Report · Politics

Nine-in-ten Americans say social science research helps inform policy decisions

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In a Verasight survey of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted March 6 to 16, 2026, 89% of Americans said social science research is at least somewhat important for helping policymakers and community leaders make informed decisions. Including 28% who said extremely important, 28% who said very important, and 33% who said somewhat important.

About one in ten said social science research is not too or not at all important (11%), with 8% who said not too important and 3% who said not at all important.

Topline

response scale

Topline scale

89% of Americans say social science research is important for informing policy decisions.

How important do you believe social science research (such as studies on education, social causes of health, crime, economy, and community well-being) is for helping policymakers and community leaders make informed decisions?

  • Somewhat important 33.1%
  • Extremely important 28.2%
  • Very important 27.9%
  • Not too important 7.8%
  • Not at all important 3.0%

2026 · base n 1,000 · +/- 3.5%

Module 3: Elections, Civic Life, & the Environment

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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
2026-03-06 → 2026-03-16
Base (unweighted)
1,000
Margin of error
+/- 3.5%
Module
Module 3: Elections, Civic Life, & the Environment

Source

Citation

Verasight Client Omnibus Survey #2026-044, fielded March 6-16, 2026, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.5%.

https://reports.verasight.io/reports/omnibus-2026-044#q-3-31

Verasight survey methodology

How Verasight conducts surveys.

This page describes the Verasight general survey contract, separate from how the Data Library packages it. Each wave's specific field dates, sample sizes, and module breakdown are listed in that wave's 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
Every wave is published as a standalone report at verasight.io/reports with full instrument and methodology.
Transparency
AAPOR transparency standards.

Wave-specific methodology, full weighting variable lists, and verbatim instrument text live in each report at verasight.io/reports.