A slim majority are more curious about someone who turned from bad to good
Core finding
Between a redemption arc and a fall from grace, the redemption draws more curiosity. A May 2026 Verasight survey finds 58% of Americans are more curious to learn about the motive and background of someone who was originally extremely morally bad and became extremely morally good.
Curiosity runs the other way for 42%, toward a person who started out extremely morally good and turned extremely morally bad.
Topline distribution
A slim majority are more curious about someone who turned from bad to good.
Of these two people, whose motive and background are you more curious to learn about?
n = 1,000 · May 11, 2026 · MoE ±3.3%
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) | 1,000 |
| Margin of error | ±3.3% |
| Module | politics |
| Sponsor | Verasight |
| Weight variable | weight |
| Weighting targets | age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status |
Sources
- reports.verasight.io/r/spsp26
Of these two people, whose motive and background are you more curious to learn about?
Cite this question
Verasight SPSP Omnibus Survey #2026-045, fielded May 11-11, 2026, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.3%.