Three-quarters of Americans say society should encourage empathy
Core finding
In a Verasight survey of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted March 6 to 16, 2026, 73% of Americans agreed that empathy, feeling and identifying with the suffering of others, is a moral good that society should encourage. This includes 32% who strongly agree and 41% who agree.
Few Americans disagreed (6%), with 4% who disagree and 3% who strongly disagree. Another 21% were neutral.
Topline scale
73% of Americans say empathy is a moral good society should encourage.
Empathy, feeling and identifying with the suffering of others, is a moral good that society should encourage.
n = 1,000 · Mar 6–16, 2026 · MoE ±3.5%
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 | Mar 6–16, 2026 |
| Base (unweighted) | 1,000 |
| Margin of error | ±3.5% |
| Module | Module 5: Health, Community, & Personal Values |
| Sponsor | Verasight |
| Weight variable | weight |
| Weighting targets | age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status |
Sources
- reports.verasight.io/r/omnibus-2026-044
Empathy, feeling and identifying with the suffering of others, is a moral good that society should encourage.
Cite this question
Verasight Client Omnibus Survey #2026-044, fielded March 6-16, 2026, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.5%.