Report · Culture

Motivation often changes when others seem motivated

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In a Verasight survey of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted May 11, 2026, 88% of Americans said their own level of motivation changes at least a small amount depending on whether they think the people around them are motivated.

About a third said their motivation changes moderately or more depending on others (37%), with 19% who said moderately, 13% who said quite a bit, and 5% who said a great deal. Another 41% said it changes somewhat (25%) or a little (16%), and 12% said very little. Just 12% said it does not change at all.

Topline

response scale

Topline scale

88% of Americans say their motivation responds at least a small amount to the people around them.

How much does your own level of motivation change depending on whether you think the people around you are motivated?

  • Somewhat 24.5%
  • Moderately 18.7%
  • A little 15.5%
  • Quite a bit 12.9%
  • Not at all 11.6%
  • Very little 11.6%
  • A great deal 5.3%

2026 · base n 1,000 · +/- 3.3%

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)
1,000
Margin of error
+/- 3.3%
Module
identity

Source

Citation

Verasight SPSP Omnibus Survey #2026-045, fielded May 11-11, 2026, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.3%.

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.