Report · Culture

Statistics and p-values are familiar to most Americans, but few use them regularly

Reading

In a Verasight survey of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted Aug. 13 to 18, 2025, 75% of Americans reported at least some familiarity with statistics and p-values.

That includes 37% who said they had heard of or read about them, 27% who learned them in school, and 11% who use them regularly. Another 25% said they had no idea what statistics and p-values are.

Topline

single choice

Topline distribution

11% of Americans say they use statistics and p-values regularly.

How much do you understand about statistics and p-values?

  • Little, I've heard of them or read about them. 37.1%
  • Not much, but I learned them in school. 27.1%
  • None, I have no idea what any of these are. 25.0%
  • Very much, I use them regularly. 10.8%

2025 · base n 1,000 · +/- 3.1%

Verasight JSM Omnibus Survey

View source

Methodology

Full methodology
Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
Field dates
2025-08-13 → 2025-08-18
Base (unweighted)
1,000
Margin of error
+/- 3.1%
Module
Verasight JSM Omnibus Survey

Source

Citation

Verasight JSM Omnibus Survey, fielded August 13-18, 2025, N=1,000 United States adults, +/- 3.1%.

https://reports.verasight.io/r/jsm-2025

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
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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.