People judge strangers by their own motivations
Core finding
When gauging how driven a stranger is, a plurality of Americans (32%) say they lean on their own level of motivation somewhat, according to a May 2026 Verasight survey. A further 17% lean on it moderately and 15% only a little.
Toward the strong end, 10% rely on it a lot and 6% a great deal, while 10% lean on it very little and 9% not at all.
Topline distribution
People judge strangers by their own motivations.
When judging how motivated a stranger is to pursue their goals, how much do you rely on your own level of motivation as a reference point?
n = 474 · May 11, 2026 · MoE ±4.8%
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 | May 11, 2026 |
| Base (unweighted) | 474 |
| Margin of error | ±4.8% |
| Module | identity |
| Sponsor | Verasight |
| Weight variable | weight |
| Weighting targets | age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status |
Sources
- reports.verasight.io/r/spsp26
When judging how motivated a stranger is to pursue their goals, how much do you rely on your own level of motivation as a reference point?
Cite this question
Verasight SPSP Omnibus Survey #2026-045, fielded May 11-11, 2026, N=474 US adults age 18+, +/- 4.8%.