Report · Culture

Americans define themselves first by their moral beliefs

Reading

When asked what is the most important thing about them, four-in-ten Americans (40%) say their moral beliefs and actions, according to a May 2026 Verasight survey. No other answer comes close; the parts of themselves that are unique come next, at 16%.

Smaller shares point to their desires and goals (14%), the way they experience the world (13%), or their memories (11%), and 6% say something else.

Topline

single choice

Topline distribution

Americans define themselves first by their moral beliefs.

What is the most important thing about you?

  • My moral beliefs and actions 40.2%
  • The parts of me that are unique 16.0%
  • My desires and goals 13.5%
  • The way I experience the world 12.7%
  • My memories 11.3%
  • Something else 6.3%

2026 · base n 474 · +/- 4.8%

identity

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Methodology

Full methodology
Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
Field dates
2026-05-11 → 2026-05-11
Base (unweighted)
474
Margin of error
+/- 4.8%
Module
identity

Source

Citation

Verasight SPSP Omnibus Survey #2026-045, fielded May 11-11, 2026, N=474 US adults age 18+, +/- 4.8%.

https://reports.verasight.io/r/spsp26

Verasight survey methodology

How Verasight conducts surveys.

This page describes the Verasight general survey contract, separate from how the Data Library packages it. When a wave report is published, its field dates, sample sizes, and module breakdown are listed in that report.

Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting.
Population
US adults age 18+.
Sample design
Surveys are run as omnibus or single-topic waves. Omnibus waves are split into modules with their own respondent set, typically around one thousand respondents per module.
Field window
Each wave specifies its own field dates. Most omnibus waves field across roughly two weeks.
Weighting
Per-module weighting to CPS targets including age, race and ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, and metropolitan status.
Partisanship benchmark
Pew Research Center's NPORS benchmarking surveys, three-year running average.
Vote benchmark
2024 presidential vote population benchmarks.
Margin of error
Typically about plus or minus 3.4 to 3.6 percent per module at standard module sizes. Question-level MoE is recomputed when a base shrinks materially below the module baseline.
Reporting
The canonical report hub is reports.verasight.io. Verified legacy reports remain on their original hosts, and unpublished reports are marked pending.
Transparency
Verasight is a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research Transparency Initiative.

The canonical report hub is reports.verasight.io; older reports may remain on verified legacy hosts.