Summary
A Pew Research Center study found that 53% of U.S. adults believe that Americans have poor morals, which is higher than any other country surveyed. The survey highlighted a partisan split, with Democrats more likely than Republicans to view fellow citizens' morals negatively.
Key Facts
- Pew Research Center conducted a study on the perceived morals of citizens across 25 countries.
- In the U.S., 53% of people rated fellow Americans' morals as “bad,” the highest among the countries surveyed.
- The survey took place among 3,605 adults in the U.S. from March 24 to 30, 2025.
- Outside the U.S., 28,333 adults were surveyed from January 8 to April 26, 2025.
- Democratic-leaning individuals in the U.S. were more likely than Republican-leaning ones to view morals negatively (60% vs. 46%).
- The survey found that 39% of U.S. adults deemed homosexuality morally wrong compared to lower percentages in Germany and Sweden.
- Pew found that 90% of Americans viewed extramarital affairs as morally wrong.
- Americans were less likely to see marijuana use (23%) and gambling (29%) as morally unacceptable compared to some other countries.
