Southern Focus Poll, South Survey, Spring 1997 - Analysis
ORIGIN
Which do you think is a more likely explanation for the origin of human life on Earth -- the Biblical account of creation or Darwinian evolution?
| Frequency | Percent | Cumulative Percent | Z-Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1) Biblical account | 513 | 62.8% | 62.8% | -0.66 |
| 2) Darwinian evolution | 149 | 18.2% | 81.0% | 0.29 |
| 3) Both, God created life and then it evolved | 47 | 5.8% | 86.8% | 1.23 |
| 4) Neither/Don't know/No answer | 108 | 13.2% | 100.0% | 2.18 |
Gender (I-GENDER)
| Male | Female | Missing | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biblical account | 54.8%198 | 69.1%315 | 0 | 62.8%513 |
| Darwinian evolution | 26.0%94 | 12.1%55 | 0 | 18.2%149 |
| Both, God created life and then it evolved | 7.2%26 | 4.6%21 | 0 | 5.8%47 |
| Neither/Don't know/No answer | 11.9%43 | 14.3%65 | 0 | 13.2%108 |
| Missing | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 100%361 | 100%456 | 817 |
Race (I-RACE)
| White | Black/African American | Other | Missing | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biblical account | 61.5%392 | 69.1%76 | 69.5%41 | 4 | 63.2%509 |
| Darwinian evolution | 19.8%126 | 11.8%13 | 15.3%9 | 1 | 18.4%148 |
| Both, God created life and then it evolved | 6.6%42 | 1.8%2 | 3.4%2 | 1 | 5.7%46 |
| Neither/Don't know/No answer | 12.1%77 | 17.3%19 | 11.9%7 | 5 | 12.8%103 |
| Missing | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Total | 100%637 | 100%110 | 100%59 | 806 |
Marital status (I-MARITAL)
| Married | Divorced | Separated | Widowed | Single | Missing | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biblical account | 63.6%301 | 71.7%76 | 47.6%10 | 55.6%35 | 60.0%90 | 1 | 63.0%512 |
| Darwinian evolution | 17.1%81 | 15.1%16 | 14.3%3 | 7.9%5 | 28.7%43 | 1 | 18.2%148 |
| Both, God created life and then it evolved | 7.0%33 | 3.8%4 | 9.5%2 | 4.8%3 | 2.7%4 | 1 | 5.7%46 |
| Neither/Don't know/No answer | 12.3%58 | 9.4%10 | 28.6%6 | 31.7%20 | 8.7%13 | 1 | 13.2%107 |
| Missing | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Total | 100%473 | 100%106 | 100%21 | 100%63 | 100%150 | 813 |
Religion (I-RELIGION)
| Protestant | Catholic | Jewish or other | No religion | Missing | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biblical account | 66.5%381 | 60.0%75 | 69.0%40 | 20.8%10 | 7 | 62.9%506 |
| Darwinian evolution | 13.6%78 | 23.2%29 | 20.7%12 | 58.3%28 | 2 | 18.3%147 |
| Both, God created life and then it evolved | 6.1%35 | 6.4%8 | 3.4%2 | 2.1%1 | 1 | 5.7%46 |
| Neither/Don't know/No answer | 13.8%79 | 10.4%13 | 6.9%4 | 18.8%9 | 3 | 13.1%105 |
| Missing | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Total | 100%573 | 100%125 | 100%58 | 100%48 | 804 |
Political party (I-PARTYID)
| Republican | Democrat | Independent | Other party | Missing | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biblical account | 71.8%196 | 59.4%171 | 58.6%89 | 48.9%23 | 34 | 63.0%479 |
| Darwinian evolution | 13.6%37 | 19.4%56 | 25.7%39 | 25.5%12 | 5 | 18.9%144 |
| Both, God created life and then it evolved | 5.9%16 | 4.5%13 | 7.2%11 | 10.6%5 | 2 | 5.9%45 |
| Neither/Don't know/No answer | 8.8%24 | 16.7%48 | 8.6%13 | 14.9%7 | 16 | 12.1%92 |
| Missing | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 57 | 0 |
| Total | 100%273 | 100%288 | 100%152 | 100%47 | 760 |
Education (I-EDUC)
| Less than high school | 12th grade (high school) | Some college (two year degree) | 4 year college graduate | Advanced degree (MA, PhD, LLD, MD) | Missing | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biblical account | 51.7%46 | 71.0%176 | 72.5%158 | 56.5%87 | 42.3%44 | 2 | 62.9%511 |
| Darwinian evolution | 10.1%9 | 10.1%25 | 13.3%29 | 29.2%45 | 39.4%41 | 0 | 18.3%149 |
| Both, God created life and then it evolved | 2.2%2 | 3.2%8 | 4.6%10 | 6.5%10 | 15.4%16 | 1 | 5.7%46 |
| Neither/Don't know/No answer | 36.0%32 | 15.7%39 | 9.6%21 | 7.8%12 | 2.9%3 | 1 | 13.2%107 |
| Missing | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Total | 100%89 | 100%248 | 100%218 | 100%154 | 100%104 | 813 |
