. These
views are relatively unchanged in the past few years. The latest
Pew Research Center survey, conducted March 7 to 13, finds deep
disagreement between – and within – the parties over abortion. In fact, the
partisan divide on abortion is far wider than it was two decades ago. Related: Explore an interactive look at Americans’ attitudes on abortion. In the latest survey,
Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents are 42 percentage points more
likely than Republicans and Republican leaners to say abortion should be legal in all or most cases (80% vs.
38%). This gap is little changed over the last few years, but the current
divide is wider than it was in the past. For instance, as recently as 2016,
there was a 33-point gap between the shares of Democrats (72%) and
Republicans (39%) who supported legal abortion in all or most cases. How we did this
This wider gap is mostly attributable to a steady increase in support
for legal abortion among Democrats. In 2007, roughly two-thirds of Democrats
and Democratic leaners (63%) said abortion should be legal in all or most
cases. Support among Democrats has risen by nearly 20 points since then, and
80% now say abortion should be legal in all or most cases. Views among Republicans have remained relatively steady during this
period. In 2007, around four-in-ten Republicans (39%) said abortion should be
legal in all or most cases; today, 38% say this.
There are ideological differences within both parties over abortion,
though the divide is starker within the GOP. Among Republicans and
Republican-leaning independents, 60% of moderates and liberals say abortion
should be legal in all or most cases, compared with just 27% of conservative
Republicans. While liberal Democrats are 18 percentage points more likely than
conservative and moderate Democrats to say abortion should be legal in all or
most cases, wide majorities of both groups (90% and 72%, respectively) say
this. Support for legal abortion varies by race and ethnicity, education
and religious affiliation.
Majorities of adults across racial and ethnic groups say abortion
should be legal in all or most cases. White adults and Hispanic adults,
however, are slightly less likely to say this than Black and Asian adults.
Roughly six-in-ten White (59%) and Hispanic adults (60%) say abortion should
be legal in all or most cases, compared with larger majorities of Black (68%)
and Asian (74%) adults. Support for legal abortion is greater among those with higher levels
of education. While majorities of those with a postgraduate degree (69%),
bachelor’s degree (64%) and those with some college experience (63%) say
abortion should be legal in all or most cases, adults with no more than a
high school education are more divided on the issue: 54% say abortion should
be legal in at least most cases, while 44% say abortion should be illegal in all or most cases. White evangelical Protestants continue to be opposed to abortion in
all or most cases. Nearly three-quarters of White evangelicals (74%) say it
should be illegal in all or most cases, while 24% say it should be legal in
at least most cases. In contrast, a majority of White Protestants who are not
evangelical (60%) say abortion should be legal in all or most cases.
Religious “nones” – those who are religiously unaffiliated – overwhelmingly
support legal abortion. Over eight-in-ten (84%) say it should be legal in all
or most cases, while just 15% say it should be illegal. Among the public overall, there is a modest gender divide in views of
whether abortion should be legal: 58% of men and 63% of women say it should
be legal in at least most cases. Within both parties, the views of men and
women are largely aligned. Among Democrats, 80% of both men and women say
abortion should be legal in all or most cases. Similarly, 36% of Republican men
and 39% of Republican women say the same. (PEW) JUNE 13, 2022 747-749-43-23/Polls 57% Journalists Are Highly Concerned About Future Restrictions On
Press Freedom
From the economic
upheaval of the digital age to the rise of political
polarization and the COVID-19
pandemic, journalism in America has been
in a state of turmoil
for decades. While U.S. journalists recognize the many challenges facing
their industry, they continue to express a high degree of satisfaction and
fulfillment in their jobs, according to an extensive new Pew Research Center
survey of nearly 12,000 working U.S.-based journalists.
Seven-in-ten journalists surveyed say they are “very” or “somewhat”
satisfied with their job, and an identical share say they often feel excited
about their work. Even larger majorities say they are either “extremely” or
“very” proud of their work – and that if they had to do it all over again,
they would still pursue a career in the news industry. About half of
journalists say their job has a positive impact on their emotional
well-being, higher than the 34% who say it is bad for their emotional
well-being. At the same time, however, journalists recognize serious challenges
in the news media more broadly. Indeed, when asked to describe their industry
in a single word, nearly three-quarters of journalists surveyed (72%) use a
word with negative connotations, with the most common responses being words that
relate to “struggling” and “chaos.” Other, far less common negative words
include “biased” and “partisan,” as well as “difficult” and “stressful.”
(See Chapter
1 for more detailed figures and the methodology for
more details about the question asked.) The survey of 11,889 U.S. journalists, conducted Feb. 16-March 17,
2022, identified several specific areas of concern for journalists, including
the future of press freedom, widespread misinformation, political
polarization and the impact of social media. More than half of journalists surveyed (57%) say they are “extremely”
or “very” concerned about the prospect of press restrictions being imposed in
the United States. And about seven-in-ten journalists (71%) say made-up news
and information is a very big problem for the country, higher than the 50% of
U.S. adults who say the same. At the same time, four-in-ten journalists say
that news organizations are generally doing a bad job managing or correcting
misinformation.
A large majority of journalists say they come across misinformation
at least sometimes when they are working on a story, and while most say they
are confident in their ability to recognize it, about a quarter of reporting
journalists (26%) say they have unknowingly reported on a story that was
later found to contain false information. How to report on false statements has become a vexing question for
journalists amid a turbulent political climate. The survey asked journalists
what they think is the best approach to coverage when a public figure makes a
false statement. By two-to-one, journalists are more likely to say the best
approach is to “report on the statement because it is important for the
public to know about” (64%) rather than to “not report on the statement
because it gives attention to the falsehoods and the public figure” (32%). Still, there is no consensus that opposing views always warrant equal
coverage. What historically may have been considered a standard norm of
journalism (and even a requirement for broadcast
stations in their election coverage) seems, in today’s political
environment, to be facing a reevaluation as heated debate
ensues around the issue of “bothsidesism” – whether news outlets
should be committed to always giving equal attention to all sides of an
issue.
A little over half of journalists surveyed (55%) say that in
reporting the news, every side does not always deserve equal coverage,
greater than the share who say journalists should always strive to give every
side equal coverage (44%). On the other hand, journalists express wide support for another
long-standing norm of journalism: keeping their own views out of their
reporting. Roughly eight-in-ten journalists surveyed (82%) say
journalists should do
this, although there is far less consensus over whether journalists meet this
standard. Just over half (55%) think journalists are largely able to keep their
views out of their reporting, while 43% say journalists are often unable to. Some of journalists’ views – such as whether every side deserves
equal coverage – are connected to the ideological composition of their
audiences. Journalists were asked about the political leanings of the
audience at the organization where they work (or the main one they work for
if they work for more than one), and roughly half say that their audience
leans predominantly to the left (32%) or right (20%). An additional third say
their organization has a more politically mixed audience, while 13% are
unsure.
Even as they recognize audience leanings, journalists express deep
concerns over political sorting in news consumption habits, with
three-quarters of those surveyed saying it is a major problem when people
with the same political views get their news from the same news
organizations. The American public, however, appears much less worried:
Roughly four-in-ten U.S. adults (39%) say this a major problem. To be able to
make comparisons between journalists’ views and those of the public on
certain key issues, the Center conducted two separate surveys around the same
time as the journalist survey, posing some of the same questions to roughly
10,000 U.S. adults who are part of the Center’s American
Trends Panel. (Read more about those two surveys in the methodology
section.)
Maintaining widespread journalistic credibility in a polarized
climate can seem like an impossible task – and many journalists seem to
recognize that. While three-quarters of journalists say that journalists largely agree on the
basic facts of the news – even if they report on them in different ways –
about half of journalists surveyed (52%) say it is not possible to report
news that “nearly everyone finds accurate.” An even greater share of the U.S.
public overall (62%) says it is not possible to report news that is
universally accepted as accurate. Journalists and the public far apart on
their assessment of today’s news industry The survey’s results show that journalists recognize that the public
views them and their work with deep skepticism. When asked what one word
they think the public would use to describe the news industry these days,
journalists overwhelmingly give negative responses, with many predicting that
the public would describe the news media as “inaccurate,” “untrustworthy,”
“biased” or “partisan.” (Read the methodology for
more detail.) Moreover, just 14% of journalists surveyed say they think the U.S.
public has a great deal or fair amount of trust in the information it gets
from news organizations these days. Most believe that Americans as a whole
have some trust (44%) or little to no trust (42%). When a similar question was posed to the general public, 29% of U.S.
adults say they have at least a fair amount of trust in the information they
get from news outlets, while 27% say they have some trust and 44% have little
to none. This disconnect between journalists and the public also comes through
when each group is asked about the job news organizations are doing with five
core functions of journalism: covering the most important stories of the day,
reporting the news accurately, serving as a watchdog over elected leaders,
giving voice to the underrepresented, and managing or correcting
misinformation. In all five areas, journalists give far more positive assessments
than the general public of the work news organizations are doing. And on four
of the five items, Americans on the whole are significantly more likely to
say the news media is doing a bad job
than a good job. For example, while 65% of journalists say news organizations
do a very or somewhat good job reporting the news accurately, 35% of the
public agrees, while 43% of U.S. adults say journalists do a bad job of this.
Similarly, while nearly half of journalists (46%) say they feel
extremely or very connected with their audiences, only about a quarter of the
public (26%) feels that connection with their main news organizations. Journalists see social media as both a
blessing and a curse
These days, many journalists connect with audiences through social
media, and they see this as a double-edged sword. On the one hand, 94% of
journalists surveyed report using social media in their work to some degree,
and these journalists see a number of ways that social media helps them do
their jobs. For example, among journalists who use social media for their
work, 87% say it has a very or somewhat positive impact on promoting news
stories, and 79% say it helps them connect with their audience and find
sources for their news stories.
At the same time, however, two-thirds of all journalists surveyed
(67%) say social media has a very or somewhat negative impact on the state of
journalism as a whole. Just 18% say social media has a positive impact on the
news industry, while 14% say it has neither a positive nor negative impact. Additionally, roughly four-in-ten journalists (42%) say they have
experienced job-related harassment or threats by someone outside their own
organization in the past year, and within this group, a large majority (78%)
say that harassment came through social media at least once. That means that
one-third of all journalists surveyed report being harassed on social media
in the last 12 months. Journalists offer mixed views about
diversity and inclusion in the newsroom
As issues of diversity and inclusion in the workspace gain heightened
attention around the country, journalists offer mixed views of how their
organizations are doing at diversifying staff. Although two-thirds (67%) say
their organization has achieved sufficient gender diversity, about half as
many – 32% – say it has reached sufficient racial and ethnic diversity. And
fewer than half of respondents (42%) characterize addressing issues around
diversity and inclusion as a major priority for their newsroom. Roughly two-thirds of journalists say their organization generally
treats everyone fairly regardless of age, gender, or race and ethnicity. But
these figures are not quite as high among certain groups. For example, Black,
Hispanic and Asian journalists are less likely than White journalists to say
that their organization treats everyone fairly based on race and ethnicity.
Read Chapter
6 for more details. (The appendix provides
a detailed demographic profile of the journalists who completed the survey.) Younger journalists give lowest grades on
newsroom diversity, older journalists more worried about the future of press
freedom In a number of areas, there is a large amount of agreement across
different groups of journalists. Still, some differences do emerge –
particularly by age.
The youngest journalists (ages 18 to 29) are least likely to say
their organization has enough diversity in the newsroom in a number of areas.
For instance, nearly seven-in-ten (68%) say there is not enough racial and
ethnic diversity, compared with 37% of journalists ages 65 and older who say
the same. Younger journalists also engage with this issue more: About half of
journalists under 50 say they discuss their organization’s diversity with
colleagues at least several times a month, far higher than the 30% of those
65 and older who say this. The oldest group of journalists, meanwhile, tend to feel more
fulfilled by their job. Three-quarters of journalists 65 and older say their
job has a very or somewhat positive impact on their emotional well-being,
substantially higher than the 29% of journalists under 30 who say the same.
Older journalists, meanwhile, are more worried about the future of press
freedom – 68% say they are extremely or very concerned about possible
restrictions on press freedom in the country, compared with 42% of those ages
18 to 29. (Read Chapter
7 for more details.) Other key findings from the survey include:
(Gallup) JUNE 14, 2022 747-749-43-24/Polls Hispanic Americans’ Trust In And Engagement With Science
Hispanic Americans are one of the fastest
growing groups in the nation, a trend that now extends far beyond
historic Hispanic population centers to every region and state across the
nation. Hispanic Americans are a diverse population, tracing their roots to
the island of Puerto Rico, Mexico and more than 20 other nations across
Central and South America, with experiences and views about American society
often differing widely depending on whether they were born in the United
States or immigrated to the country. A new Pew Research Center survey, accompanied by a series of focus
groups, takes an in-depth look at Hispanic Americans’ views and experiences
with science spanning interactions with health care providers and STEM
schooling, their levels of trust in scientists and medical scientists, and
engagement with science-related news and information in daily life. Hispanic adults hold largely trusting views of both medical
scientists and scientists to act in the public’s interests. Hispanic adults’
encounters with the health and medical care system are varied, reflecting the
diverse nature of the U.S. Hispanic population across characteristics such as
nativity, language proficiency, gender, age and education. Representation is a theme seen across issue areas in the new survey
and the data underscores some of the challenges Hispanic adults view – and
report experiencing – when it comes to increasing Hispanic representation and
engagement with science and allied fields. Hispanic Americans are glaringly underrepresented among the ranks of
scientists and those in allied professions. Hispanic adults make up 17%
of the U.S. workforce but just 8% of those working in a science,
technology, engineering or math (STEM) job. Since 2010, there has been an
increasing share of Hispanic students attending and graduating from college
as well as a rise in the share earning a bachelor’s degree in a STEM field.
Even so, Hispanic students remain underrepresented among college graduates
and among master’s and doctoral degree-earners in STEM.
The survey findings suggest that most Latinos see scientific
professions as potentially “unwelcoming” to Latino people. For example, just
26% of Latinos feel that scientists as a professional group are very
welcoming of Latinos in these jobs; another 42% say they are somewhat
welcoming. About three-in-ten (29%) view scientists as not too or not at all
welcoming of Latinos in their ranks. Perceptions of medical doctors’ openness toward Latino colleagues are
slightly better: roughly a third describe medical doctors as very welcoming
of Latinos in these jobs (34%). While scientists are not the only
professional group that Latinos view as less than very welcoming, perceptions
of scientists are among the lowest measured across the nine groups included
in the survey. Hispanic adults also express a sense that Hispanic people are not
visible at the highest levels of success in science careers. About six-in-ten
say that Hispanic people have
not reached the highest levels of success as scientists;
fewer (35%) believe that they have. Perceptions of Hispanic achievement as engineers and medical doctors
are relatively more positive: 53% and 59%, respectively, think Hispanic
people have reached the highest levels of success in these professions. One focus group participant put the connection between representation
and trust this way: “I think we need to know more Latino
scientists. I think … well, actually, I don’t know any Latino scientists that
I would say, “Oh yes. That’s that scientist … So maybe if we knew some scientists that made a
discovery that was Latino we would trust science more.” – Latina,
age 25-39 The survey highlights
greater visible achievement among Hispanic Americans as a potential driver of
STEM engagement among Hispanic
Americans, including the pursuit of college degrees in these fields.
A large majority of Hispanic adults say that seeing more examples of
high achievers in STEM who are Hispanic would help a lot (50%) or a little
(31%) to encourage more young Hispanic people to pursue college degrees in
STEM fields. Majorities also say young Hispanic people would be at least a little
more likely to pursue college degrees in STEM if the typical university had
at least several Hispanic students in STEM degree programs and if Hispanic
students had a high school STEM teacher who was Hispanic. A sizable share of Hispanic college students are the first in their immediate
family to attend college. The survey finds first-generation Hispanic
college students are especially likely to view representation in the form of
more examples of high-achieving Hispanic people in STEM as a catalyst for
greater engagement: 60% think this would make young Hispanic people a lot
more likely to pursue STEM degree programs. When thinking about ways to increase engagement with science among
Hispanic Americans, focus group participants frequently raised the issue of
representation. “More of us. We need to see more of our
people.” – Latino, age 25-39 “Just that, incorporate more Latino people
in it, starting with school, involve kids in technology and science, and
develop more projects about strategies, those type of things, for the kids to
get more interested and see it more like a game and therefore begin to have a
love for science.” – Latina, age 40-65 Past experiences with
STEM schooling can play a pivotal role in whether or not people engage with
science or pursue further training or a job in STEM. The survey paints a mixed picture when it comes to Latinos’
past experiences in the classroom. Most Hispanic college graduates working in STEM fields can recall
positive experiences from their most recent educational experiences in
science, technology, engineering and math – such as someone who encouraged
them to keep taking classes in these subjects. However, Hispanic college graduates working in STEM jobs are
significantly more likely than non-Hispanic White college graduates in these
positions to say they faced mistreatment in their most recent STEM schooling.
For instance, 34% say they can recall someone treating them as if they could
not understand the subject matter – significantly higher than the share of
non-Hispanic White adults working in STEM who say this (22%). In all, 43% of college-educated Hispanic STEM workers say they had at
least one of the three negative experiences asked about in the survey. The
experiences of Hispanic college graduates in this regard are similar to those
of Black college graduates, who are also far more likely than non-Hispanic
White college graduates to recall any of these three negative experiences in
their STEM schooling.
The survey, conducted Nov. 30 to Dec. 12, 2021, includes 3,716
Hispanic adults; findings based on all Hispanic adults surveyed have a margin
of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points. The questions asked in the survey were informed by a set of six focus
groups among Hispanic adults, conducted virtually in July 2021, that elicited
views about the COVID-19 pandemic, experiences and beliefs about the health
and medical care systems, as well as people’s interests in science topics and
their thoughts about ways to increase trust and engagement with science in
Hispanic communities. The study also drew guidance from a panel of advisers
with expertise on Hispanic and Black Americans’ views and experiences in
American society broadly and in connection with science, health and STEM
education. A common theme recurring in both focus group discussions and
conversations with the expert advisory panel was how the diversity of the
U.S. Hispanic population is central to experiences with science across all
aspects of society. The survey data reveal these differences by characteristics such as
nativity and language proficiency across science topics, but they appear
especially central to Hispanic Americans’ interactions with and views about
medical care.
For instance, while the share of Latinos with health insurance is up
over the last decade, Latino immigrants remain less likely than those born in
the U.S. to have health insurance. Latino immigrants (especially those who
have been in the country for 20 years or less) also are less likely than
other Latinos to say they have seen a health care provider in the past year
or that they have a primary care provider who they usually turn to when they
are sick or need health care. The interconnected characteristics of nativity and language
proficiency are major factors shaping preferences in seeking out health care.
Foreign-born Hispanic adults – a group that is much more likely to be
Spanish-language dominant – are far more likely than those born in the U.S.
to say they prefer to see a Spanish-speaking health care provider (58% t0
12%) and to prefer a Hispanic provider (47% to 20%). Underscoring issues of representation in the medical profession, just
7% of all physicians and surgeons are Hispanic, according
to a Center analysis of federal government data, far lower than the share
of Hispanics in the overall workforce. When it comes to negative experiences with health care, 52% of Latino
adults say they’ve had at least one of six negative experiences with health
care providers in the past – such as having to speak up to get the proper
care. In this, experiences of Latino adults are more similar than different
to those of all U.S. adults. However, the relatively small share of Hispanic Americans who
identify their race as Black (3%) are much more likely than Hispanic
Americans who identify as White or as some other race to report negative
health care interactions. A large majority of Black Hispanic adults (69%) say
they’ve faced one of six negative experiences with health care providers,
such as feeling that the pain they were experiencing was not being taken
seriously. By contrast, a smaller share of White Hispanic adults (50%) say
they’ve had one of these six negative experiences with doctors or other
health care providers. Trust in medical scientists and engagement
with COVID-19 news and information The coronavirus pandemic and the development of COVID-19 vaccines has
put renewed focus on public levels of trust in medical scientists and scientists,
especially in the Hispanic population that has faced disparate
health impacts from COVID-19. Hispanic adults hold largely trusting views of both medical
scientists and scientists to act in the public’s interests. About
three-in-ten Hispanic adults (29%) hold a strong level of trust in medical
scientists, saying they have a great deal of confidence in them to act in the
public’s best interests. Half say they have a fair amount of confidence in
medical scientists, while 20% express more negative views, saying they have
not too much or no confidence in medical scientists. Trust in scientists is similarly positive. A large majority of
Hispanic Americans have either a great deal (26%) or a fair amount (48%) of
confidence in scientists to act in the public’s best interests. (Half of the
survey respondents were asked for their views of medical scientists and half
were asked for their views of scientists, generally.)
Hispanic Americans’ trust in medical scientists and scientists is
higher than it is for other groups and institutions, including the military,
police officers and K-12 public school principals. Still, as with the general
population, Hispanic Americans’ confidence in medical scientists is down
from earlier in the coronavirus pandemic. In April 2020, 45% of Hispanic
adults had a great deal of confidence in medical scientists. That figure was
30% in November 2020 and is roughly the same (29%) in the current survey.
Similarly, confidence in scientists has also fallen since the early stages of
the coronavirus outbreak. As with views of scientists in the general population, Hispanic
adults with a college degree or more education are generally more trusting of
medical scientists and scientists than those with less education. Hispanic
Democrats tend to hold more trusting views of these groups than do Hispanic
Republicans – in line with partisanship patterns seen among all U.S. adults. Hispanic Americans’ broadly positive views of scientists are
consistent with the reliance they report on experts to make sense of news
about the coronavirus and COVID-19 vaccines. Hispanic adults express broad engagement with coronavirus news and
information; the survey was fielded in December 2021, amid a surge of
coronavirus cases stemming from the omicron variant. About half of Hispanic
adults (47%) say they talked about coronavirus-related news nearly every day
or a few times a week. Among social media users, 73% of Hispanics report
having seen coronavirus content in the past few weeks. These levels of
engagement with coronavirus news and information among Hispanic adults are
similar to those seen among all U.S. adults.
Changes to public health guidance and information about the
coronavirus outbreak and vaccines have proven confusing
to many Americans. When asked about potential sources of coronavirus
information, Hispanic Americans are more likely to say they can rely on
information from experts than any of seven other sources considered in the
survey. Roughly three-quarters of Hispanic adults (74%) say they can rely on
information from experts in this area either a lot or some; 21% say they can
rely on experts not too much or at all. Close friends and family also play a prominent role when it comes to
information about the COVID-19 outbreak and vaccines: 58% of Latinos say they
can rely on close friends and family a lot or some. About half of Latinos say the same about information on this topic
from journalists and from news media focused on Latino audiences. Smaller
shares say they can rely on other sources for information about the
coronavirus outbreak and vaccines, including religious leaders and neighbors. (PEW) JUNE 14, 2022 747-749-43-25/Polls U S Teens Are More Likely Than Adults To Support The Black Lives
Matter Movement
American teenagers are more likely than adults to express support for
the Black Lives Matter movement, according to two Pew Research Center surveys
fielded this spring.
Seven-in-ten U.S. teens say they at least somewhat support the Black
Lives Matter movement, including 31% of teenagers who strongly support it,
according to a survey conducted in April and May among American teens ages 13
to 17. By comparison, a little over half of U.S. adults (56%) said in a March
survey that they support the Black Lives Matter movement, similar to the 55%
who said the same in September
2021 and September 2020. Around a quarter of adults (26%) strongly
support the movement. How we did this
While support for the Black Lives Matter movement varies considerably
between teens and adults, similar shares of 13- to 17-year-olds and young
adults ages 18 to 29 express at least some support for the movement (70% vs.
66%, a difference that is not statistically significant). Some 57% of adults
ages 30 to 49 support the movement – comparable to the 54% of adults ages 50
to 64 who do so, but higher than the share of adults 65 and older who support
it (49%).
As is the case among adults, there are large racial and ethnic gaps
in support for the Black Lives Matter movement among teens. Black teenagers
are the most likely to say they at least somewhat support the movement (92%
say this), with 57% saying they strongly support it. Roughly eight-in-ten
Hispanic teens (82%) express at least some support for the movement, compared
with a smaller majority of White teens (57%). In each racial and ethnic group for which data is available, adults
are less likely than teens to support the Black Lives Matter movement.
Eight-in-ten Black adults do so, compared with two-thirds of Hispanic adults
and half of White adults. The sample sizes for Asian teenagers and adults
were too small to analyze separately.
Teens’ views of the Black Lives Matter movement differ along party
lines, but Republican and Democratic teens are still more supportive of the
movement than their adult counterparts. About four-in-ten Republican and
Republican-leaning teenagers (42%) say they at least somewhat support the
Black Lives Matter movement, compared with 22% of Republican and GOP-leaning
adults. Democratic and Democratic-leaning teenagers’ views align more closely
with those of their adult counterparts, with a 9 percentage point gap saying
they support the movement (94% vs. 85%). Democratic teens are also slightly
more likely than Democratic adults to say they strongly support the Black Lives
Matter movement: Half of teenage Democrats say this, compared with 44% of
adult Democrats. (PEW)
747-749-43-26/Polls Politics On Twitter: One-Third Of Tweets From U S Adults Are
Political
Roughly one-quarter of American adults use
Twitter. And when they share their views on the site, quite often they
are doing so about politics and political issues. A new Pew Research Center
analysis of English-language tweets posted between May 1, 2020, and May 31,
2021, by a representative sample of U.S. adult Twitter users finds that fully
one-third (33%) of those tweets are political in nature. Echoing the Center’s findings in its prior studies of tweeting
behavior, whether political or otherwise,
the vast majority of these political tweets are produced by a minority of
users. And certain demographic groups are especially active contributors to
the overall volume of political content on Twitter. Most notably, Americans
ages 50 and older make up 24% of the U.S. adult Twitter population but
produce nearly 80% of all political tweets. And 36% of the tweets produced by
the typical (median) U.S. adult Twitter user age 50 or older contain
political content, roughly five times the share (7%) for the tweets from the
typical 18- to 49-year-old.
More broadly, Americans who tweet the most about politics differ in
several ways from those for whom politics is a less central topic of
discussion. These “high-volume” political tweeters are significantly more
likely than other users to say that they use Twitter to express their own
opinions (67% vs. 34%); that they talk about politics with others at least
once a week (53% vs. 33%); that they contributed to a political campaign in
the last year (46% vs. 21%); or that they participate in politics because
they enjoy it, as opposed to viewing it as a civic duty (27% vs. 14%). At the same time, a larger share of these politically vocal users say
the people they follow on Twitter have similar political views to their own
(45% vs. 25%). And despite – or perhaps because of – their regular forays
into the world of political tweeting, those who tweet the most about politics
are actually less likely
than other users to say that Twitter is an effective way to get people to
change their minds about political or social issues. Just 34% of the most
active political tweeters feel this way, compared with half of those who
tweet less about politics. This analysis builds on the Center’s previous research on political
content on Twitter, which identified relevant content using relatively
strict, keyword-based
approaches. For instance, our 2019
examination of politics on Twitter focused on discussions of
politics at the national level and categorized tweets as political in
nature only if they
“mention[ed] or express[ed] support or opposition toward national politicians
or elected officials, political parties, ideological groups or political
institutions, or specific political behaviors like voting.” This definition
excluded mentions of state or local politics and politicians, as well as
discussions of policy issues and current events that carry a political
valence but do not explicitly reference national political figures or groups. This new analysis identifies political content with more nuance and
subtlety. Researchers at the Center trained a supervised machine learning
classifier on an expert-validated collection of tweets that human coders had
read and categorized according to whether or not they referenced political
officials and activists, social issues, or news and current events. This
classifier was then able to learn the textual patterns and terms that lead
human readers to recognize a tweet as “about politics” and identify such
patterns in tweets that humans had not previously coded. With a broader
definition of political content and a more flexible classifier, this analysis
more comprehensively reflects the range and diversity of political discussion
as it occurs on platforms like Twitter. Not surprisingly given these
definitional differences, the current analysis identifies a larger share of
tweets as political in nature. Among the other major findings of this examination of the political
characteristics, attitudes and online behaviors of U.S. adults on Twitter:
Retweets and quote tweets are more likely
to contain political content than original tweets. This
analysis of one year of tweets from a representative sample of U.S. adult
Twitter users finds that certain types of tweets are more likely than others
to contain political content. Roughly four-in-ten retweets (44%) and quote
tweets (42%) from these users were found to pertain to politics. But that
share falls to 26% for replies – and to just 8% for original tweets. Democrats and Republicans who use Twitter
have different political experiences on the site. A
larger share of Democrats than Republicans (including political independents
who “lean” toward either party) say they have tweeted about political or
social issues in the 30 days preceding the survey (30% vs. 17%). And a larger
share of Democrats say that Twitter is very effective at raising public
awareness about political or social issues (28% vs. 17%). Americans from each
party also report seeing different types of political content on the site.
Democrats who use Twitter are twice as likely as Republicans to say they
mostly follow accounts with similar political beliefs to their own (40% vs.
20%) or that they disagree with few
or none of the tweets they see (33% vs. 16%). But some Twitter behaviors cross party lines. Notably, an identical
share of Democrats and Republicans on Twitter (17%) say they tweeted about
sports in the 30 days preceding the survey.
Political figures make up 20% of the
accounts followed by a large number of U.S. adults. Politicians,
government figures, public offices, and public officials make up just 1% of
all the accounts followed by this representative sample of U.S. adult Twitter
users. But these entities are far more prevalent among the most-followed
accounts: Fully 20% of the accounts followed by at least 20 individual
respondents fall into this category. Media organizations and journalists, as
well as policy or advocacy organizations, are also notably more prevalent in
the accounts that are widely followed by U.S. adults on Twitter. “Twitter-only” political engagement is
relatively rare. The Center’s survey asked
about a variety of political behaviors that users might take, both on Twitter
(such as tweeting about a political or social issue) and off (such as voting
or contributing money to a campaign). The vast majority of Twitter users
engaged in at least one of these activities in the preceding year. By far the
largest share – 58% – engaged both on Twitter and elsewhere, and another 34%
took part only in non-Twitter efforts. Just 3% of U.S. adult Twitter users
say they took some sort of political or civic action on Twitter in the last
year but did not do so outside the platform. Users say political content makes up a
larger share of what they see than of what they post. Some
41% of U.S. adult Twitter users say that a lot of what they see on Twitter is
related to political or social issues. But just 12% say a lot of what they themselves
post is related to these topics. (PEW) JUNE 16, 2022 747-749-43-27/Polls Belief In God In U S Dips To 81%, A New Low
The vast majority of U.S. adults believe in
God, but the 81% who do so is down six percentage points from 2017 and is the
lowest in Gallup's trend. Between 1944 and 2011, more than 90% of Americans
believed in God. Gallup's May 2-22 Values and Beliefs poll
finds 17% of Americans saying they do not believe in God. Gallup first asked this question in 1944,
repeating it again in 1947 and twice each in the 1950s and 1960s. In those
latter four surveys, a consistent 98% said they believed in God. When Gallup
asked the question nearly five decades later, in 2011, 92% of Americans said
they believed in God. A subsequent survey in 2013 found belief in
God dipping below 90% to 87%, roughly where it stood in three subsequent
updates between 2014 and 2017 before this year's drop to 81%. Gallup has also in recent years asked other
questions aimed at measuring belief in God or a higher power. All
find the vast majority of Americans saying they believe; when given the
option, 5% to 10% have said they were "unsure." Younger, Liberal Americans Least Likely to
Believe in God Belief in God
has fallen the most in recent years among young adults and people on the left
of the political spectrum (liberals and Democrats). These groups show drops
of 10 or more percentage points comparing the 2022 figures to an average of the 2013-2017 polls. Most other key subgroups have experienced
at least a modest decline, although conservatives and married adults have had
essentially no change. The groups with the largest declines are
also the groups that are currently least likely to believe in God, including
liberals (62%), young adults (68%) and Democrats (72%). Belief in God is
highest among political conservatives (94%) and Republicans (92%), reflecting
that religiosity is a major determinant of political divisions in the U.S. Four in 10 Say God Can Hear Prayers,
Intervene A follow-up
question in the survey probed further into what Americans' belief in God
entails. Specifically, the question asked whether God hears prayers and
whether God intervenes when people pray. About half of those who believe in God --
equal to 42% of all Americans -- say God hears prayers and can intervene on a
person's behalf. Meanwhile, 28% of all Americans say God hears prayers but
cannot intervene, while 11% think God does neither.
Nearly three-quarters of the most religious
Americans, defined as those who attend religious services every week, say
they believe God hears prayers and can intervene, as do slightly more than
half of conservatives and Republicans, as well as 25% of liberals and 32% of
Democrats. Thirty percent of young adults believe God
hears prayers and can intervene.
Bottom Line Fewer Americans
today than five years ago believe in God, and the percentage is down even
more from the 1950s and 1960s when almost all Americans did. Still, the vast majority of Americans
believe in God, whether that means they believe a higher power hears prayers
and can intervene or not. And while belief in God has declined in recent
years, Gallup has documented steeper drops in church
attendance, church
membership and confidence
in organized religion, suggesting that the practice of religious faith
may be changing more than basic faith in God. (Gallup) JUNE 17, 2022 Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/393737/belief-god-dips-new-low.aspx 747-749-43-28/Polls Nearly Half Of States Now Recognize Juneteenth As An Official Holiday
Juneteenth National Independence Day, which celebrates
the end of slavery in the United States, became
a federal holiday last year. But at the state level, governments
vary considerably in whether they commemorate it as an official holiday, a
day of observance or something in between. How we did this Juneteenth is a combination of the words June and nineteenth. It
commemorates the day, more than two months after the end of the Civil War –
and more than two years after Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation
– when enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas, were informed of their
freedom. It is now one of 11 official
federal holidays – or 12 for federal workers in the District of
Columbia and surrounding areas during presidential inauguration years –
meaning that federal workers get a paid day off and there’s no mail delivery. Most
federal offices are closed on federal holidays, along
with most banks and the bond markets that trade in U.S. government
debt. The stock
markets generally remain open, as do most retailers and other
businesses, though these vary by federal holiday.
At the state level, at least 24 states and the District of Columbia
will legally recognize Juneteenth as a public holiday this year – meaning
state government offices are closed and state workers have a paid day off,
according to a Pew Research Center analysis of state human resource websites,
state legislation and news articles. That number will increase next year:
Connecticut will legally
recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday beginning in 2023. A few
other states are considering
legislation to make the day an official holiday. Most states where Juneteenth is a legal state holiday have added it
to their calendars fairly recently. In fact, all but one of them added it as
an official holiday in 2020 or later. The exception is Texas, where the holiday
originated and where it is also known as Emancipation Day.
Juneteenth has been celebrated locally in Texas since the 1860s and became an
official state holiday there in 1980. Public awareness
of Juneteenth grew in 2020 amid nationwide protests after the police
killings of several Black Americans, including George Floyd and Breonna
Taylor. President Joe Biden signed
the legislation that made Juneteenth a federal holiday in June 2021.
In addition to D.C. and the states where Juneteenth is an official
holiday, other states give certain workers the day off but haven’t declared
the day a legal holiday. In 2019, for example, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom
Wolf designated
Juneteenth as an “official annual observance” and a paid day off for
state employees under his jurisdiction. And in North Carolina, some state
workers can choose
to take a floating holiday on a day of “cultural, religious or
personal significance,” including Juneteenth. Every state has at some point passed a resolution recognizing
Juneteenth at least as a day of observance – even those that do not count
Juneteenth among their official public holidays. In fact, with the exception
of Texas, all states that currently recognize the day as a public holiday
commemorated Juneteenth this way years before it became an official state
holiday that gives state workers a paid day off. Florida, Oklahoma and
Minnesota were the first states outside Texas to commemorate Juneteenth as a
day of observance in the 1990s. New Mexico has recognized Juneteenth as a
state holiday since 2006, observed on the third Saturday of June; it became a
paid holiday for state workers for the first time in 2022. South Dakota, North Dakota and Hawaii were
the last states to give Juneteenth any formal recognition. The day
was not observed in South Dakota until 2020, when the governor proclaimed it
a holiday. In Hawaii and North
Dakota, Juneteenth has been a day of observance since last year.
Juneteenth is catching on as a holiday in major U.S. cities as well.
Cities including New
York, Los
Angeles and Phoenix have
recently declared the day an official paid holiday for city workers. In
addition to Juneteenth, the District of Columbia celebrates
Emancipation Day on April 16 in honor of the day – almost nine
months before the Emancipation Proclamation – when Abraham Lincoln freed the
enslaved people living in D.C. (PEW) JUNE 17, 2022 747-749-43-29/Polls Two-Thirds (68%) Of Americans Continue To Think The U S Is Less
Respected Today Than In The Past
A majority of Americans have long held
the view that the United States is less respected by other countries
today than it was in the past, and around two-thirds of U.S. adults (68%) say
that’s the case today, according to a
new Pew Research Center survey. Only 13% think the U.S. garners more
respect internationally now than in the past, while 19% think it’s as
respected as ever. But the consistency of overall U.S. public opinion on this question
masks large swings among Republicans and Democrats. Around eight-in-ten
Republicans and Republican-leaning independents (81%) currently believe the
U.S. is less respected than in the past – among the highest GOP percentages
measured in Center surveys dating back to 2004. This represents a shift of
nearly 50 percentage points from the Trump era, when for the first time,
Republicans were more likely to say the U.S. was more respected internationally than
to say it was less respected.
Currently, six-in-ten Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents
say the U.S. is less respected than it was in the past. While this is far
lower than the record share of Democrats who said the same during Donald
Trump’s presidency, Democrats’ views on this question are slightly less
positive than they were at the beginning of the Obama administration. In 2009
and 2012, half of Democrats or fewer felt the U.S. was less respected than in
the past.
Among the 68% of Americans who say the U.S. is less respected by
other countries than in the past, most think this is a major problem.
Overall, 44% of Americans say the U.S. is less respected and that it is a
major problem, while 20% say it is less respected and it is only a minor
problem; 3% say the U.S. is less respected but think it is not a problem. Partisan differences are also evident on this question. A majority of
Republicans (62%) say the U.S. is less respected and that it is a major
problem, while only about a third of Democrats who say the U.S. is less
respected (32%) agree. For Republicans, ideology is an important factor:
Seven-in-ten conservative Republicans say less respect for the U.S. is a
major problem, compared with 46% of moderate and liberal Republicans.
Age plays a complicated role in the public’s attitudes about how
respected the U.S. is now compared with the past. Adults ages 18 to 29 are
more likely than those ages 65 and older to say the U.S. is less respected
than in the past (76% vs. 67%). However, they are also far more likely to say
that less respect for the U.S. is a minor problem or not a problem at all.
Those 65 and older, in turn, are more likely than the youngest adults to say
less respect for the U.S. is a major problem (52% vs. 33%). How do international views compare with
those of Americans? While large majorities of Americans have consistently said their
country is less respected than it was in the past, international attitudes
toward the U.S. have fluctuated considerably, according to data from five
European nations that the Center has regularly surveyed over the past two
decades. Across these five nations – France, Germany, Poland, Spain and the
United Kingdom – the median percentage of adults with an unfavorable view of
the U.S. has risen and fallen as different American administrations have come
and gone. Unfavorable views of the U.S. were at their highest level during
the George W. Bush presidency, when a median of 67% across these nations had
negative views of the U.S.; they were at their lowest level during the early
years of the Obama presidency, when a median of around a quarter of adults
viewed the U.S. negatively. A similar fluctuation is evident when it comes to confidence in the
U.S. president. Few adults in these key allied nations had confidence in
Trump during his presidency – and significantly more now have confidence in
Biden – even as Americans consistently expressed the sense that the U.S. is
less respected than in the past.
(PEW) JUNE 22, 2022 747-749-43-30/Polls Nearly Half Of Americans (47%) Say That The United States’ Influence
In The World Has Been Getting Weaker
Americans overwhelmingly view
China as a “competitor” or an “enemy” to the United States, rather
than a “partner.” And it appears that most U.S. adults do not think that
their country is winning the competition for geopolitical influence,
according to a recent Pew Research Center survey.
Nearly half of Americans (47%) say that the United States’ influence
in the world has been getting weaker in recent years. Only about one-in-five
say U.S. influence has been getting stronger, while 32% say U.S. influence
has been staying about the same. This is in stark contrast with views of China: Two-thirds of U.S.
adults say that the country’s influence has been getting stronger in recent years. Roughly one-in-five
Americans say China’s global influence is holding steady, and only one-in-ten
say China’s influence has been weakening.
Views of these two powers’ relative sway in the international arena
are closely associated with both partisanship and ideology. Republicans and
Republican-leaning independents are significantly more likely than Democrats
and Democratic-leaning independents to say U.S. influence in the world has
been getting weaker (63% and 37%, respectively). And self-described
conservative Republicans are substantially more likely than moderate or
liberal Republicans to hold this view (70% vs. 47%), while liberal Democrats
are more inclined than conservative or moderate Democrats to say U.S.
influence has been waning (43% vs. 32%). Republicans are also more likely than Democrats to think that China’s
international influence has been growing stronger in recent years
(72% vs. 63%). Previous research has found that Republicans are more likely
than Democrats to view China’s
power and influence as a major threat to the U.S. Once again, those on the ends of the ideological spectrum are more
likely to hold this opinion. Nearly eight-in-ten conservative Republicans
(78%) say China’s influence is growing, compared with 60% of moderate and
liberal Republicans. Among Democrats, 72% of liberals think China’s influence
is growing, while only 57% of moderates and conservatives say the same. Men are somewhat more likely than women to say the United States’
influence in the world has been weakening, whereas women are more inclined to
see stability in the country’s relative influence. Differences by age or
education generally are more muted. Views about the influence of other
countries, international institutions The survey also asked Americans about the global influence of several
other countries, as well as a few major international institutions. Amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, views of Russia’s influence are
closely divided, with about equal shares saying Russia’s influence has been
getting stronger (38%) and getting weaker (37%). Only about one-in-five
Americans say Russia’s influence is staying the same.
There also is no consensus among Americans about the influence of
NATO, the European Union and the United Nations. Among these three, the
highest share of Americans say NATO’s influence on the global stage has been
getting stronger in recent years (34%), with 39% saying its influence has
been holding steady and a quarter saying NATO’s influence has been waning.
Once again, these views are linked with partisanship and ideology: Liberal
Democrats are the most likely to say NATO’s influence is getting stronger
(42%), while conservative Republicans are the most likely to say NATO’s
influence has been weakening (33%). Russia’s discomfort with NATO expansion to Eastern Europe has
been described
by some as a motive for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, after which
Finland and Sweden announced bids
to join the military alliance following decades of non-alignment.
The EU also has had a role to play in the recent conflict, including discussions
about Ukrainian membership and sanctions
against Russia. About one-in-five U.S. adults (22%) say the EU’s international
influence is getting stronger, while about a third say its influence is
weakening. A plurality (43%) thinks the EU’s influence is staying steady. Americans are more negative about the UN’s influence, with about
four-in-ten U.S. adults saying its influence has been waning in recent
years. The
UN Security Council has come under fire for failing to condemn
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, since Russia’s permanent seat on the Council
means it has veto power over all resolutions. Just 16% of Americans say the
UN’s influence in the world has been getting stronger. Americans largely see stability in the influence of France, India,
Germany and the United Kingdom, with six-in-ten or more saying the influence
of these countries has been staying about the same in recent years. Notably,
more than twice as many Americans say India’s influence is strengthening
rather than weakening (23% vs. 11%). The opposite is true for the UK: 23% say
its influence has been getting weaker and only 13% say it has been getting
stronger.
Democrats are somewhat more likely than Republicans to say the
influence of a few key U.S. allies (such as France, Germany, NATO and the EU)
is growing. For example, about four-in-ten Democrats say NATO’s influence in
the world has been getting stronger in recent years (39%), compared with
about three-in-ten Republicans (29%). On the other hand, Republicans are slightly more likely to say
Russia’s influence in the world is growing. Ideology also factors into this
assessment: Conservative Republicans are more likely than moderate and
liberal Republicans to say that Russia’s influence has been growing in recent
years. Knowledge of international affairs
connected with opinions
Opinions also are linked
with respondents’ level of international knowledge. (International
knowledge was measured on this survey with 12 multiple choice questions about
global leaders, international institutions and geography. For more
information on the international knowledge scale, see “How
we designed a scale to measure Americans’ knowledge of international affairs.”) Those with high levels of knowledge are significantly more likely
than others to say that China, India and Germany have had growing
international influence in recent years. In the case of China, the knowledge
gap is quite large: 82% of those with high international knowledge think
China’s influence has been getting stronger, while just 45% of those with low
knowledge say the same. The U.S. is the only country where more international knowledge is
linked with more pessimistic views. Over half of Americans with high
international knowledge (54%) say that U.S. influence in the world has been
getting weaker, compared with about one-third of Americans with low
international knowledge (35%). (PEW) JUNE 23, 2022 747-749-43-31/Polls 61% Of U S Adults Say Abortion Should Be Legal
Pew Research Center has conducted many surveys about abortion over
the years, providing a lens into Americans’ views on whether the procedure
should be legal, among a host of other questions. In our most
recent survey, 61% of U.S. adults say abortion should be legal all or
most of the time, while 37% say it should be illegal all or most of the time. With the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturning Roe v. Wade, the 1973 case that effectively
legalized abortion nationwide, here is a look at the most recent available
data about abortion from sources other than public opinion surveys. How many abortions are there in the United
States each year? An exact answer is hard to come by. Two organizations – the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Guttmacher Institute – try
to measure this, but they use different methods and publish different
figures. The CDC compiles figures voluntarily reported by the central health
agencies of the vast majority of states (including separate figures for New
York City) and the District of Columbia. Its latest totals do not include
figures from California, Maryland or New Hampshire, which did not report data
to the CDC. (Read the methodology
from the latest CDC report.) The Guttmacher Institute compiles its figures after contacting every
known provider of abortions – clinics, hospitals and physicians’ offices – in
the country. It uses questionnaires and health department data, and it
provides estimates for abortion providers that don’t respond to its
inquiries. In part because Guttmacher includes figures (and in some
instances, estimates) from all 50 states, its totals are higher than the
CDC’s. The institute’s latest full report, and its methodology, can be found
here. While the Guttmacher Institute supports abortion rights, its
empirical data on abortions in the United States has been widely cited
by groups and publications across
the political spectrum, including by a number
of those that disagree
with its positions. The last year for which the CDC reported a yearly national total for
abortions is 2019. The agency says there were 629,898 abortions nationally
that year, slightly up from 619,591 in 2018. Guttmacher’s latest available
figures are from 2020, when it says there were 930,160 abortions nationwide,
up from 916,460 in 2019. It’s worth noting that the figures reported by both organizations
include only the legal induced abortions conducted by clinics, hospitals or
physicians’ offices, or that make use of abortion pills dispensed from
certified facilities such as clinics or physicians’ offices. They do not
account for the use of abortion pills that were obtained outside
of clinical settings. How has the number of abortions in the U.S.
changed over the years? The annual number of U.S. abortions rose for years after Roe v. Wade
legalized the procedure in 1973, reaching its highest levels around the late
1980s and early 1990s, according to both the CDC and Guttmacher. Since then
it has generally decreased at what a CDC analysis called “a
slow yet steady pace.” Guttmacher recorded more than 1.5 million abortions in the U.S. in
1991, about two-thirds more than the 930,160 it reported for 2020. The CDC
reported just over 1 million abortions in 1991 and 629,898 in 2019, looking
at just the District of Columbia and the 47 states that reported figures in
both years. (This line graph shows the long-term trend in the number of legal
abortions reported by both organizations. To allow for consistent comparisons
over time, the CDC figures in the chart have been adjusted to ensure that the
same states are counted from one year to the next. Using that approach, the
CDC figure for 2019 is 625,346 legal abortions.) There have been occasional breaks in this long-term pattern of
decline – during the middle of the first decade of the 2000s, and then again
in the late 2010s. The CDC reported modest 1% and 2% increases in abortions
in 2018 and 2019, respectively, while Guttmacher reported an 8% increase in
abortions over the three-year period from 2017 to 2020. As noted above, these figures do not include abortions that use pills
that were obtained outside of clinical settings. What is the abortion rate among women in
the U.S.? How has it changed over time? Guttmacher says that in 2020 there were 14.4 abortions in the U.S.
per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44. Its data shows that the rate of abortions
among women has generally been declining in the U.S. since 1981, when it
reported there were 29.3 abortions per 1,000 women in that age range. The CDC says that in 2019, there were 11.4 abortions in the U.S. per
1,000 women ages 15 to 44. (That figure excludes California, Maryland, New
Hampshire and the District of Columbia.) Like Guttmacher’s data, the CDC’s
figures also suggest a general decline in the abortion rate over time. In
1980, when the CDC reported on all 50 states and D.C., it said there were 25
abortions per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44. That said, both Guttmacher and the CDC say there were slight
increases in the rate of abortions during the late 2010s. Guttmacher says the
abortion rate per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44 rose from 13.5 in 2017 to 14.4 in
2020. The CDC says it rose from 11.2 in 2017 to 11.4 in 2019. (The CDC’s
figures for both of those years exclude data from California, Maryland, New
Hampshire and the District of Columbia). What are the most common types of abortion? The CDC broadly divides abortions into two categories: surgical
abortions and medication abortions. In 2019, 56% of legal abortions in
clinical settings occurred via some form of surgery, while 44% were
medication abortions involving pills, according to the CDC. Since the Food
and Drug Administration first approved abortion pills in 2000, their use has
increased over time as a share of abortions nationally. Guttmacher’s preliminary
data from its forthcoming study says that 2020 was the first time
that more than half of all abortions in clinical settings in the U.S. were
medication abortions. Two pills commonly used together for medication abortions are
mifepristone, which, taken first, blocks hormones that support a pregnancy,
and misoprostol, which then causes the uterus to empty. Medication abortion
is approved
for use until 10 weeks into pregnancy. Surgical abortions conducted during the first
trimester of pregnancy typically use a suction process, while the
relatively few surgical abortions that occur during
the second trimester of a pregnancy typically use a process called
dilation and evacuation, according to the UCLA School of Medicine website. How many abortion providers are there in
the U.S., and how has that number changed over time? In 2017, there were 1,587 facilities in the U.S. that provided abortions, according
to Guttmacher. This included 808 clinics, 518 hospitals and 261
physicians’ offices.
While clinics make up a slight majority (51%) of the facilities that
provide abortions, they are the sites where the vast majority (95%) of
abortions occur, including 60% at specialized abortion clinics and 35% at
nonspecialized clinics, according to the 2017 data from Guttmacher. Hospitals
made up 33% of the facilities that provided abortions but accounted for only
3% of abortions that year, while just 1% of abortions were conducted by
physicians’ offices. Looking just at clinics – that is, the total number of specialized
abortion clinics and nonspecialized clinics in the U.S. – Guttmacher found a
2% increase between 2014 and 2017. However, there were regional differences.
In the Northeast, the number of clinics that provide abortions increased by
16% during those years, and in the West by 4%. The number of clinics decreased during those years by 9%
in the South and 6% in the Midwest. The total number of abortion providers has declined dramatically
since the 1980s. In 1982, according to Guttmacher, there were 2,908
facilities providing abortions in the U.S., including 789 clinics, 1,405
hospitals and 714 physicians’ offices. Later this year, Guttmacher is expected to publish a similar
breakdown of the types of abortion providers for 2020. The CDC does not track
the number of abortion providers. What percentage of abortions are for women
who live in a different state from the abortion provider? In the District of Columbia, New York City and the 47 states that
provided information to the CDC in 2019, 9.3% of all abortions were performed
on women whose state of residency was known to be different than the state
where the abortion occurred – virtually the same percentage as in the
previous year. The share of reported abortions performed on women outside their
state of residence was much higher before the 1973 Roe decision that stopped
states from banning abortion. In 1972, 41% of all abortions in D.C. or the 20
states that provided this information to the CDC that year were performed on
women outside their state of residence. In 1973, the corresponding figure was
21% in D.C. and the 41 states that provided this information, and in 1974 it
was 11% in D.C. and the 43 states that provided data. Anticipating that many states will further restrict abortion access,
politicians in some states with permissive abortion laws such as New
York, California and Oregon are
expecting more women from states with less abortion access to travel to their
states for an abortion. What are the demographics of women who had
abortions in 2019? In the District of Columbia and 47 states that reported data to the CDC in
2019, the majority of women who had abortions (57%) were in their 20s, while
about three-in-ten (31%) were in their 30s. Teens ages 13 to 19 accounted for
9% of those who had abortions, while women in their 40s accounted for 4%. The vast majority of women who had abortions in 2019 were unmarried
(85%), while married women accounted for 15%, according to the CDC,
which had data on this from 41 states and New York City (but not the rest of
New York). In the District of Columbia and 29 states that reported racial and
ethnic data on abortion to the CDC,
38% of all women who had abortions in 2019 were non-Hispanic Black, while 33%
were non-Hispanic White, 21% were Hispanic, and 7% were of other races or
ethnicities.
Among those ages 15 to 44, there were 23.8 abortions per 1,000
non-Hispanic Black women; 11.7 abortions per 1,000 Hispanic women; 6.6
abortions per 1,000 non-Hispanic White women; and 13 abortions per 1,000
women of other races or ethnicities in that age range, the CDC
reported from those same 29 states and the District of Columbia. For 58% of U.S. women who had induced abortions in 2019, it was the
first time they had ever had one, according
to the CDC. For nearly a quarter (24%), it was their second abortion. For
11% of women, it was their third, and for 8% it was their fourth or higher.
These CDC figures include data from 43 states and New York City (but not the
rest of New York).
Four-in-ten women who had abortions in 2019 (40%) had no previous
live births at the time they had an abortion, according
to the CDC. A quarter of women (25%) who had abortions in 2019 had one
previous live birth, 20% had two previous live births, 9% had three, and 6%
had four or more previous live births. These CDC figures include data from 44
states and New York City (but not the rest of New York). When during pregnancy do most abortions
occur? The vast majority of abortions – around nine-in-ten – occur during
the first trimester of a pregnancy. In 2019, 93% of abortions occurred during
the first trimester – that is, at or before 13 weeks of gestation, according
to the CDC. An additional 6% occurred between 14 and 20 weeks of
pregnancy, and 1% were performed at 21 weeks or more of gestation. These CDC
figures include data from 42 states and New York City (but not the rest of
New York). How often are there medical complications
from abortion? About 2% of all abortions in the U.S. involve some type of
complication for the woman, according to the National Center for
Biotechnology Information, which is part of the U.S. National Library of
Medicine, a branch of the National Institutes of Health. The center says that
“most complications are considered minor such as pain, bleeding, infection
and post-anesthesia complications.” The CDC calculates case-fatality
rates for women from legal induced abortions – that is, how many
women die from complications from abortion, for every 100,000 abortions that
occur in the U.S. The rate
was lowest during the most recent period examined by the agency (2013 to
2018), when there were 0.4 deaths to women per 100,000 legal induced
abortions. The case-fatality rate reported by the CDC was highest during the
first period examined by the agency (1973 to 1977), when it was 2.1 deaths to
women per 100,000 legal induced abortions. During the five-year periods in
between, the figure ranged from 0.5 (from 1993 to 1997) to 0.8 (from 1978 to
1982). The CDC says it calculates death rates by five-year and six-year
periods because of year-to-year fluctuation in the numbers and due to the
relatively low number of women who die from abortion. Two women died from induced abortion in the U.S. in 2018, in both
cases from abortions that were legal, according to the CDC. The same was true
in 2017. In 2016, the CDC reported seven deaths from either legal (six) or
illegal (one) induced abortions. Since 1990, the annual number of deaths
among women due to induced abortion has ranged from two to 12, according to
the CDC. The annual number of reported deaths from induced abortions tended to
be higher in the 1980s, when it ranged from nine to 16, and from 1972 to
1979, when it ranged from 13 to 54 (1972 was the first year the CDC began
collecting this data). One driver of the decline was the drop in deaths
from illegal abortions.
There were 35 deaths from illegal abortions in 1972, the last full year
before Roe v. Wade. The total fell to 19 in 1973 and to single digits or zero
every year after that. (The number of deaths from legal abortions has also
declined since then, though with some slight variation over time.) The number of deaths from induced abortions was considerably higher
in the 1960s than afterward. For instance, there were 235 deaths from
abortions in 1965 and
280 in 1963,
according to reports by the then-U.S. Department of Health, Education and
Welfare, a precursor to the Department of Health and Human Services. The CDC
is a division of Health and Human Services. (PEW) JUNE 24, 2022 Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2022/06/24/what-the-data-says-about-abortion-in-the-u-s-2/ 747-749-43-32/Polls The Metaverse In 2040
Interest in the idea of the metaverse leaped
in 2021-2022, prompted in part by Facebook’s decision to rebrand
itself as “Meta.” The word was coined by
sci-fi author Neal Stephenson in 1992 in his novel “Snow
Crash.” In today’s terms, the metaverse is the realm of
computer-generated, networked extended reality, or XR, an acronym that
embraces all aspects of augmented reality, mixed reality and virtual reality
(AR, MR and VR). At this point in time, the metaverse is generally made up of
somewhat- immersive XR spaces in which interactions take place among humans
and automated entities. Some are daily interactions with augmented-reality
apps that people have on their computers and phones. Some are interactions
taking place in more-immersive domains in gaming or fantasy worlds. Some
occur in “mirror worlds” that duplicate real-life environments. While extended-reality gaming and social spaces have been in
existence for decades, early 2020s technological advances and societal
transformations brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic have pushed the
development of the metaverse to the forefront, inspiring tens of billions of
dollars in new investments and prompting predictions that the metaverse
is “the future of the internet” or
“the
next internet battleground.” Proponents of XR and the development of more-advanced and immersive,
3D, online worlds say its rapid evolution is likely to benefit all aspects of
society – education, health care, gaming and entertainment, the arts, social
and civic life and other activities. They believe the infusion of more data
into people’s experiences, progress in artificial intelligence (AI) assistive
systems and the creation of entirely new spaces and experiences for tech
users could enrich and expand their lives. Of course, as with all digital
tech, there are concerns about the health, safety, security, privacy and
economic implications of these new spaces. This has spurred a great deal of
speculation about what the maturing of XR and the metaverse will look like
and what that means for society. This heightened interest and investment in extended reality prompted
Pew Research Center and Elon University’s Imagining the Internet Center to
ask hundreds of technology experts to share their insights on the topic. In
all, 624 technology innovators, developers, business and policy leaders,
researchers and activists provided open-ended responses to a question seeking
their predictions about the trajectory and impact of the metaverse by 2040.
The results of this nonscientific canvassing:
These experts were
asked to elaborate on their multiple-choice
answers in an open-ended question that invited their views about both the
positive and negative aspects of the digital world to come. Two broad themes
emerged in those written remarks. First, a notable share of these experts
argued that the embrace of extended reality in people’s daily lives by 2040
will be centered around augmented-reality and mixed-reality tools, not in the
more-fully-immersive virtual reality worlds many people define today as being
“the metaverse.” Second, they warned that these new worlds could dramatically
magnify every human trait and tendency – both the bad and the good. They
especially focused their concerns on the ability of those in control of these
systems to redirect, restrain or thwart human agency and stifle people’s
ability to self-actualize through exercise of free will, and they worried
over the future freedom of humans to expand their native capacities. The key themes these experts voiced in their written responses are
outlined in the three following tables. The first table outlines further
details tied to the two broad themes mentioned above. The second describes
the five most-mentioned reasons that the metaverse is likely to
be much more advanced and more broadly adopted by 2040. The third describes
the five most-mentioned reasons it will not be.
This is a nonscientific canvassing, based on a nonrandom sample. The
results represent only the opinions of the individuals who responded to the
queries and are not projectable to any other population. Some of the most sweeping answers written by these respondents took
the long view. These experts wrote that “virtual” spaces have for millennia
arisen in the human imagination and that it doesn’t take special
technological features or gadgetry to create vivid places beyond “real life.”
At the same time, some argued that even the most far-out versions of virtual
reality will still anchor in basic human sensory “interfaces” of eyes, ears,
taste, smell, motion, balance and speech. Still, none of these experts doubt major changes are nigh in the way
reality is supplemented by technology or even reimagined in tech-enabled
ways. As XR pioneer Avi Bar-Zeev,
a co-creator of Google Earth, HoloLens and more, wrote, “VR fundamentally
strips away the most common constraints of reality: location and travel,
physics, even sometimes time, where
hours can often seem like minutes, and we can travel to the historical past
or imagined futures.” Many were not sure what the timeline for all this change will be, but
did their best to imagine where the evolution of today’s XR tech trends might
take society. Some of the answers reflecting that thought: Laurence Lannom,
vice president at the Corporation for National Research Initiatives, offered
an compact prediction, writing, “The metaverse will, at its core, be a
collection of new and extended technologies. It is easy to imagine that both
the best and the worst aspects of our online lives will be extended by being
able to tap into a more-complete immersive experience, by being inside a digital space instead
of looking at one
from the outside. At the good end of the continuum are things like the
ability of people to interact with others as though they were all in the same
physical space without having spent hours burning dinosaur bones to get
there; practicing difficult physical tasks (e.g., surgery) on virtual
entities; and elevated educational and research opportunities of all kinds as
we learn to leverage the built-in advantages of the new environments. The
other end is also not hard to imagine – easier addiction to all-absorbing
games and fantasy experiences resulting in increased isolation for many;
further breakdown of social cohesion as the virtual offers an easy
alternative to the hard task of learning to live with each other; and increased
political turmoil as the prophets of fear and grievance acquire the ability
to command rallies with millions of attendees.” Edward Baig,
freelance columnist and longtime technology reporter for USA Today, wrote,
“Even the smartest folks today have difficulty articulating the metaverse so
that regular people understand it beyond it being this vague thing emerging
out of augmented reality, virtual reality, 3D and mixed reality. Of course,
measured in tech years, 2040 is a lifetime away and, when you factor in the
sheer magnitude of the financial and intellectual investments already being
plowed into the metaverse, how could this thing possibly not morph into
something likely to have a profound impact on our everyday lives? Whatever it
is that draws all of us into the metaverse, it must provide – or at least
promise to provide – experiences and benefits that are otherwise impractical
if not impossible to achieve in (for lack of a better way of putting it) the
real world.” Elizabeth Hyman,
CEO for the XR Association, which was founded by Meta, Google, HTC Vive,
Microsoft and Sony Interactive Entertainment to convene stakeholders for the
development and adoption of XR, shared a number of vital use cases already
proven as useful in the XR realm: “Virtual, augmented and mixed reality are
the gateway to phenomenal applications in medicine, education, manufacturing,
retail, workforce training and more, and it is the gateway to deeply social
and immersive interactions – the metaverse. Each day we’re taking strides to
make the technology better and ensure that the opportunities are limitless –
because they are. The XR industry is focused on responsible innovation and it
has built a strong repository of resources that lay the foundation for the
industry’s continued growth. While widespread adoption does take time and
challenges will no doubt arise, we believe XR technology will become the next
major computing platform. Already, colleges and universities are teaching
students in the metaverse. Human Resources professionals at companies like
Walmart, SAP, Delta and many others are using the tool to train workers –
some of the fastest-growing job categories in the U.S. are in industries that
are rapidly adopting XR technologies. Uses of XR include warehousing and
inventory management, product engineering and design, immersive job training
and upskilling and virtual health care patient monitoring. Particularly in
the health care setting, we’re seeing XR use with children. For example, the
Children’s Hospital Colorado is using XR to help to change the pediatric
hospital experience for the better – for instance, for distraction and pain
management reducing the need for anesthesia and physical therapy.” Daniel D. Bryant,
Wales-based VR educator, co-founder of Educators in VR and a leader in the
Virtual World Society, predicted, “By 2040 the internet that you now access
on a screen will be a place you
can enter, visit and explore. Currently we are looking in through windows
(literally), but we are soon going to be starting to climb through the windows and into the
internet. The word website implies
a location. Currently this is mostly in 2D. What if these sites are in 3D and
you can get in and interact directly, rather than with a keyboard and a
mouse? Think how creative people already get with creating and monetizing
content on the 2D internet. Now add a third dimension to this and you have
just created what Charlie
Fink has referred to as the ‘largest wealth-and-value-creation
experience humankind has ever witnessed.’ I can’t imagine the momentum
heading anywhere else. When young people can truly get their heads and hands
into the ‘metaverse,’ just stand back and watch in wonder. And that is even
before AI [artificial intelligence] gets into the mix. AI will soon be able
to generate virtual worlds and useful and very convincing AI bots to populate
it. It’s a wild ride already. Better get strapped in.” Jon Radoff, author
of the Building the Metaverse blog and CEO of Beamable, a metaverse
consultancy, predicted the influence of gameplay in the evolution of XR. “The
metaverse will be important for at least half a billion people in 2040
because it is already important for several billion,” he said, referring to a
general estimate of the number of people who have used popular game and
social spaces, not the number of daily users. “The metaverse exists. The most-common definitions of
the ‘metaverse’ are: 1) an embodied virtual-reality experience; 2) a Web3 framework
for economic interoperability; 3) a creative platform for experiences (e.g.,
Roblox). Some current versions may be a hybrid of these. I think all of these
‘product-centric’ definitions fail to look at the underlying culture and
social change. The fundamental shift is toward thinking of virtual property
and virtual identity as ‘real’ and/or important. One can trace the origin of
the metaverse back to Dungeons & Dragons before it was digitized and look
at it as an imaginary, creative space of social interaction and storytelling.
Everything since then is simply technologies that have digitized, dematerialized
and democratized access to this category of experience.” About half of the
respondents to this canvassing do not expect the VR aspect of the XR realm to
be significantly more popular by 2040. Kevin Werbach, professor of legal studies and business
ethics at the University of Pennsylvania and author of “The
Blockchain and the New Architecture of Trust,” commented, “There is not a
straight evolutionary path forward in maturity and importance for this
collection of technologies. Virtual worlds and immersive online spaces will
continue to develop in significance, but 500 million people won’t be living
in ‘the metaverse’ in any more meaningful way in 2040 than 2022. Perhaps immersive
games, social spaces and work tools will merge into a coherent industry
sector at that point, which perhaps we’ll still call ‘metaverse.’” Eric Burger, who
recently worked in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy
and as the chief technology officer at the Federal Communications Commission,
now on the computer science faculty at Georgetown University, responded, “The
metaverse will pan out like remote-controlled self-driving cars or roadable
aircraft: almost here for decades yet structurally
unlikely for decades. The use cases for fully immersive
experiences have a small niche that, for economic reasons, is unlikely to
grow into a global phenomenon for decades to come.” Jerry Michalski,
respected technology consultant and founder of Sociate.com and ReX,
predicted, “An XR metaverse will be more like 3D TV than the web. It will be
more expensive, uncomfortable and disorienting, even as it is less
informative and connective. XR is transformative in specific domains and
cumbersome in general. I don’t see how 20 years of development will fix
that.” Micheal Kleeman, a
senior fellow at the University of California, San Diego, who previously
worked for Boston Consulting and Sprint, responded, “Unless we see a
large-scale desire to escape from reality, the virtual space will not add
much to human experience. The virtual world does not satisfy real
interpersonal dynamics, it is expensive in terms of bandwidth unless you are
just gaming and it adds little to experiential value.” Many people pointed to Facebook’s corporate pivot to name
itself Meta as a catalyst for the uptick in metaverse buzz over the past
year. Ethan Zuckerman,
director of the Initiative on Digital Public Infrastructure at the University
of Massachusetts, Amherst, wrote, “Smart people have spent lots of time on
different approaches to building immersive, 3D, collaborative online spaces
using a wide range of technologies. Some have achieved more success than
others, but none have expanded beyond audiences of 1 million or so users. Those
users can be extremely passionate and are willing to learn the complexities
of interacting in a virtual world. Some of them are willing to put in the
work of learning to build and create in these environments, but thus far
we’ve not seen evidence that mainstream users see a good reason to jump
through these hoops. Facebook became Meta for two simple and obvious reasons.
First, its brand as a social media platform has been badly muddied by years
of mismanagement and irresponsibility. If it could be associated with
anything other than angry dialogs online, it would benefit. Second, Facebook
wants to own the entire stack from hardware to content, much as Apple does.
It has a good hardware product in Oculus [a VR headset] and thus is
positioned to argue that VR is the future. But does anyone really want VR to
be the future? Those of us who’ve been down this road before remember Second
Life declaring that its metaverse would be the future and we should
all rush in to buy a piece of it. That community never achieved mainstream
success and has hovered at 1 million users (overall, most were not daily
users). Yes, the tech’s better now. But in 2040 I expect VR to be popular for
gaming and some simulations. It will not catch on for routine office work,
standard online interaction and so on.” Jacquelyn Ford Morie,
VR pioneer and chief scientist at All These Worlds, co-editor of “The
Handbook of Research on the Global Impacts and Roles of Immersive Media,”
argued there is much to be accomplished before fully–immersive tech will be
viewed as worthy of broad adoption. “To be so successful by 2040,” she said,
“it must be many things to many people, enrich or make better their everyday
lives. It must go beyond games and entertainment to provide what each and
every person needs. The first, and the biggest, step will be to instantiate
and regulate the metaverse as a public benefit/utility, so the greatest
number of people can access and benefit from it. It must offer value to its
participants and not simply treat them as money sources. If it has to make
tons of money for companies and the top 10%, it is doomed to be niche-driven
and not a true evolution of humanity.” A notable share of
these expert respondents said they expect that augmented reality applications
will be far more widely used in people’s daily lives than immersive VR,
which they expect will remain a niche realm. Louis Rosenberg, is CEO of Unanimous AI. His doctoral work
at Stanford University resulted in the virtual fixtures system for the U.S.
Air Force – an immersive augmented-reality system built in 1992. He
predicted: “By 2035 people will laugh at images of the 2020s that show people
walking down the street staring down at a phone, necks bent, thinking it
looks awkward and primitive. The metaverse will evolve in two directions at
once – the virtual metaverse (fully simulated worlds) and the augmented
metaverse (layers of rich virtual content overlaid upon the real world with
precise spatial registration). The virtual metaverse will increase in
popularity but will always be restricted to short-duration applications –
mostly for gaming, socializing, shopping and entertainment, and it will have
powerful business and education uses as well. The augmented metaverse, on the
other hand, will replace mobile phones as our primary
gateway to digital content. The transition from mobile phones to AR hardware
will begin the middle of the 2020s and will be complete by 2035, possibly
sooner. It will fundamentally change society, altering our world into a
merged reality of real and virtual. People will use AR eyewear from the
moment they wake up to the moment they go to sleep, much like they keep
mobile phones with them today. Blockchain will be used to assign ownership of
virtual objects within the metaverse. There are many other potential uses,
but it’s too early to know if those will happen or not. But assigning
ownership is a natural fit. To see a vision of the augmented metaverse at the
end of this decade, you can check out my fun narrative, ‘Metaverse 2030.’” Many respondents who expect the AR/VR metaverse to be well developed
by 2040 warned that this will significantly magnify societal challenges
already present in the digital sphere. Justin
Reich, associate professor of digital media at MIT and director of
the Teaching Systems Lab, expressed a view shared by respondents who expect
big tech companies will further exploit users, writing, “The term metaverse
was coined to describe a corporate, dystopian hellscape where a completely
financialized world is stripped of any culture and value. Advocates of the
metaverse are currently trying to bring that vision into reality in the hopes
of creating new digital surfaces that can be covered in new advertising and
made as addictive as possible. As the physical world encounters saturation of
existing advertising surfaces and data collection, augmented reality is the
new frontier of surveillance capitalism. If it does come to fruition, it will
be as terrible as social media is today. Questions that I’ve not seen
journalists ask of Mark Zuckerberg or other folks at Meta: ‘How many hours a
day are you currently
spending in the metaverse?’ ‘How many hours a day do you encourage your
children to spend in the metaverse?’ My hunch is that the typical Meta
employee spends very little time in the metaverse, because it’s terrible. And
they don’t want their children there, because it’s terrible.” Davi Ottenheimer,
vice president for trust and digital ethics at Inrupt, a company applying the
new Solid data protocol (a
method for building decentralized social applications that was created by web
inventor Tim Berners-Lee), responded, “We should declare metaverse to only be
a success if it augments the human in a decentralized human-centric model of
data ownership. It is currently in danger of being co-opted into overly
centralized platforms and constraints, a regression to slavery models in the
guise of a proprietary ‘digital twin’ to be abused by giant companies looking
to operate selfishly and above the law and deny social good. Those caught up
in this abuse of rights, like industrial-era workers suffering the daily
grind of soulless factory jobs and homes and vehicles, will long for an
escape from the intentionally limiting artifice of metaverse. The utopianism
and mysticism that drive cultural waves of ‘escape’ during times of
technological upheaval and displacement are here again. There is a
fundamental difference between the highly controversial technological
augmentation and the politically driven escapism that metaverse development
will predictably fall into.” Keram Malicki-Sanchez,
a prominent expert and activist who runs conferences about VR, AR and XR and
is founding president of the Constant Change Media Group, advised, “There is
no way to put the genie back in the bottle of immersive technologies. There
is no future without 3D realities as part of it. Will it be called the
‘metaverse’? God, I hope not if that means the MAANG companies – Meta
(formerly Facebook) Amazon, Apple, Netflix and Google – appropriate and
commandeer it to funnel us into a homogeneous, highly trackable somatosensory
collection of walled gardens. An alternative path for these technologies is
that they will be built using open-source solutions, improved and expanded
holistically, organically by a global community who will create an estuary
for systems that allow people to seamlessly transition between 3D worlds
where they can embody whatever they want and share whatever experiences they
choose. These are also media that can communicate new perspectives and afford
us new angles of insight via dimensional contexts. They can provide
scaffolding to test our analytical reasoning and processes to potentially
escape our cognitive biases, develop greater plasticity, or even test new
forms of embodiment. We must always take account of how these new media can
and will be manipulated and weaponized and consider the rights of our future
selves as we become subsumed in data. In addition, there are important
digital divides to consider here. These cannot be worlds accessible only to
the privileged. VR needs to be built so that anyone should feel they have the
tools and access available to them.” Sean McGregor,
technical lead for the IBM Watson AI XPRIZE and machine learning architect at
Syntiant, observed, “With every great (and terrible) technological revolution
comes great (and terrible) revolutions of social systems. Without a healthy
sense of skepticism for adopting software for our new reality and working
collectively against our worst imaginings, we will fail to realize social
benefits exceeding the costs. The transition will be very difficult and
potentially dangerous, but so, too, have been most human advancements.” Toby Shulruff,
senior technology safety specialist at the National Network to End Domestic
Violence, predicted, “The ‘online’ will increasingly extend into daily life
through interfaces with our cities, homes and bodies. The varieties of both
self-expression and connection across distance will expand, and this means
that we urgently need to reconfigure how we establish and maintain trust in
others, in information, and perhaps even in ourselves. Online life so far has
mirrored and accelerated real-life trends, and – absent a major shift in
priorities and design – this will be true with XR as well. The rules of the
game have so far been written by the very few for the very many. Like other
technologies, XR does not solve human problems like bias, fear or violence.
It accelerates and amplifies what is already present in society. Therefore,
we stand to see an exacerbation of isolation, echo chambers and a
dissociation from our bodies and communities. We are already seeing sexual
violence from earlier online spaces and real life crossing into
more-immersive XR environments. This is likely to extend into and intersect
with other targeted violence, or even mass violence or terrorism. There is a
real possibility that those who are ‘plugged in’ will become increasingly
untethered from the world around them. Future waves of pandemic disease and
the effects of climate change will allow those with means to spend more time
in virtual worlds. Will we become more willing to let conditions worsen
around us because we can escape to an alternate reality? Meanwhile, those on
the other side of the digital divide will struggle to access resources,
connections and opportunities. As we go from ‘always on’ to ‘always in,’ the
constant immersion may cause physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual
effects including stress reactions, headaches, disturbed sleep and
detachment. Paradoxically, while virtual worlds can be an escape from our
bodies and our limitations, many users describe an intensification of
sensation, emotion and response from virtual experiences. Another concern is
that the more-immersive environment will expand surveillance by governments
and corporations, and even within families. The boundaries between our work
lives and our personal lives, between the public and the private, will
continue to dissolve. Coercive trends in technology design such as dark
patterns will drive users to make choices they might not otherwise make.
Technology this complex defies precise predictions, but we can find hints
from previous examples. If we don’t shift course, we will weave our failures
of empathy and justice into the very fabric of XR, as we have in other digital
technologies.” Among the additional
intriguing predictions from those canvassed were:
In the next section, we
highlight the remarks of a diverse
set of experts who gave some of the most wide-ranging or incisive responses
to our request for them to describe what XR and the metaverse might look like
by 2040. Following it, we offer a number of longer and more discursive essays
written by participants. And that is followed with additional sections
covering respondents’ comments organized under the sets of themes set out in
the tables above. The remarks made by the respondents to this canvassing
reflect their personal positions and are not the positions of their
employers. The descriptions of their leadership roles help identify their
background and the locus of their expertise. Some responses are lightly
edited for style and readability. (PEW) JUNE 30, 2022 Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2022/06/30/the-metaverse-in-2040/ 747-749-43-33/Polls Forced Sale: As Many As One In Four (23%) Homeowners Who Have A
Mortgage Say They Would Be Forced To Sell Their Home, If Interest Rates Were
To Increase Further
A new Ipsos poll conducted on behalf of Manulife Bank reveals that as
many as one in four (23%) homeowners who have a mortgage believe they are at
risk of being forced to sell their home if interest rates were to increase
further. Additionally, two-thirds (66%) do not view home ownership in their
local community as being affordable and eighteen percent (18%) of homeowners
believe they can no longer afford the house they own. These figures suggest that
many might have been priced out of the housing market or are at risk of being
priced out of the market, including even some of the current homeowners. Overall affordability is a major issue in Canada – the vast majority
(80%) of Canadians (aged 20-69, HHOLD income $40k+) believe there is an
affordability crisis in Canada. Nearly half say they would struggle to handle
unexpected expenses (47%) or are reconsidering summer vacation plans (44%)
due to affordability concerns. Indebted Canadians in particular are feeling
the crunch, as this group is statistically more likely to report that their
debt is causing them stress (56%; +6 pts vs. Fall 2021; +6 pts vs. Spring
2021) and is negatively impacting their mental health (48%; +5 pts vs. Fall
2021; +6 pts vs. Spring 2021), compared to one year ago. Nearly one-third of Canadians (aged 20-69, HHOLD income $40k+) admit
they don’t understand how inflation (32%) or interest rates (31%) work and
yet many feel as though pressures from rising inflation and/or interest rates
are pushing them close to the edge of a financial cliff. Indeed, one in five
(21%) expect rising interest rates to have a significant impact on their
financial situation. Around one in five (22%) of those who are in debt expect
rising interest rates to have a significant impact on their debt situation.
And around one in five (22%) of those who have a mortgage expect rising
interest rates to have a significant impact on their mortgage situation. With housing prices, inflation, and interest rates all on the rise it
is important to be prepared. And yet, majorities admit they do not feel
prepared for any of this. Fewer than half feel prepared for rising interest
rates (46%), inflation (42%), or housing prices (40%), figures which
underscore how further increases in inflation, interest rates, and/or housing
prices could be damaging for many Canadians. Being prepared involves
planning, yet the survey evidence indicates that many Canadians (aged 20-69,
HHOLD income $40k+) are not engaging in financial planning – three-quarters
(73%) do not have a written financial plan and almost half (47%) do not have
a household budget. (Ipsos Canada) 14 June 2022 747-749-43-34/Polls Seven in Ten (69%) Are Concerned They Cannot Afford Gasoline If there is one topic that is on the minds of car owners is the price
of gas. Cost increases in crude oil over the Russian-Ukrainian war, tax
surges, and hikes in transportation costs for distribution are all fueling
pump prices, and Canadians are feeling the impact in their wallets. According
to a recent Ipsos poll conducted on behalf of Global News, as much as 69% of
Canadians are concerned about the affordability of fuel, and 50% think they
cannot afford to fill their gas tanks. As gas prices continue to climb, some
Canadians are even considering purchasing electric vehicles within the next
year to avoid dependence on fuel. 75% of Canadians Are Driving Less to Reduce
Fuel Consumption With gas prices climbing and seeing no waning in the near future, 69%
of Canadians are concerned that they might not be able to afford gasoline.
Inflated gas prices are more of a concern among Canadians between the ages of
18 to 34 (77%) and 35 to 54 (74%) compared to those above the age of 55 years
(58%), as are parents with children (80%) compared to households without kids
(65%). Among those polled, Canadian drivers make up 76% of the sample. Among
Canadian drivers, three quarters (75%) confess that they have been driving
less recently in order to reduce their fuel consumption. This is particularly
an alarm for Canadians earning between $40K and $60K (77%) and $60K and $100K
(77%). Women (80%) are also more likely than men (71%) to be driving less in
order to spend less on gas. And not only are Canadians driving fewer long
distances to save money on gas (77%), but half (50%) of Canadians also cannot
afford to fill up their gas tank to full. While Canadians continue to be burdened by increasing gas prices,
some are weighing alternative measure to getting around. Over a third (36%)
are considering purchasing an electric vehicle within the next year to reduce
their dependence on gas. Canadians between the ages of 18 and 34 (49%) and 35
to 54 (38%) are weighing these options more so than those over 55 years
(26%), as are those earning above the $100K income bracket (45%) compared to
those making between $40K and $60K (31%). Households with children (47%) are
also considering the switch to an electric vehicle option compared to those
without kids (32%). Moreover, 44% are considering the purchase of a smaller,
more fuel-efficient automobile within the next year to save on gas, a
consideration felt more strongly among Canadians between 18 and 34 years and
35 to 54 (49% each) versus those 55 years and older (36%). Three in Ten Canadians Predict Gas Prices
Will Reach $2.5 a Litre When asked how high they think the price of gas will go in your
region before it stabilizes or comes down in price, most Canadians (29%)
believe gas prices will reach $2.5 per litre. Ontarians (31%) are more
convinced of this number than B.C. residents (20%), as those earning above
$100K (36%) compared to those making under $40K (24%). Fifteen per cent (15%)
predict gas prices will reach $3 a litre, particularly among those earning
under $40K (19%) versus $100K+ income-earnings (10%). (Ipsos Canada) 28 June 2022 Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en-ca/half-of-Canadians-who-have-a-car-cannot-afford-to-fill-gas-tank AUSTRALIA
747-749-43-35/Polls Australians’ Personal Financial Assets Up 13.5% Compared To
Pre-Pandemic At Value Of $10.62 Trillion
New data from Roy Morgan’s Banking
and Finance Report shows Australians’ personal financial assets
(Traditional Banking, Wealth Management, Owner-Occupied Homes & Direct
Investments) sat at $10.62 trillion in the year to March 2022. This result
represents an increase of $1.27 trillion (+13.5%) from two years ago
pre-pandemic. However, the total value of Australians’ personal financial assets
fell by $145 billion (-1.3%) after reaching a peak of $10.77 trillion a year
ago in March 2021. This is the same month that government stimulus programs
including the $90 billion JobKeeper program and the ‘boosted’ JobSeeker
payments ended. Despite this fall following the end of the extensive government stimulus
programs, the increase over the last two years is far larger than the
increase seen in the preceding two years. The total value of Australians’
personal financial assets increased from $9.02 trillion in March 2018 to
$9.36 trillion in March 2020, an increase of $340 billion (+3.8%). The growth in the value of Australians’ personal financial assets
during the pandemic was across the four categories of Owner-Occupied Homes,
Wealth Management, Traditional Banking and Direct Investments. Australia’s total market size for personal
financial assets – Traditional Banking, Wealth Management, Owner-Occupied
Homes & Direct Investments: 2018-2022 Source: Roy Morgan Single Source (Australia). April
2017 – March 2022. Average 12-month sample n = 50,800. Base: Australians 14+;
Any financial services customer. Note: Other
Banking has been excluded as it represents 0.01% of the total market
including $0.6 billion in the year to March 2022. These estimates are
conservative, as respondents who were unable to say how much they had
invested were not included. In March 2022 Owner
Occupied Homes comprised the largest share of Australians’ personal financial
assets representing over a third of the entire market with a value of $3.82
trillion (35.9% of personal financial assets). Despite an increase of $354 billion from two years ago the overall
share was still down by 1.1% points from March 2020. Wealth Management is the second largest segment representing well
over a quarter of Australians’ personal financial assets with a value of
$2.92 trillion (27.5%) in March 2022. This represents an increase of $150
billion from two years ago but the overall share declined by 2.1% points from
March 2020. Traditional Banking was the fastest growing segment of Australians’
personal financial assets during the pandemic and now represents 23.6% of all
personal financial assets with a value of $2.5 trillion. This represents an
increase of $567 billion from two years ago and the share of personal
financial assets has increased by 2.9% points from March 2020. Direct Investments represent 13.0% of Australians’ personal financial
assets with a value of $1.38 trillion, up from a 12.7% share two years ago.
The value of Direct Investments increased by $196 billion from March 2020.
There is a further $0.6 billion not represented by the four main categories
classified as ‘Other Banking’. Australia’s total market size for personal
financial assets: March 2022 Source: Roy Morgan Single Source (Australia). April 2021 –
March 2022, n = 64,410. Base: Australians
14+; Any financial services customer. These estimates are conservative, as
respondents who were unable to say how much they had invested were not
included. These new findings are
drawn from Roy Morgan Single Source, Australia’s leading consumer survey, derived from in-depth interviews with over
60,000 Australians annually. “There were worries when the COVID-19
pandemic first hit Australia over two years ago that the economic and
financial impact would prove devastating. However, the quick actions of
governments injecting stimulus, and banking and financial institutions
providing ‘mortgage holidays’ for borrowers in financial distress, prevented
a collapse and supported the economy throughout the pandemic. “The Federal Government’s JobKeeper wage
subsidy injected around $90 billion into the economy to support businesses
and workers and along with other programs, including the boosted JobSeeker
payments, the
level of support provided by governments was around $300 billion by mid-2021.1 “This extensive fiscal support not only
kept the Australian economy performing well during the pandemic but also
continues to provide ongoing support this year as inflation increases and the
RBA has begun to raise interest rates for the first time since October 2009. “The underlying strength of the economy is
illustrated by the ABS Retail Sales2 data which shows
average annual growth of 8.6% during the first four months of 2022 –
including annual growth of 9.6% in April 2022, the most recent monthly results available. This
compares to average annual growth of 2.4% from November 2019 – February 2020
immediately prior to the pandemic. “The ongoing impact of the level of support
provided to the economy is clear when comparing the last two years with the
two years immediately prior to that. The total value of Australians’ personal
financial assets was $10.62 trillion in March 2022, an increase of $1.27
trillion (+13.5%) from two years ago in March 2020. In comparison, in the two
years prior to that the total value of personal financial assets increased by
$340 billion (+3.8%), from March 2018 ($9.02 trillion) to March 2020 ($9.36
trillion). “A look at the four main segments of
personal financial assets shows all four have increased by at least $150
billion over the last two years. The largest increases have been for
Traditional Banking (up $567 billion to $2.5 trillion) and Owner-Occupied
Homes (up $354 billion to $3.82 trillion). “For many Australians the Government
stimulus went straight into the bank account due to the lack of options for
spending it with international (& domestic) borders closed and travel
restricted while for others it was a chance to jump into the housing market
with interest rates at record low levels. “Although these financial indicators are
incredibly strong, they are focused on a point of time earlier this year
before the economic conditions changed with inflation rising quickly and the
RBA commencing an interest rate hiking cycle. “These new circumstances are set to
pressure Australian households over the months ahead and the clearest
indication of this is the weekly ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating which was
at 100.1 on March 6, 2022 but
has since slipped well below the neutral level of 100 and is now at only 84.7
in late June. “As the economic conditions become tougher
throughout the rest of the year, we would expect the growth seen in
indicators such as the monthly ABS Retail Sales to decline and return to
longer-term trend levels. However, the underlying strength in the economy
built up over the last two years should continue to provide significant
momentum and support for the economy over the next few months even as
interest rates rise, and inflation continues to increase.” (Roy Morgan) June 28 2022 Source: https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/9013-financial-services-market-march-2022-202206280414 747-749-43-36/Polls Half Of Australia's Retail Investors Started Using Investment
Apps/Platforms From 2020 Or Later
In early June, cryptocurrency exchange Swyftx and equities trading
platform Superhero announced
plans to relaunch
as a single platform in early 2023 – a move which would allow
some 800,000 customers to access cryptocurrencies, traditional equities and
superannuation holdings in one interface. The merger follows reports of the number of micro-investing
accounts in Australia more than doubling over the past calendar year,
after an earlier
jump in both first-time and active online traders during the first year of
the pandemic. Indeed, latest data from YouGov has found that half of Australians
who currently use investment apps started doing so only within the last two
years – after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
But how aware are Australians of the considerable variety of
investment apps/platforms available today – and are the most well-known ones
also the most used? We also ask what attracts Australians to use investment
apps/platforms, and what deters others from signing up? How do popular investment apps/platforms in
Australia vary in consumer awareness and usage? RealTime Omnibus research by YouGov in March
2022 found that CommSec Pocket enjoys
the highest awareness among major investing apps in Australia – over two in
five Australians who know of at least one investment platform say they have
heard of it (43%). About a third of Australians are also aware of Raiz (35%) and Spaceship (32%). Meanwhile, a
quarter have heard of Superhero (24%),
and around a fifth of Swyftx (22%), SelfWealth (21%) and Stake (21%). The top three most-heard-of investment platforms are also the
most-used – though not in exactly the same order. About one-fifth of
Australians who are on investing apps say they currently use Spaceship (22%), CommSec Pocket (21%), Swyftx (19%) or Raiz (19%). Age differences in awareness of various
investing apps/platforms When analysed by age,
the three most well-known platforms – CommSec Pocket, Raiz and Spaceship – take first to third
place respectively among Australians aged 18-24, 35-49 and 50-64. But among 65+ year-olds, awareness of Spaceship drops to fifth place (9%), after Swftyx (17%) and SelfWeath (14%). However, among
25-34 year-olds, Spaceship (44%)
is the most well-known platform, and is slightly ahead of CommSec Pocket (42%) and Raiz (40%). What attracts Australians to use investment
apps/platforms? When Australians who currently use investing apps were asked why they
started doing so, the ability to
invest smaller amounts of money emerged as the most cited
reason (45%). Just under two in five users also say the ease of using investing apps (38%)
and the ability of investing apps to
help them reach their financial goals (38%) are what
kickstarted their use of such investment platforms.
Over a third of current users also point to the low costs of using investing apps (35%)
and low bank interest rates (34%)
as relevant drivers. Notably, Spaceship users
are significantly more likely to have started using investing apps due to
the low costs required
(58%). Men are also more likely than women to cite low bank interest rates as a reason
for why they started using investing apps (39% vs 27%). What deters Australians from using
investment apps/platforms? When Australians who are not currently
use investing apps were asked why, insufficient
knowledge about investing emerged as the most cited reason
(34%). More than a quarter of non-users also say lacking sufficient finances for investing (31%)
and worries about losing money due to
bad investments (29%) are reasons deterring them from using
investing apps.
When analysed by age, not
knowing enough about investing is the top reason why
Australians aged 18-34 are not using investing apps (40-45%), whereas worries about losing money due to bad investments most
deter Australians aged 35-64 (30-36%). Among Australians aged 65 years and
older, however, not being able to
afford investing activities is the most cited reason (52%).
When analysed by gender, men are more likely than women to say
a lack of interest (22%
vs 11%) and preferring to invest in
other ways (27% vs 14%) are reasons why they have not used
investing apps. On the other hand, women are more likely than men to
say insufficient knowledge about
investing (43% vs 25%) and worries about losing money due to bad investments (39%
vs 19%) are reasons why they have not used investing apps. (YouGov Australia) June 29, 2022 Source: https://au.yougov.com/news/2022/06/29/australia-microinvesting-drivers-platforms-compare/ 747-749-43-37/Polls ANZ Roy Morgan New Zealand Consumer Confidence Down 1.8pts To 80.5 In
June 2022
ANZ-Roy Morgan New Zealand Consumer Confidence was down 1.8pts to
80.5 in June, a touch above its record low, but still deep within the
“something to worry about” zone.
The ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Index fell 1.8 points in June.
Households are dealing with a lot right now: incomes not keeping up with
inflation, lifting interest rates, falling house and other asset prices, and
ongoing COVID and general economic uncertainty. The good news: with the
labour market so tight, job security is still looking good.
(Roy Morgan) July 01 2022 Source: https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/8997-anz-roy-morgan-nz-consumer-confidence-june-2022-202207010032 MULTICOUNTRY
STUDIES
747-749-43-38/Polls A Global Average Of 78% Among 28 Countries Support Refugee Reception
A new Ipsos survey carried out for World Refugee Day, celebrated on
June 20, reveals that Brazilians are among those who most support the right
to refuge. When asked whether people should be able to take refuge in
other countries or their own, 86% of Brazilians said they accepted. In
the global ranking, Brazil is only behind Sweden, which has an acceptance
rate of 88%. The global average of the 28 countries surveyed is
78%. Historical comparison of the same survey reveals that support has
jumped in recent years. In 2019, before the pandemic and the conflicts
in Ukraine, about 61% of Brazilians defended refugees. In 2020, the
first pandemic year, the index jumped to 77% and went to 78% the following
year. This year, after the consolidation of the Russian offensive
against Ukrainian territory, support grew by 8 pp, reaching the current level
of 86%. Brazilians also stand out in rejecting the idea that refugees only
intend to take advantage of welfare policies or the economic situation in the
country. According to the data, only 34% believe in this theory, the
lowest rate among all the countries on the list. In this regard, Peru
leads with 74% of respondents who agree. Also according to the study, 66% of Brazilians say that refugees
bring more positive contributions to the country. The global average on
this question is 47%. Above Brazil are only Canada (67%), Australia
(68%) and Saudi Arabia (69%). government support When asked about the
government's role in dealing with refugees, Brazil again stands
out. About 73% of respondents stated that the Brazilian government should maintain or increase support
spending. The global average was 57%. Regarding the fact that the government has to accept more or less
refugees, 72% of Brazilians argue that the country should continue to accept
the same number of refugees or increase. Considering the responses from
other countries, acceptance of this idea was 48%. In Brazil, only 10%
said that the country should accept fewer refugees. reasons Respondents were
provoked to answer whether or not they support the entry of refugees into their country for different reasons. In
these clippings, Brazil appears as the leader in all the lists. When the
reason for the refuge is war or conflict, 75% of Brazilians defend the
right. Then, if the reason is to escape natural disasters or climate
change, 72% were in favor. When the study addresses motivations by race,
ethnicity or nationality, the acceptance rate was 66%. Another reason put in question was about sexual orientation or gender
identity. In this question, 62% of Brazilians defended refuge. If
the motivation is religious, the approval is 65%. When asked about
gender issues and political opinion, the index was 60%. (Ipsos Brazil) 14 June 2022 Source: https://www.ipsos.com/pt-br/brasileiros-estao-entre-os-que-mais-apoiam-acolhimento-refugiados 747-749-43-39/Polls Half Of The World's Population, On Average, Say They Are Familiar
With The Metaverse (52%), A Study In 29 Countries
Large companies from around the world are already investing billions
of euros in the metaverse, a virtual world that promises to change our
day-to-day life as we know it. We can go shopping, meet new friends or
even go to dinner without having to leave home. But, to what extent do people know about the metaverse?
How will these new technologies impact our lives? What is the attitude
towards them? To answer these questions, Ipsos has carried out a study in 29
countries, in collaboration with the World Economic Forum , between April 22 and May 6,
2022 through its Global Advisor platform. This study reveals that half
of the world's population, on average, say they are familiar with the metaverse
(52%) and have positive feelings about adopting these new technologies in
their daily lives (50%). However, we see how these data vary greatly
from one country to another and between demographic groups. The European population is the least
familiar with new technologies Emerging countries are more optimistic about the potential of the
metaverse and have higher levels of familiarity than higher income
countries. In fact, the
population of European countries such as Poland (27%), France (28%), Belgium
and Germany (both with 30%) is the least familiar with this new virtual world . For
its part, Spain, with 63%, is the
European country in which more people say they know the metaverse ,
9 points above the global average.
Something similar occurs in the case of extended reality in its
different aspects, although the percentage is higher in this case. Thus,
80% of the world's population, on average, is familiar with virtual reality
and 61% says they are familiar with augmented reality. Again, the population
of European countries is the least familiar with these concepts. France
(46%), Germany (47%) and Switzerland (57%) have the lowest levels when it
comes to virtual reality, while Belgium (36%), France and Germany (both 38%)
are the European countries where fewer people know about augmented reality.
In addition, the familiarity
and favorable attitude towards these new technologies are also significantly
higher among young men, with a high level of education and income.
How will the metaverse impact our lives? Despite varying levels of enthusiasm and awareness, people expect
apps using the metaverse to have an ever-increasing impact on their lives
over the next decade. Thus, the population expects the greatest changes
to occur in virtual learning (66%), entertainment (64%), and virtual work
environments (62%), video games (60%), and the way of socializing (59%). In Spain, the greatest impact is expected
in the field of virtual education and training (63%), entertainment (61%),
video games (57%), work meetings (55%) and the way of socializing and
resources related to health (both with 54%).
According to Jame Ferrand-Gutierrez, Head of Data Intelligence at
Ipsos in Spain, “The results of this
research work give a very optimistic view of the potential of the metaverse,
and show that many people are open to the technological change that is taking
shape. Despite these encouraging data, and as happens with any
innovation and change, we must bear in mind that we will encounter challenges
and resistance to adopt this new lifestyle that the metaverse offers us, even
from citizens who are apparently willing to get into it. In addition, we
cannot ignore that the metaverse is still a concept that has not been fully
realized, that is why at Ipsos we are committed to approaching this new
opportunity in a rational way, and we recommend it to brands, that before
making decisions in In this sense, consider the specific pros and cons for
each sector, (Ipsos Spain) June 15, 2022 Source: https://www.ipsos.com/es-es/metaverso-realidad-extendida-junio-2022 747-749-43-40/Polls Inflation All Over The World Is High And Getting Higher, Results From
Survey Of 38 States
Two years ago, with millions of people out of work and central
bankers and politicians striving to lift the U.S. economy out of a pandemic-induced
recession, inflation seemed like an afterthought. A year later, with
unemployment falling and the inflation rate rising, many of those same
policymakers insisted
that the price hikes were “transitory” – a consequence of snarled
supply chains, labor shortages and other issues that would right themselves
sooner rather than later. Now, with the inflation rate higher than it’s been since the early
1980s, Biden administration officials acknowledge that they missed
their call. According to the latest report from the Bureau of Labor
Statistics, the annual inflation rate in May was 8.6%, its highest level
since 1981, as measured by the consumer
price index. Other inflation
metrics also have shown significant increases over the past year or
so, though not quite to the same extent as the CPI. How we did this Inflation in the United States was relatively low for so long that,
for entire generations of Americans, rapid price hikes may have seemed like a
relic of the distant past. Between the start of 1991 and the end of 2019,
year-over-year inflation averaged about 2.3% a month, and exceeded 5.0% only
four times. Today, Americans rate inflation as the nation’s
top problem, and President Joe Biden has said addressing the problem is
his top
domestic priority. But the U.S. is hardly
the only place where people are experiencing inflationary whiplash.
A Pew Research Center analysis of data from 44 advanced economies finds that,
in nearly all of them, consumer prices have risen substantially since
pre-pandemic times.
In 37 of these 44 nations, the average annual inflation rate in the
first quarter of this year was at least twice what it was in the first
quarter of 2020, as COVID-19 was beginning its deadly spread. In 16
countries, first-quarter inflation was more than four times the level of two years
prior. (For this analysis, we used data from the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development, a group of mostly highly developed, democratic
countries. The data covers 37 of the 38 OECD member nations, plus seven other
economically significant countries.) Among the countries studied, Turkey had by far the highest inflation
rate in the first quarter of 2022: an eye-opening 54.8%. Turkey has
experienced high inflation for years, but it shot up in late 2021 as the
government pursued unorthodox
economic policies, such as cutting interest rates rather than raising
them.
The country where inflation has grown fastest over the past two years is Israel. The annual
inflation rate in Israel had been below 2.0% (and not infrequently negative)
every quarter from the start of 2012 through mid-2021; in the first quarter
of 2020, the rate was 0.13%. But after a relatively
mild recession, Israel’s consumer price index began rising quickly: It
averaged 3.36% in the first quarter of this year, more than 25 times the
inflation rate in the same period in 2020. Besides Israel, other countries with very large increases in
inflation between 2020 and 2022 include Italy, which saw a nearly twentyfold
increase in the first quarter of 2022 compared with two years earlier (from
0.29% to 5.67%); Switzerland, which went from ‑0.13% in the first
quarter of 2020 to 2.06% in the same period of this year; and Greece, a
country that knows something about economic
turbulence. Following the Greek economy’s near-meltdown in the mid-2010s,
the country experienced several years of low inflation – including more than
one bout of deflation, the last starting during the first spring and summer
of the pandemic. Since then, however, prices have rocketed upward: The annual
inflation rate in Greece reached 7.44% in this year’s first quarter – nearly
21 times what it was two years earlier (0.36%). Annual U.S. inflation in the first quarter of this year averaged just
below 8.0% – the 13th-highest rate among the 44 countries examined. The
first-quarter inflation rate in the U.S. was almost four times its level in
2020’s first quarter. Regardless of the absolute level
of inflation in each country, most show variations on the same basic pattern:
relatively low levels before the COVID-19
pandemic struck in the first quarter of 2020; flat or falling rates
for the rest of that year and into 2021, as many governments sharply
curtailed most economic activity; and rising rates starting in mid- to late
2021, as the world struggled to get back to something approaching normal. But there are exceptions to that general dip-and-surge pattern. In
Russia, for instance, inflation rates rose steadily throughout the pandemic
period before surging
in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine. In Indonesia, inflation fell
early in the pandemic and has remained at low levels. Japan has continued its
years-long struggle with inflation
rates that are too low.
And in Saudi Arabia, the pattern was reversed: The inflation rate
surged during the
pandemic but then fell sharply in late 2021; it’s risen a bit since, but
still is just 1.6%. Inflation doesn’t appear to be done with the developed world just
yet. An interim
report from the OECD found that April’s inflation rate ran ahead of
March’s figure in 32 of the group’s 38 member countries. (PEW) JUNE 15, 2022 747-749-43-41/Polls Three Out Of Five Global Consumers Of 18 Markets Say They Prefer
Buying Local Foods (60%)
According to the United Nations (UN), the
production, packaging and distribution of food products generates a third of
all greenhouse gas emissions and up to 80% of global biodiversity loss . To reduce our environmental impact, the UN encourages consumers to
eat more plant-based foods (they use fewer natural resources than meat
production) and that is grown locally (requires shorter transport, emitting
less carbon than imported products). Do consumers prefer to buy local food? YouGov's latest research reveals that, on
average, three out of five global consumers say they prefer buying local
foods (60%). Of the 18 main markets examined, consumers in Italy are the most
satisfied with their local products: in fact, just under three quarters
prefer to buy food produced in their own country (74%). Only 5% of
Italians disagree with this statement, while just over 2 out of 10 consumers
are neutral in this regard (21%).
In the European market, consumers who prefer local agricultural and
aquaculture products are in Sweden (71%), France (67%) and Spain
(67%). On the other hand, consumers in Denmark (57%) and Great Britain
(54%) are the least likely to buy locally sourced food, even if the majority
of them continue to prefer them over imported products. Canada is the only market in the Americas surveyed where consumers
who prefer local foods (65%) are above the global average (60%). A
smaller percentage of consumers in Mexico (59%) and the United States (56%)
report the same. As for the market of the APAC region, the consumers most likely to
prefer food produced in their own country are in India (70%), Australia (69%)
and Indonesia (64%). Meanwhile, consumers in Singapore (34%) and Hong
Kong (30%) - cities that import most of their food from neighboring markets -
are the least likely to say they prefer to buy local products. Does attitudes towards climate change
affect consumers' shopping preferences? In most markets,
consumers who express concern about climate change are more likely to prefer
local foods than those who are not
concerned.
This trend is most pronounced in Indonesia, where consumers who worry
about the climate crisis are 23% more likely than those who don't to prefer
buying local foods, followed by France (+ 19%) and Germany (+ 18%). On the other hand, this trend reverses in three markets: the United
States, where consumers who worry about climate change are 17% less likely
than those who don't to prefer to buy local food, as well as Singapore (-5%)
and United Arab Emirates (-2%). In summary, the preference for purchasing local food is ≥10%
higher among consumers concerned about the current climate situation than
those who are not:
(YouGov Italy) Source: https://it.yougov.com/news/2022/06/15/global-cibo-locale-e-cambiamento-climatico-come-re/ 747-749-43-42/Polls Global: How Often Do Consumers Order Take-Away Food; Views Of People
From 22 Countries
During the pandemic, going out to eat has become a rare occurrence
and many restaurants have adapted to the needs of consumers, offering
take-away and home delivery. But with the world on the mend, is the
takeaway culture doomed to disappear? The latest data from YouGov's new
tool, Global Profiles, a powerful profiling and media targeting tool, with
over 1000 questions in 43 countries, reveals the frequency with which
consumers buy take-away food - and as many as 1 in 3 orders multiple times
per week. We selected 22 countries for this survey and found that Taiwan (10%)
and Thailand (9%) are the markets where people are most likely to buy
take-out more than once a day. "Several times a week" is the most popular choice with
consumers in most of the markets analyzed. Singapore takes the top spot
in this segment: Consumers are more likely to report eating take-out several
times a week (36%). Consumers from other Asian countries such as Taiwan
(33%), Hong Kong (33%), Indonesia (30%), Thailand (29%) and Vietnam (28%)
also share similar eating habits. Japan is the only Asian country where
a third of consumers say they order takeaway less than once a month (30%) and
another 20% say they never buy takeaway. The data suggests that ordering takeaway several times a week is a
popular option among consumers in the MENA region as well. Saudi Arabia
(24%) and the United Arab Emirates (23%) have almost a quarter of consumers,
while in Egypt just under two in ten consumers (17%) order take-away dishes
several times a week. A similar number of Egyptians (18%) are also more
likely to order takeaway several times a month. In Italy, 24% of consumers say they order
take-away "less than once a month" and 18% say they order
"once a week" and "several times a month". Urban Mexicans are the
most likely of all the markets analyzed in this study to order take-out once
a week (35%). Another 27% do it even more often. In the North
American region, Canadians are most
likely to order once a month or less often (20% each), while Americans reveal
that they mostly order multiple times a month (21%). According to the data, the takeaway is not that popular in Australia
and the European region. Australians are most likely to report ordering
takeout less often than once a month (22%). This percentage rises to 32%
in Germany and 29% in Great Britain. French consumers register over a
quarter of consumers in the "less often" category (27%) and the
French are also more likely to say "never" (30%) than any other
market in this survey. (YouGov Italy) Source: https://it.yougov.com/news/2022/06/21/global-con-quale-frequenza-i-consumatori-ordinano-/ 747-749-43-43/Polls Three-Quarters Of Gen Zs Across The Globe In 25 Countries, Plan To
Undertake Some Form Of Travel In The Next 12 Months
As global travel opens up after two years of restrictions amidst the
pandemic, YouGov’s latest report “Youth
of Today, Travel of Tomorrow” reveals more than two in five Gen Zs
(those aged 18-24 years) in the UAE (43%) said they intend to travel abroad
for leisure in the next 12 months, with intent for international travel
within this cohort being one of the highest across the globe. The report aims to understand Gen Zs globally, explores what matters
to them as well as uncovers their expectations from travel, and identifies
the best ways to connect and engage with this generation of travellers. Data from the whitepaper shows that three-quarters of Gen Zs across
the globe plan to undertake some form of travel in the next 12 months (75%).
By comparing Gen Z’s future intent to take domestic or international
vacations across 25 surveyed markets, we find that those in Asian countries
like Indonesia (57%), Thailand (55%) and Malaysia (54%) have a greater desire
to vacation domestically in the next 12 months. On the other hand, those in
Europe, particularly Germany (50%), Denmark (47%) and France (43%), are more
inclined to go for an international vacation. Gen Zs in the UAE stand out in
terms of international travel sentiment, with a higher proportion planning to
take an international trip than domestic in the next 12 months (43% VS 30%).
When it comes to choice of accommodations while travelling, GenZs in
most surveyed markets report budget-friendly hotels as their primary
accommodation type, but in about 20 of the 25 surveyed countries, luxury
accommodations rank among the top three choices. However, its popularity is
higher in Middle Eastern countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia, where it
ranks as the number one accommodation type.
In terms of factors that influence choice of travel destination, the
ease of travel and deals on flights, hotels, and activities are top
considerations for Gen Z in UAE with nearly two in five (41% each) stating
these reasons as most important drivers. Comparatively, travel brochures
(16%) and recommendations from travel agents (21%) rank lower on the list of
factors influencing destination choice. For travel marketers and tourism
boards, this is an important insight as it shows that lucrative price deals
and comfort may together act as a better proposition for Gen Z travelers.
Furthermore, we see that Gen Z, also known as the "digital
natives", are very dependent on technology, and social media plays a
major part of their lives. Data from YouGov Custom Research indicates that
about nine in ten (88%) Gen Z consumers currently follow a social media
influencer and out of these, almost one in five (19%) follow a travel
influencer. When we look at travel influencer following by country, we
find that Gen Zs in UAE are more likely to follow a travel influencer than
the global average (23% vs 19%). For travel companies, this presents an array
of opportunities to channel their efforts towards influencer campaigns and
online promotions in order to target and engage this digitally savvy
generation of travellers.
(YouGov MENA) June 22, 2022 Source: https://mena.yougov.com/en/news/2022/06/22/gen-zs-uae-have-strong-desire-international-travel/ 747-749-43-44/Polls International Attitudes Towards The U S, NATO And Russia In A Time Of
Crisis, A Survey In 18 Nations
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has brought war to Europe at a scale
unseen since the 1940s. In response, the United States and its NATO allies
have supplied Ukrainian defense forces with weapons
and training, while millions
of refugees have fled into neighboring countries.
The war has been the center of international attention for months, and as a
new 18-nation Pew Research Center survey shows, it has had an impact on
public opinion. Ratings for Russia, which were already negative in most of the
nations surveyed, have plummeted further following the invasion. In 10
countries, 10% or less of those polled express a favorable opinion of Russia.
Positive views of Russian President Vladimir Putin are in single digits in
more than half of the nations polled. Attitudes toward NATO, in contrast, are largely positive, and ratings
for the alliance have improved in several nations since last year, including
Germany and the U.S., as well as nonmember Sweden. Swedish attitudes toward
NATO grew increasingly positive over the course of the survey’s field dates. Meanwhile, overall ratings for the U.S. are largely positive and
stable. A median of 61% across 17 nations (not including the U.S.) express a
favorable view of the U.S. Still, there have been some changes since last
year, with favorable opinions increasing significantly in South Korea, Sweden
and Australia, while declining significantly in Greece, Italy and France.
Over the past couple of years, our surveys have found strong concerns
in advanced economies about the health of American democracy. In 2021, more
than half in most nations surveyed said democracy in the U.S. used
to be a good example for other nations to follow, but that it no
longer is. This year’s survey reveals a consensus about America’s divisive
politics: Large majorities in nearly all the nations polled say there are
strong conflicts between people who support different political parties in
the U.S. Large majorities in most countries see America as a reliable partner
to their country, and the share of the public holding that view has risen
over the past year in most nations where trends are available. For instance,
83% of South Koreans consider the U.S. a reliable partner, up from 58% in
2021.
Ratings for U.S. President Joe Biden have slipped since 2021, with
confidence in the American leader dropping significantly in 13 countries,
including declines of 20 percentage points or more in Italy, Greece, Spain,
Singapore and France. Despite these shifts, attitudes toward Biden remain
mostly positive, with a median of 60% across the nations polled expressing
confidence in him to do the right thing in world affairs. Biden gets his
highest marks in Poland (82% confidence) and his lowest in Greece (41%).
Data from four nations that we have surveyed consistently over the
past two decades – France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom –
illustrates the long-term pattern on views of recent American presidents in
Western Europe. George W. Bush received low and declining ratings during his
time in office, while Barack Obama got mostly high marks. Attitudes toward
Donald Trump were overwhelmingly negative. Biden receives much more positive
reviews than his predecessor, although his ratings have fallen in all four
countries in year two of his presidency.
The one country in the study where Biden receives lower ratings than
Trump is Israel. Six-in-ten Israelis see Biden positively, but 71% felt this
way about Trump when we last surveyed there in 2019 (in 2017 56% of Israelis
rated Trump positively, and in 2018 it was 69%). Israeli views toward
American presidents have fluctuated considerably over the past two decades,
although overall attitudes toward the U.S. have remained consistently
favorable. Scope and timing of the 2022 Global
Attitudes Survey This report includes data from a survey of 18 nations: the U.S.,
Canada, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland,
Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Israel, Australia, Japan, Malaysia,
Singapore and South Korea. Throughout the pandemic, our international survey
research has mostly focused on advanced economies where phone or online
polling is available. In many regions, we typically conduct face-to-face
interviews, which have often been difficult since the COVID-19 outbreak.
However, for the current survey, in-person face-to-face interviews were
conducted in Israel and Poland, and we are optimistic that face-to-face
research will be more widely available moving forward. Interviews were conducted from Feb. 14 to May 11, 2022, with most
taking place after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which began Feb. 24. Due to
the timelines involved in designing and executing the survey, we were unable
to include questions directly measuring opinions related to the war. However,
as this report highlights, we have several findings that reflect the impact
of the war on public opinion, particularly regarding attitudes toward Russia
and NATO. The survey does not include questions directly measuring opinions
about how Biden or the U.S. has handled the Russian invasion of Ukraine. However, one issue leading to lower ratings for Biden could be the
major foreign policy issue of summer 2021: the U.S. withdrawal from
Afghanistan after two decades of having a military presence in the country.
The current survey finds that on balance the publics surveyed believe pulling
out of Afghanistan was the right decision, but that the withdrawal was
handled poorly. And confidence in Biden is notably lower among those who say
the withdrawal was not handled well. Trust in Biden has also dropped sharply
among those who do not believe the U.S. is a strong partner to their country. Biden’s high ratings in 2021 may have also reflected in part people’s
reactions to a new president after Trump’s tenure, during which the U.S.
president received historically low ratings in many nations. In year two of
his presidency, Biden remains popular, but some of the initial enthusiasm for
his presidency has waned. And the declines for Biden are larger than those
for Obama during his second year in office.
Biden’s overall ratings are similar to those for two European leaders
included on the survey, French President Emmanuel Macron (a median of 62%
express confidence in him) and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (a median of
59%). There are some notable differences, however, in ratings for the three
leaders within specific countries. For instance, Biden gets much better
reviews than his French and German counterparts in both Poland and Israel,
while Macron is easily the most popular of the three leaders in Greece. The
survey, which was conducted while the French presidential election was taking
place, finds modest improvements in ratings for Macron in several nations.
Overall, Scholz gets somewhat lower ratings than his predecessor, Angela
Merkel, although this is partially due to the fact that some respondents are
unfamiliar with the new German leader. Chinese President Xi Jinping gets mostly low ratings, although
majorities in Singapore and Malaysia express confidence in him. A median of
just 9% have confidence in Putin to do the right thing in world affairs, with
his already low ratings dropping over the past year in all countries where
trends are available. However, views about Putin have not always been so negative. Pew
Research Center has been tracking attitudes toward the Russian leader for two
decades, and in the early 2000s his ratings were much more positive in North
America and Western Europe. For example, in a 2003 survey, 75% of Germans
voiced confidence in Putin. In a 2003 phone survey, Americans were somewhat
divided in their views (47% no confidence in Putin, 41% confidence). Since
then, however, he has received mostly negative marks, and his ratings are at
all-time lows now in every country where we have trend data. In the U.S., the
partisan divide in trust in Putin seen during Trump’s administration has
narrowed, with overwhelming
majorities of both Democrats and Republicans now lacking trust in
the Russian president. Confidence in world leaders often differs by age, but while younger
adults tend to trust Biden and Macron less than older adults, they are more
likely to have confidence in Putin in a number of countries. In Germany for
example, half of adults ages 18 to 29 trust Biden to do the right thing in
world affairs, compared with roughly three-quarters of adults ages 50 and
older. And though overall confidence in Putin is much lower, about a quarter
of young Germans trust him, compared with only 10% of older Germans.
Ratings for Russia are also at all-time lows in nearly all countries
in the study. Poles and Swedes stand out for the intensity of their negative
views. Fully 97% of Poles have an unfavorable opinion of Russia, and 91% have
a very unfavorable
opinion. In Sweden, 94% express an unfavorable view, with 80% saying their
opinion of Russia is very unfavorable.
Malaysia is the lone exception in attitudes towards Russia, with almost half
(47%) holding a favorable opinion, while 50% view Russia unfavorably.
The survey includes 11 NATO member states, and views of the alliance
have improved in five of those nations since 2021 (Germany, the UK, Poland,
the U.S. and the Netherlands), although they have declined in two (Greece and
Italy). One of the more interesting patterns regarding attitudes toward NATO
is in Sweden, a long-time officially neutral country that has recently
applied for NATO membership in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Swedish views toward NATO have been trending in a positive direction in
recent years, and in the current survey, 79% give the alliance a favorable
rating – the highest ever registered in a Pew Research Center poll of Sweden.
Moreover, attitudes grew more positive over the course of the survey, which
began in Sweden on Feb. 24, the same day as Russia’s invasion. Among Swedes
interviewed between April 5 and 20, toward the end of the survey’s field
period, 84% said they have a favorable opinion of NATO.
In several nations, views of NATO are more positive among people who
place themselves on the right of the ideological spectrum. Among Greeks on
the political right, for example, 41% have a favorable opinion of NATO,
compared with just 19% among those on the left. Similar patterns are found in
Spain, Sweden, France and the UK. However, in the U.S. and Canada, this
pattern is reversed: Americans and Canadians on the left are significantly more likely
to express a positive view of the alliance than those on the right. In the
U.S., ratings for NATO are more positive among Democrats and
Democratic-leaning independents (78% favorable) than among Republicans and
Republican leaners (55%), although this partisan gap has narrowed since 2021,
when 77% of Democrats and 44% of Republicans gave the alliance positive
marks. These are among the major findings of a new Pew Research Center
survey, conducted from Feb. 14 to May 11, 2022, among 23,484 adults in 18
nations. The analysis of attitudes toward the United States excludes data
from the U.S. The analysis of views about NATO includes data from 11 member
states plus Sweden. All 18 nations are included in the sections on views
about Russia and international leaders. (PEW) JUNE 22, 2022 747-749-43-45/Polls 45% Of Global Consumers Use Their Phones To Shop Online On A Daily
Basis, A Survey From 43 Nations
In recent years, smartphones have redefined the concept of
shopping. With the touch of a few buttons, consumers can search for ideas,
get information and make decisions virtually anytime, anywhere - without even
entering a store. In fact, data from YouGov Global Profiles - an audience intelligence
tool with attitudinal and behavioral data on consumers in 43 markets -
reveals that more than 2 in 5 people worldwide use their phone to shop online
every day (45%). . European markets In Europe, daily mobile
purchases are more frequent in Romania (44%), Italy (41%) , Ireland (41%), the
Netherlands (40%) and Spain (40%). In comparison, Switzerland, France
and Belgium are the European countries least likely to report shopping online
with their mobile phone every day. Nearly 2 in 5 Brits say they shop on
mobile every day (38%).
Daily mobile purchases are particularly popular in the APAC markets
(51%), with Thailand (56%), Singapore (55%), Malaysia (54%) and China (54%)
having the highest levels of engagement at the level. global. Japan,
however, is the least likely APAC market to shop from mobile on a daily basis
(24%). In the Americas, 40% of respondents in Mexico, 33% in the United
States and 29% in Canada report that they shop online with their phone every
day. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates lead the MENA region when
it comes to mobile e-commerce, with 42% of respondents in each market
claiming to shop on their mobile on a daily basis. (YouGov Italy) June 23, 2022 Source: https://it.yougov.com/news/2022/06/23/global-il-45-dei-consumatori-globali-usa-il-telefo/ 747-749-43-46/Polls Globally 42% Of People Feel Secure About Their Future, View Of People
From 24 Countries
According to a Gallup Pakistan Survey in Pakistan (and similar
surveys done by Worldwide Independent Network of Market Research (WIN) across
the world), significantly more than the global average of 42%, every 2 in 3
Pakistanis feel secure about their future. These findings emerge from an
international survey conducted across the globe by The Worldwide Independent
Network of Market Research (WIN) - a global network conducting market
research and opinion polls in every continent. WIN International has
published the Annual WIN World Survey (WWS – 2021), exploring the views and
beliefs of 19,422 individuals, among citizens from 24 countries across the
globe. The fieldwork for Pakistan was conducted between 5 th to 8th April
2022 and the sample size was 500 individuals. The international press release
with the report can be accessed here. A nationally representative sample of
adult men and women from across the world were asked the following question,
“On a scale from 1 to 10, how insecure do you feel about the future, being 10
very insecure and 1 very secure?” In response to this question in Pakistan,
24% said insecure and 74% said secure. Question: “On a scale from 1 to 10,
how insecure do you feel about the future, being 10 very insecure and 1 very
secure?”
Country Breakdown Lebanon (78%) and Italy are the countries with the
highest percentage of citizens feeling insecure.
Age Breakdown Globally, people in the age bracket of 45 to 54 years
are the most insecure (58%).
Gender Breakdown Feeling of insecurity about one’s country is more
prevalent in females (57%) than males (52%).
(Gallup Pakistan) June 24, 2022 Source: https://gallup.com.pk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/24-June-2022-English-1.pdf 747-749-43-47/Polls Over Half Of Consumers Globally (51%) Agree That 5g Will Bring Many
Benefits To Their Lives In 28 Markets
After years of headlines, it appears that 5G is finally ready for
commercial use in many other countries this year, but do consumers think 5G will benefit them? The
latest data from our new YouGov Global Profiles tool, a
powerful profiling and media targeting tool, with over 1000 questions in 43
countries, reveals consumers' attitudes towards 5G and how they think it can
improve their daily lives. In this article we examine 28 markets among all those analyzed by
Global Profiles and the data shows that, overall, just over half of consumers globally (51%) agree
that 5G will bring many benefits to their lives . European markets In Europe, Italian consumers are among the most convinced about
the benefits of 5G: 40% agree with the statement , while more
than 4 out of 10 consumers neither agree nor disagree (46%). Only 1 in
10 respondents disagree with the statement (11%). On the other hand, the data suggests that other European consumers
are more dubious about the benefits of 5G and are more likely to disagree
with the statement: more than two in five consumers in Austria (46%), Great
Britain (44%), Switzerland (43%) and Germany (41%) do not believe that 5G
will benefit their lives.
While Mexican consumers are as likely as global respondents (51%) to
agree with this statement, North American neighbors appear to be more
skeptical of the technology. Just over a third of Americans (38%) say
they agree that 5G will improve their daily lives, a percentage that drops
significantly among Canadians (29%). Most consumers in Thailand (74%), Indonesia (69%) and Malaysia (68%)
are convinced of the benefits of 5G. Nearly three in five Chinese
consumers (59%) and about half of Hong Kong (52%) and India (51%) consumers
feel the same way. Singapore and Taiwan (42% each). (YouGov Italy) June 24, 2022 Source: https://it.yougov.com/news/2022/06/24/global-come-i-vantaggi-percepiti-del-5g-variano-da/ 747-749-43-48/Polls On Average Across 30 Countries, Two In Three Adults (67%) Consider
Themselves Happy
A new Ipsos survey finds that, on average across 30 countries, two in three adults (67%) consider themselves
“happy.” Among the countries surveyed, happiness is most prevalent in the Netherlands and
Australia, with 86% and 85% respectively describing
themselves as “very” or “rather” happy. China and Great Britain (both 83%),
India (82%), France and Saudi Arabia (both 81%), and Canada (80%) follow. At a global average level, the
prevalence of happiness globally is now not only higher than it was in
mid-2020, a few months into the COVID-19 pandemic, but also compared to mid-2019, months
before the pandemic. However, it is 10
points lower than it was 10 years earlier, back in late 2011. The survey finds that, across the world, people most look to their health and well-being (both
physical and mental), their family (partner/spouse
and children), and having a sense of
purpose as what gives them “the greatest happiness”. Next
come their living conditions, feeling safe and in control, being in nature,
having a meaningful job, and having more money. Some elements are more widely
viewed as sources of happiness today than they were back in
2019, pre-pandemic. Drivers of happiness that have most gained in importance
are “being forgiven”, “forgiving someone”, "finding someone to be with”
and, although only a minority of adults mention it as a source of any
happiness, “spending time on social media”. These are some of the findings of a survey of 20,504 adults under the
age of 75 conducted between November 19 and December 3, 2021, on Ipsos’s
Global Advisor online survey platform. Where Are People
Happier? The happiest countries surveyed, i.e.,
those where more than three out of four adults report being very happy or
rather happy are the Netherlands, Australia, China, Great Britain, India,
Saudi Arabia, France, Canada, Sweden, and the United States. Only two countries show fewer than one in two adults
saying they are happy: Argentina and Turkey. On average across 30 countries, 15% report
being very much so and 52% rather happy. Countries
with the highest proportion of adults considering themselves as very happy
are India (39%), Australia (30%), and Saudi Arabia (29%). Those with the
highest prevalence of adults saying they are not happy at all are Turkey
(18%), Argentina (14%), and Hungary (13%). Changes in
Happiness Levels Averaging at 67% across
the 30 countries, the prevalence of
happiness is four percentage points higher than in
July-August 2020 and three points higher than in May-June 2019. However, it
has a long way to go to regain its level of 77% recorded both in
November-December 2011 and in April-May 2013.
Sources of
Happiness in the COVID Era Among 31 potential sources of happiness,
people across the world are most likely to say they derive “the greatest
happiness” from:
Each of these 11 sources ranks in the top 11 of most countries.
However, some other sources of
happiness stand out as being particularly important in just one or a handful
of countries (where they make the top 5):
Compared to the last survey conducted before the pandemic (May-June
2019), the sources of happiness that
have most gained in importance globally pertain to personal connections and
spirituality:
The following sources of happiness have
also gained in importance over the last 10 years:
Happiness and
Consumer Confidence One of the main findings of the survey is the strong relationship between self-reported happiness
and consumer confidence. Ipsos found a remarkably high level
of correlation between the percentage of adults surveyed saying they are very
or rather happy and the Ipsos
Consumer Confidence Index in the same 23 countries – a coefficient
of 0.73. The Consumer Confidence Index reflects consumers’ sentiment about
their financial situation and purchasing comfort, the economy, jobs, and
investment.
These are the findings of a 30-country
Ipsos survey conducted November 19 – December 3, 2021, among 20,504 adults
aged 18-74 in the United States, Canada, Malaysia, South Africa, and Turkey,
21-74 in Singapore, and 16-74 in 24 other countries, via Ipsos’s Global
Advisor online survey platform. (Ipsos Denmark) 27 June 2022 Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en-dk/what-makes-people-happiest-health-family-and-purpose 747-749-43-49/Polls Large Majorities In Most Of The 19 Countries Surveyed Have Negative
Views Of China
Negative views of China remain at or near historic highs in many of
the 19 countries in a new Pew Research Center survey. Unfavorable opinions of
the country are related to concerns about China’s policies on human rights.
Across the nations surveyed, a median of 79% consider these policies a
serious problem, and 47% say they are a very serious
problem. Among the four issues asked about – also including China’s military
power, economic competition with China and China’s involvement in domestic
politics in each country – more people label the human rights policies as a
very serious problem than say the same of the others. Unfavorable views are also closely related to concerns about China’s
military power – something that a median of 37% say is a very serious
problem. Worries are particularly acute among China’s neighbors – especially
Japan (60%), Australia (57%) and South Korea (46%) – though nearly half in
some non-geographically proximate countries like Spain (47%) and the
Netherlands (46%) also feel this way. Economic competition with China is seen as a less serious problem. A
median of 30% describe it as very serious, and outside of Israel, it is not
seen as the top problem among the four tested in any of the 19 countries. Negative views of China shot
up in 2020 in many of the places surveyed; since then, they have
largely remained
near these elevated levels or even increased. Today, unfavorable
opinion of China is at or near historic highs in most of the 18 countries for
which trend data is available. Adults in Greece, the United Kingdom and the
United States have become significantly more critical of China over
the past year. Unfavorable views of China have gone up by 21 percentage
points in Poland and Israel and 15 points in Hungary, which were all last
surveyed in 2019. Belgium stands as the only country where fewer people hold
an unfavorable view of China this year than last year (61%, d own from 67%).
Despite broadly unfavorable opinions about China, majorities in over
half of the countries surveyed think relations between their country and the
superpower are currently in good shape. Take, for example, the Netherlands:
75% have negative views of China, and the country – which was the first in
Europe to pass
a motion declaring treatment of the Uyghurs in China to be a
genocide – stands apart for having the highest share (64%) calling China’s
policies on human rights a very serious problem. Still, 65% of the Dutch
people think their country’s relationship with China is currently in good
shape. The countries where bilateral relations are seen negatively tend to be those where
another problem is paramount: China’s involvement in domestic politics. While
a median of only 26% describe this issue as very serious, it is seen as
particularly severe in places like South Korea, Australia, the U.S. and Japan
– the four places where a majority says relations are in bad shape. Spotlight: Views of China in countries
where bilateral relations are strained One way to explore views of China is to look at which publics are
most concerned about all of
the four issues tested: China’s policies on human rights, China’s military
power, economic competition with China and China’s involvement in politics in
each country. Taking the average of the share in each country who says each
issue is “very” serious creates a “severity score”. The “severity score” is
highly correlated with both unfavorable views of China (r=+0.81) and the sense that bilateral
relations are poor (r=0.72).
Four countries stand out for having high scores on this measure and for
saying relations with China are bad: Australia, South Korea, Japan and the
U.S.
Australia
Australian views of China turned particularly negative in phone
surveys conducted between
2019 and 2020 but have stayed consistently negative since then, with
86% reporting unfavorable views this year. More Australians (83%) describe
bilateral relations with China as bad than do the same in any of the other
countries surveyed. Australians score highest when it comes to seeing each of
the four problems asked about as very serious problems for their country.
They also stand out for the degree to which they view China’s military power
as a very serious issue (57%). The survey was conducted a few weeks after
a high-profile
incident involving Chinese ships but prior to the interception of
an Australian
aircraft. South Korea
South Korea was heavily
affected by Chinese economic retribution following the country’s
2017 decision to install an American
missile interceptor (THAAD). Negative views of China went up
substantially in 2017 alongside this turmoil; they increased again in 2020
when, in the wake of COVID-19, unfavorable opinion went up in
nearly every country surveyed. But views have continued to sour and
today, and unfavorable views of China are at a historic high of 80%. Around
three-quarters of Koreans think bilateral relations with China are in poor
shape, and the country stands out for having the highest share of people
(54%) who say that China’s involvement in domestic politics is a very serious
problem for the country. South Korea is also the only country surveyed
whereyoung people have more unfavorable views of China than older people. Japan
For the past 20 years, Japanese views of China have always been among
the most negative in our surveys, if not the most negative, and this year is no exception: 87%
have an unfavorable view of China. This is only slightly lower than the
historic high of 93% who had an unfavorable view of China in 2013,
following extreme
tension in the East China Sea. Very unfavorable views of China have also
been particularly elevated since 2020, with around half of Japanese adults
saying this describes their views of China. Compared with other publics, a
greater share in Japan say that China’s military power is a very serious
problem for their country (60%) and that relations with China are poor (81%). United States
Negative views of China have fluctuated over time in the U.S., but
there has been a consistent upward trajectory since 2018. Today, 82% of
Americans have an unfavorable view of China, up slightly (+6 percentage
points) since last year and now hovering
near historic highs. Seven-in-ten Americans also describe current
bilateral relations with China as poor. Republicans in the U.S. are somewhat
more likely than Democrats to have negative views of China and to describe
relations as poor. These are among the major findings of a new Pew Research Center
survey, conducted from Feb. 14 to June 3, 2022, among 24,525 adults in 19
nations. Other key findings include:
Views of China mostly negative with some
exceptions
Across the 19 countries surveyed, a median of 68% say they have an
unfavorable view of China. In North America, about three-quarters or more see
China unfavorably, including more than a third in both the U.S. and Canada
who hold a very unfavorable
opinion of China. Majorities in nine of the 11 European countries surveyed also hold
unfavorable views of China. Those in Sweden, the Netherlands and Germany are
particularly negative: About three-quarters or more say their opinion of
China is unfavorable. Roughly two-thirds in the UK and France agree. Views in
Greece are more divided, with 50% saying they have an unfavorable view and
44% holding a favorable view. Opinions in Israel are also divided, with roughly equal shares
holding unfavorable and favorable views (46% vs. 48%). Views vary most widely across the five Asia-Pacific countries
surveyed. In Japan, Australia and South Korea, at least eight-in-ten hold
unfavorable views of China. This includes 47% in Japan, 43% in Australia and
32% in South Korea who have a very unfavorable
opinion of the country. Malaysians and Singaporeans see China differently.
Six-in-ten or more in both countries say they hold a favorable opinion of
China. In both countries, those who identify as ethnically Chinese are more
likely than those who identify as another ethnicity to hold favorable views
of China. Adults in Greece, the
U.S. and the UK have become significantly more critical of China
over the past year. And unfavorable views of China have gone up by 21
percentage points in Poland and Israel and by 15 points in Hungary, which
were all last surveyed in 2019. In the U.S., South Korea, the Netherlands,
Germany, Canada, Spain, Poland, Hungary and Greece, unfavorable views of
China are also at the highest level recorded since the Center started polling
on this issue. Belgium stands as the only country where fewer people hold an
unfavorable view of China this year than last (61%, down from 67%).
Unfavorable views of China are, in part, linked to concerns about the
country’s policies on human rights. In 18 of 19 countries surveyed, those who
say China’s human rights policies are a very serious
problem for their country are significantly more likely than those who are
less concerned to hold an unfavorable view of China. The difference is
greatest in Belgium, where 73% of those who say China’s policies on human
rights are a very serious problem see China unfavorably and 50% of those who
consider Beijing’s human rights policies a less serious problem say the same.
Singapore is the only country where there is no significant difference. Reservations about China’s military power and involvement in their
country’s politics also tie into how people see China. Those who say China’s
military power is a very serious
problem for their country are more inclined to see China unfavorably in most
countries. Only in South Korea and Greece are people equally likely to hold
unfavorable views of China regardless of how they view its military power.
Similarly, those who consider China’s involvement in their country’s politics
a very serious
problem are more likely to hold an unfavorable view of China in all countries
except the Netherlands, Japan and Malaysia. The idea that economic
competition from China is a very serious
problem is likewise related to more negative views in most countries. In some countries, older adults are more likely to hold an
unfavorable view of China. For example, in Japan, 90% of adults ages 50 and
older say they have an unfavorable view of China, which is 18 points higher
than the 72% of adults ages 18 to 29 who say the same. The opposite is true
in South Korea: Adults under 30 are 22 points more likely than those 50 and
older to hold an unfavorable view of China. China’s policies on human rights are seen
as a very serious problem by many
People across the 19 countries surveyed see myriad issues in their
country’s bilateral relationship with China. When it comes to the four issues
asked about – China’s military power, economic competition with China, China’s
policies on human rights and China’s involvement in domestic politics – large
majorities in most countries tend to describe each as at least a somewhat
serious problem. When it comes to which problem is seen as most serious, however, China’s
policies on human rights stands out. A median of 47% describe the issue
as very serious,
ranging from a high of 64% who say this in the Netherlands to a low of 10%
who say the same in Israel. Europeans are much more likely to describe
China’s policies on human rights as a very serious problem than those in the
Asia-Pacific: Outside of Greece (40%), Poland (34%) and Hungary (21%), around
half or more in every European country hold this view, while Australia is the
only Asia-Pacific nation where this view is similarly prevalent. In contrast, China’s military power – which is seen as a very serious
threat by a median of 37% – is seen as a relatively more important problem in
the Asia-Pacific region. In every Asia-Pacific country surveyed, more people
describe China’s military power as a very serious problem for their country
than say the same about Beijing’s human rights policies, while the opposite
is true in every European country surveyed except Hungary. Japan and
Australia particularly stand out for having publics where a majority is very concerned about China’s
military. A median of 30% describe economic competition with China as a very
serious problem. Opinion is relatively similar across most places surveyed,
ranging from a high of 38% in Japan to a low of 10% in Hungary, with around
three-in-ten in most places saying this is a very serious issue. While fewer in most places describe China’s involvement in politics
in their country as a very serious problem, it is the top concern in South Korea (54%),
the U.S. (47%) and Singapore (24%). Around half in Australia (52%) also
describe this as a very serious problem. There are very few differences between men and women or among those
who have higher and lower levels of education when it comes to concerns about
China. In some countries, older people tend to be somewhat more concerned –
particularly regarding China’s military power. For example, 55% of those ages
65 and older in South Korea say China’s military power is a very serious
problem, compared with 31% of those under 30. These age dynamics are
especially pronounced in
the U.S., where older people are more likely to call every issue asked
about a very serious problem for the U.S. Those on the ideological left in some countries are more likely to
say China’s policies on human rights are a very serious problem. In Israel,
for example, those on the left (27%) are more than five times as likely as
those on the right (5%) to say the issue is very serious. On the other hand,
those on the ideological right tend to be relatively more concerned about
economic competition with China. Evaluations of bilateral relations with
China vary widely
When asked to evaluate their country’s relationship with China, most
say the relationship is good, though results vary widely across regions. A
median of 62% across the 19 countries surveyed say current relations between
their country and China are good, and a median of 32% say relations are bad. More than half in Canada and the U.S. say their country’s
relationship with China is bad. This includes about one-in-ten in both
countries who say the relationship is very bad. In Europe, the feedback is more positive. About nine-in-ten in Greece
and two-thirds or more in Hungary, Italy, Spain and Belgium say current
relations between their country and China are good. Majorities in the
Netherlands, Poland, France and the UK also share this perspective. Views in
Sweden are mixed: Roughly equal shares offer positive and negative
evaluations of the relationship. Israelis have a positive outlook on bilateral relations with China:
About three-quarters say the relationship is good, and roughly one-in-ten say
the relationship is very good. Opinions in the Asia-Pacific region vary widely. In both Singapore
and Malaysia, more than eight-in-ten say relations between their country and
China are good. This includes about a quarter in both countries who say the
relationship is very good.
On the other hand, about three-quarters or more in South Korea, Japan and
Australia describe bilateral relations with China as bad. In all three
countries, at least about a fifth say relations are very bad.
How people see specific issues in their country’s bilateral
relationship with China is linked to overall evaluations of the relationship.
In 15 of 19 countries, those who see China’s involvement in their country’s
politics as a very serious
problem are less likely than those who show less concern to describe the
bilateral relationship as good. For example, 50% of Poles who say China’s
involvement in Polish politics is a very serious
problem say China and Poland have a good relationship. Conversely, 71% of
Poles who see China’s influence in politics as a less serious problem
consider the relationship good. Serious concerns about China’s human rights policies are also tied to
less optimism about the bilateral relationship in 15 countries. And those who
are very troubled by China’s military power or economic competition from
China are less inclined to describe the bilateral relationship as good in 14
and 13 countries, respectively. Most favor promoting human rights over
strengthening economic ties with China
When asked to choose between promoting human rights in China and
strengthening economic ties with China – both potentially at the expense of
the other – clear regional differences emerge. In the U.S., Canada and nearly
all of the European countries surveyed, majorities say human rights should be
prioritized over economic relations. In Israel, the opposite is true. Opinion
in the Asia-Pacific is divided: Majorities in Malaysia, Singapore and South
Korea favor strengthening their economic relationships with China, even if it
means not addressing human rights issues. In nearly all places surveyed, those who see China’s human rights
policies as a very serious problem favor promoting human rights regardless of
economic consequences. For example, 87% of Canadians who see China’s policies
as a very serious issue prioritize human rights, compared with 64% of those
who show less concern. This is the case in each country surveyed except
Malaysia.
Preference for promoting human rights or strengthening economic ties
is also related to ideology. In 12 of the 19 countries surveyed, people on
the ideological left choose promoting human rights over strengthening
economic ties with China. The opposite is true only in South Korea, where 72%
of those on the left favor strengthening economic ties even if it means not addressing
human rights issues, compared with 58% of those on the right. In the U.S.,
while those on the ideological left (“liberals” in U.S. parlance) are more
likely to hold this view than those on the right (“conservatives”), they are
also both more likely to think this than those in the center (“moderates”).
(For more on U.S. opinion toward China, see “China’s
Partnership With Russia Seen as Serious Problem for the U.S.”) Although few people in most of the countries surveyed say they have a
favorable view of China, those that do are far more likely to prioritize
economic relations over human rights. In Australia, 45% of those who see
China favorably place economic relations ahead of human rights in regard to
China, compared with just 18% of those who hold unfavorable views of the
country. Many think China’s international influence
is getting stronger
A median of 66% across the 19 countries surveyed say China’s
influence in the world has been getting stronger – as opposed to getting
weaker or staying about the same – in recent years. This is more than say the
same of India or Russia, two
other emerging economies asked about in the survey, and of the U.S.,
Germany, France or the UK. In the U.S. and Canada, about six-in-ten or more say China’s
influence is growing stronger and roughly a fifth say the country’s influence
is staying about the same. Europeans agree that China’s influence in recent years has been
getting stronger. Three-quarters in Italy say China’s influence is growing,
as do at least two-thirds in Greece, the Netherlands, Spain and Hungary.
Substantial minorities in the European countries surveyed also say that
China’s influence is staying about the same, ranging from about a third in
Poland (32%) to about a tenth in the Netherlands (13%). Most Israelis say China’s influence is growing stronger. About
three-quarters say the country’s influence is getting stronger, and about a
fifth say the influence is staying about the same.
Pluralities in the Asia-Pacific countries surveyed agree that China’s
influence is growing. In Australia, Japan and Singapore, about two-thirds or
more hold this view, and about half or more in South Korea and Malaysia
agree. In both Malaysia and Singapore, those who self-identify as ethnically
Chinese are more inclined to say China’s influence is getting stronger than
those who identify as another race or ethnicity. Education, income and gender are tied to how people evaluate China’s
influence in recent years. In 14 countries, those with more education are
more likely than those with less schooling to say China’s influence is
growing stronger. The same pattern holds for those with higher incomes and
men, when compared with those with lower incomes and women. In some
countries, those with more education, those with higher incomes and men are
also more likely to provide an answer to the question. Few have confidence in Chinese President Xi
Jinping
Majorities in all countries surveyed – except Singapore and Malaysia
– have little to no confidence in Chinese President Xi Jinping’s approach to
world affairs. Around four-in-ten or more in most places surveyed even say
they have no confidence at all in
Xi, including more than half of those in Australia, France and Sweden. Roughly seven-in-ten adults or more have little or no confidence in
Xi in the U.S., Canada and all but two of the European countries surveyed. In
Greece, while more still say they distrust than trust Xi (57% vs. 33%,
respectively), opinion is somewhat more divided. The Asia-Pacific region is very divided. While Japan, Australia and
South Korea are among the publics with the least confidence in Xi, Malaysia
and Singapore stand out for the opposite: A majority has at least some
confidence in the Chinese leader. Confidence in Xi is closely related to views of China at large. In
all places surveyed, people with favorable views of China are more likely to
have confidence in the president than those who see China unfavorably. In Malaysia and Singapore, confidence in Xi differs by ethnic
identity. In both countries, adults who describe themselves as ethnic Chinese
have more confidence in Xi than those who identify as Malay or another
ethnicity. (PEW) JUNE 29, 2022 747-749-43-50/Polls Across 19 Countries, More People See The U S Than China Favorably –
But More See China’s Influence Growing
In 19 countries surveyed by Pew Research Center this spring, people
see the United States and President Joe Biden more favorably than China and
its president, Xi Jinping. But when it comes to perceptions of each country’s
relative influence in the world, much larger shares in most nations see
China’s influence growing than say the same of the U.S. Below are five key findings comparing international attitudes toward
the two countries, drawn from nationally representative surveys conducted
from Feb. 14 to June 3, 2022, among 24,525 adults in 19 nations.
The U.S. is generally seen more positively
than China. In most countries, majorities have
a favorable view of the U.S., while fewer than around a third tend to say the
same of China. However, attitudes vary widely within the Asia-Pacific region.
In South Korea, 89% have a favorable view of China, 70 percentage points more
than the 19% who say the same of China. This is the widest gap observed among
all 19 countries. The U.S. is also seen substantially more positively than
China in Japan (+58 points) and Australia (+40 points). Conversely, more
people in Malaysia and Singapore hold favorable views of China than the U.S.
In both countries, the share who see China positively is 16 points greater
than the share who see the U.S. in the same light. While views of the U.S.
and China have remained mostly stable over the past year, attitudes in some
countries have shifted. People in Greece and Italy, for example, see both the U.S. and China less
favorably today than in 2021. In Hungary, which was last surveyed in 2019,
views of the U.S. are down while opinion of China has not shifted. The
pattern differs in Poland, also last surveyed in 2019, where the U.S. is now
seen more favorably than three years ago (+12 points) while China is seen
less favorably (-19 points).
Views of Biden remain much more positive
than views of Xi. Outside of Singapore and
Malaysia, people in every nation surveyed have more confidence in Biden than
in Xi – and in Poland and Sweden, the difference is greater than 60
percentage points. But while many more continue to have confidence in Biden,
positive views of his leadership have taken
a downward turn in the past year, falling by double digits in nearly
every country surveyed. Views of Xi, by comparison, have remained largely
unchanged over the past year, though they continue to hover at or near
historic lows in most places. A median of 66% across 19 countries say
China’s influence on the world stage is getting stronger, while just 32% say
the same about the U.S. This gap in perceptions
is largest in Australia, where more than three times as many say China’s
influence is growing than say the same about American influence (73% vs.
19%).
In each country surveyed, more than half of adults say China’s
influence in the world is strengthening. Few tend to describe China’s influence
as staying the same (median of 20%) or getting weaker (12%). Evaluations of America’s global influence vary more widely. Across
the surveyed countries, a median of 32% describe U.S. influence as getting
stronger, while 37% say it is staying the same and 27% say it is getting
weaker. In contrast to views of China’s influence, more than half of the
public in only one country – Poland – say U.S. influence is growing. At the
same time, however, there are no countries where more than half say U.S.
influence is weakening,
either. Across most countries surveyed, more educated people are more likely
to say China’s power is growing. In about a third of the places surveyed,
more educated people are also more likely to say that U.S. influence is
getting weaker. In many countries, younger people tend to
feel more positively about China than older people. In
12 of the 18 countries surveyed, including the U.S., those under age 30 have
more favorable views of China than those ages 50 and older, with the largest
difference in Japan. When it comes to views
of the U.S., the pattern is more varied. In Australia, the Netherlands and
Sweden, for example, younger people have much less positive views of the U.S.
than older people do. In Malaysia, Singapore and Spain, the opposite is true. Taken together, young people in a few countries – including
Australia, Belgium, Canada, Sweden and the United Kingdom – are both more
positive toward China and less
positive toward the U.S. than older adults. South Korea is the only place
surveyed where younger people have more negative views
of China and more positive views
of the U.S. than their older counterparts.
People on the right of the ideological
spectrum are more likely than those on the left to view the U.S. favorably,
but there are no strong ideological patterns in views of China. As
we have seen
consistently in Pew
Research Center surveys, people who place themselves on the right of
the ideological
spectrum tend to view the U.S. more favorably than those on the
left. For instance, in Greece, 60% of those on the right have a favorable
view of the U.S., compared with only 22% of those on the left. This pattern
can also be seen in Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Israel, the
Netherlands, Spain, South Korea, Sweden and the UK. (Ideology was not asked
in Japan, Malaysia or Singapore.) In most countries,
people on the ideological right and left feel similarly about China. The
notable exceptions are Hungary and
Italy, where those on the right are more likely than those on the left to see
China favorably. (PEW) JUNE 29, 2022 |
