Report · Culture

Few Americans say they are morally worse than the average adult

Reading

In a Verasight survey of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted May 22 to 24, 2024, 8% of Americans said they were morally worse than the average U.S. adult, with 6% who said probably worse and 2% who said definitely worse.

By contrast, 42% said they were morally better than the average adult, including 28% who said probably better and 14% who said definitely better. Another 42% said they were about average.

Topline

response scale

Topline scale

Just 8% of Americans say they are morally worse than the average adult.

Compared to the average U.S. adult, do you believe you are…

  • About average 42.4%
  • Probably morally better than the average person 27.6%
  • Definitely morally better than the average person 14.3%
  • I don’t know 7.3%
  • Probably morally worse than the average person 6.2%
  • Definitely morally worse than the average person 2.1%

2024 · base n 1,000 · +/- 3.3%

Verasight AAPOR Omnibus Survey #2024-054

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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
2024-05-22 → 2024-05-24
Base (unweighted)
1,000
Margin of error
+/- 3.3%
Module
Verasight AAPOR Omnibus Survey #2024-054

Source

  • 01
    Few Americans say they are morally worse than the average adultreports.verasight.io/reports/verasight-aapor-omnibus-survey-2024-054

Citation

Verasight AAPOR Omnibus Survey #2024-054, fielded May 22-24, 2024, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.3%.

https://reports.verasight.io/reports/verasight-aapor-omnibus-survey-2024-054#compared-to-the-average-u-s-adult-do-you-believe-you-are

Verasight survey methodology

How Verasight conducts surveys.

This page describes the Verasight general survey contract, separate from how the Data Library packages it. Each wave's specific field dates, sample sizes, and module breakdown are listed in that wave's 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
Every wave is published as a standalone report at verasight.io/reports with full instrument and methodology.
Transparency
AAPOR transparency standards.

Wave-specific methodology, full weighting variable lists, and verbatim instrument text live in each report at verasight.io/reports.