Browse 114 concepts used in the study of religion, review how survey researchers measured them in the past, and quickly compare the results of more than 7,600 survey questions.
The archive is a collection of surveys, polls, and other data submitted by the foremost scholars and research centers in the world. Review and analyze data online, or download free of charge.
Examine the religious composition, religious freedoms, demographics, constitutional clauses, survey findings and multiple social and political measures for 250 nations.
View maps of the United States and individual states for hundreds of variables, including congregational membership, census data, crime statistics and many others.
Generate congregational membership reports for any county, state and urban area in the United States using data collected by the Religious Congregations & Membership Study.
The profiles chart schisms and mergers, document membership trends, offer basic descriptions, and link to additional resources for more than 400 past and present American religious groups.
Browse dozens of topics from a major national survey of religious congregations. See how the responses vary by the size, religious family and region of the congregation.
Browse dozens of topics covered by major national surveys. See how the responses vary by demographic categories and, when available, how they change over time.
View maps of the United States and individual states for hundreds of variables, including congregational membership, census data, crime statistics and many others.
Hunter, J. D., & Bowman, C. (2020, November 11). Life Choices, 1990.
Summary
The Life Choices Study was an in-depth study of Americans' beliefs and opinions on a variety of life-related issues, abortion being first and foremost among them. Additionally, euthanasia, capital punishment, and military service receive brief treatment. The survey attempts to penetrate the broader cultural currents underlying the polarizations and contradictions that characterize public opinion on these matters. The study was guided by the following questions: Why do people diverge so sharply in their views? Who are those that lie at the extremes and in the middle? What systems of moral reasoning anchor their opinions? Which appeals, arguments, and obligations have the greatest impact upon their views?
These data were collected by in-person interviews. The survey was directed by James Davison Hunter and Carl Desportes Bowman, Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture, University of Virginia. The sampling and fieldwork were conducted by the Gallup Organization, Inc.
Sampling Procedures
A sample of 2,174 adults was drawn from 300 scientifically selected localities across the nation using standard Gallup national probability sampling procedures. It is representative of the adult civilian population living in private households in the United States.
Principal Investigators
James Davison Hunter, Project Director, University of Virginia Carl Bowman, Research Director, Bridgewater College
Related Publications
Hunter, James Davison and Carl Bowman, "Abortion in American: The Gallup Life Choices Survey", Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture, University of Virginia, 1992.
Hunter, James Davison and Carl Bowman, "The Anatomy of Ambivalence: What Americans Really Believe About Abortion", in Before the Shooting Begins: Searching For Democracy in America's Culture War by James Davison Hunter, Free Press, 1994.
For the variable OWNHOME, the labels for values 2 and 3 have been lost.
Note 2
For the variables FINCOME and DENOM, the labels for all of the values have been lost.
According to the principal investigator, Carl Bowman, the ordinal variable, FINCOME, was coded from low to high values.
Note 3
For the variables, TVNAT, TVLOC, NEWSPAP, RADIO, NEWSMAG, TVNAT2, TVLOC2, NEWSPAP2, RADIO2, NEWSMAG2:
Originally, these variables were meant to be two separate questions:
Which of the following media do you depend upon the most for news and information on current events? National TV news, local TV news, a daily newspaper, the radio, or weekly news magazines?
After (above answer) which do you depend upone the most for news and information on current events? National TV news, local TV news, a daily newspaper, the radio, or weekly news magazines?
Although designed as an exclusive choice question and follow-up, in interviews the respondents were allowed to choose as many as apply. The principal investigators created dummy variables to retain the information.
Note 4
For the variables TOPPSEX, TOBESE, TRETARD, TTERMILL, TBLIND, TMISSLEG, THARTDEF:
The respondents were given a card listing all of these possible answers: Serious enough to have an abortion Serious enough to strongly consider an abortion Serious enough to give a little consideration to an abortion Not a consideration, you would definitely not consider an abortion Don't know
Note 5
For the variables AUTEXPER, AUTVETC, AUTBIBL, AUTSCIEN, AUTRLEAD, AUTOTH:
Similarly to Note 3, these variables originate from one question that was meant to have one answer per respondent, but was treated as a "select all that apply" type of question in the interview. The original question is:
What, in your opinion is the most believable authority in matters of truth? 1. Your own personal experience 2. What you learn from television, newspapers and books 3. The teachings of scripture, for example, the Bible, the Torah 4. What science teaches us 5. What has been handed down from your parents or other authorities 6. What religious leaders say 7. Other
However, during the interviews the respondents selected all that applied, and therefore the principal investigators created dummy variables to retain the information.
