# People assume rivals share their motivation

Canonical page: https://data.verasight.io/culture/people-assume-rivals-share-their-motivation/

> Indexed question in Culture.

## Reading

In a Verasight survey of 526 U.S. adults conducted May 11, 2026, nearly two-thirds (63%) say they assume a rival is about as motivated as they are when competing for the same goal, including 9% who strongly agree.

About one-in-five (21%) are neutral, while 16% disagree, including 3% who strongly disagree.

## Topline

When competing with someone for the same opportunity or goal, I tend to assume my competitor is about as motivated as I am.

People assume rivals share their motivation.

Net findings combine adjacent response options from the same scale.

- Agree: 28.3%
- Somewhat agree: 25.6%
- Neither: 21.2%
- Strongly agree: 8.9%
- Somewhat disagree: 6.7%
- Disagree: 5.8%
- Strongly disagree: 3.4%

## 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: 2026-05-11 → 2026-05-11
- Base (unweighted): 526
- Margin of error: +/- 4.6%
- Module: identity
- Sponsor: Verasight
- Weight variable: weight
- Weighting targets: age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status

## Source

- Canonical question URL: [https://reports.verasight.io/r/spsp26#q-3.8](https://reports.verasight.io/r/spsp26#q-3.8)

## Citation

Verasight SPSP Omnibus Survey #2026-045, fielded May 11-11, 2026, N=526 US adults age 18+, +/- 4.6%.

Canonical question URL: [https://reports.verasight.io/r/spsp26#q-3.8](https://reports.verasight.io/r/spsp26#q-3.8)