Most Americans stay neutral on whether people act mechanically or deliberately
Core finding
A narrow majority of Americans take no side on whether they often view other people's actions as mechanical rather than deliberate: 53% neither agree nor disagree, according to a May 2026 Verasight survey.
About a quarter (27%) disagree with the statement, including 5% who strongly disagree, while 17% agree and 3% strongly agree.
Topline scale
Most Americans stay neutral on whether people act mechanically or deliberately.
Please rate your agreement with the following: I often view other's actions as mechanical rather than deliberate.
n = 1,000 · May 11, 2026 · MoE ±3.3%
Methodology
Full methodology →| Mode | Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting |
|---|---|
| Population | US adults age 18+ |
| Field dates | May 11, 2026 |
| Base (unweighted) | 1,000 |
| Margin of error | ±3.3% |
| Module | daily_life |
| Sponsor | Verasight |
| Weight variable | weight |
| Weighting targets | age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status |
Sources
- reports.verasight.io/r/spsp26
Please rate your agreement with the following: I often view other's actions as mechanical rather than deliberate.
Cite this question
Verasight SPSP Omnibus Survey #2026-045, fielded May 11-11, 2026, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.3%.