https://blogs.chapman.edu/wilkinson/2015/10/13/americas-top-fears-2015/
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tyden.cz%2Fobrazek%2F201510%2F562d01999b2ec%2Fchapmanvystrizek-562d0341b6523.jpg&hash=1c74b45f586a051fca27bb643e365ca7adab01a3)
QuoteFear % Afraid or Very Afraid
Corruption 58%
Cyber-terrorism 45%
Corporate Tracking of Personal Data 45%
Terrorist Attack 44%
Government Tracking of Personal Data 41%
Bio-warfare 41%
Identity Theft 40%
Economic Collapse 39%
Running out of Money 37%
Credit Card Fraud 37%
Gun Control 37%
War 36%
Obamacare 36%
Illness 34%
Pandemic 34%
Nuclear Attack 34%
Reptiles 33%
Meltdown 32%
Civil Unrest 32%
Tornado 31%
Global Warming 30%
Grid attack 29%
Illegal Immigration 29%
Drought 29%
Robots Replacing Workforce 28%
Public Speaking 28%
Property Damage 27%
Heights 27%
Pollution of rivers and streams 26%
Earthquake 26%
Drunk Driver 26%
Flood 26%
Hurricane 26%
Trusting Artificial Intelligence to do work 25%
Insects 25%
Blizzard 25%
Overpopulation 24%
Robots 23%
Unemployment 23%
Artificial Intelligence 22%
Break ins 22%
Loneliness 22%
Dying 21%
Theft 21%
Water 21%
Drones 20%
Claustrophobia 19%
Volcano 19%
Aging 19%
Ponzi Schemes and other financial crimes 19%
Technology I don't understand 19%
Needles 18%
Whites no longer majority 18%
Dying 16%
Germs 16%
Mass Shooting 16%
Walking Along at Night 16%
Murder by a stranger 16%
Mugging 15%
Police Brutality 15%
Flying 15%
Rape by a stranger 14%
Gangs 14%
Whooping Cough 13%
Kidnapping 13%
Mammals (Dogs, rats or other animals) 12%
Measles 12%
Stalking 12%
Dismissed by Others 12%
Blood 12%
Hate Crime 12%
Weight 11%
Rape by someone you know 11%
Murder by someone you know 10%
Ridicule 10%
Romantic Rejection 10%
Expressing Opinion 9%
Ghosts 9%
Talking to Stranger 9%
Gossip 9%
Dark 9%
Appearance 8%
Zombies 8%
Vaccines 8%
Clowns 6%
Age 5%
Race 5%
Gender 4%
Dress 4%
Gun control and Obamacare - scarier than a nuclear attack! :o
You can blame Obama if a nuclear attack on US succeeds, so there are pluses and minuses there. On the other hand, if Obamacare succeeds, then it's unmitigated disaster.
Quote from: Syt on November 18, 2015, 04:18:08 PM
Gun control and Obamacare - scarier than a nuclear attack! :o
I have to admit I am not scared at all about a nuclear attack since I have no idea why one would occur. But I guess since the Supreme Court ruling I have no idea why people fret about Gun Control, the Feds can hardly do anything now. I guess they might be worried about their state government.
1 Americans
2 The World
3 I can't help it
Clowns got only 6%? Poll must be inaccurate. :(
You and Katmai are special like that.
At least they beat "gender".
Quote from: Malthus on November 18, 2015, 04:26:33 PM
Clowns got only 6%? Poll must be inaccurate. :(
Some of them are weirdly vague.
Blood.
Age.
Gender.
Well what about blood, age, and gender? Just a general fear of blood? Is Age a fear of aging?
#1 to me is totally bizarre.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on November 18, 2015, 04:30:08 PM
#1 to me is totally bizarre.
True. Being concerned or angry about corruption is expected, but being afraid of it? Or is it a fear that the country is corrupt?
Quote from: Valmy on November 18, 2015, 04:28:37 PM
Is Age a fear of aging?
Aging 19%
Age 5%
Maybe it's fear of old people?
Quote from: Valmy on November 18, 2015, 04:28:37 PM
Quote from: Malthus on November 18, 2015, 04:26:33 PM
Clowns got only 6%? Poll must be inaccurate. :(
Some of them are weirdly vague.
Blood.
Age.
Gender.
Well what about blood, age, and gender? Just a general fear of blood? Is Age a fear of aging?
It is also weirdly specific. "Whooping Cough 13%". I mean, who answers a poll like this "I fear whooping cough"? :lol:
Dress 4% :unsure:
Quote from: lustindarkness on November 18, 2015, 04:41:21 PM
Dress 4% :unsure:
Dresses can be very frightening, as every husband knows and dreads: the wife asking 'does this dress make me look fat?' :P
Quote from: Valmy on November 18, 2015, 04:31:42 PM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on November 18, 2015, 04:30:08 PM
#1 to me is totally bizarre.
True. Being concerned or angry about corruption is expected, but being afraid of it? Or is it a fear that the country is corrupt?
I'm guessing it is fear of being victimized by a corrupt government official, directly or indirectly. Take all the hand-wringing in certain circles about the "prison-industrial complex" and the fear that corrupt police departments are locking up people on trumped-up charges for the benefit of private prisons.
Note that there is nothing saying these fears need to be
rational...
Quote from: Baron von Schtinkenbutt on November 18, 2015, 04:46:09 PM
I'm guessing it is fear of being victimized by a corrupt government official, directly or indirectly. Take all the hand-wringing in certain circles about the "prison-industrial complex" and the fear that corrupt police departments are locking up people on trumped-up charges for the benefit of private prisons.
Note that there is nothing saying these fears need to be rational...
You think 58% of Americans have this kind of fear?
I think a reasonable list would be something like:
1. Random psycho mass shooting.
2. Identity theft
3. Terror attack
Quote from: Admiral Yi on November 18, 2015, 04:50:12 PM
I think a reasonable list would be something like:
1. Random psycho mass shooting.
2. Identity theft
3. Terror attack
4. Spiders
5. Public speaking
I've very afraid of expressing my opinion.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on November 18, 2015, 04:50:12 PM
Quote from: Baron von Schtinkenbutt on November 18, 2015, 04:46:09 PM
I'm guessing it is fear of being victimized by a corrupt government official, directly or indirectly. Take all the hand-wringing in certain circles about the "prison-industrial complex" and the fear that corrupt police departments are locking up people on trumped-up charges for the benefit of private prisons.
Note that there is nothing saying these fears need to be rational...
You think 58% of Americans have this kind of fear?
I think a reasonable list would be something like:
1. Random psycho mass shooting.
2. Identity theft
3. Terror attack
Do most American fear identify theft? I don't think most American would regularly think about it even though it would be awful. I know I don't. :unsure:
Quote from: garbon on November 18, 2015, 04:56:23 PM
Do most American fear identify theft? I don't think most American would regularly think about it even though it would be awful. I know I don't. :unsure:
Most people buy shit online. My guess is at least somewhere in the back of their minds they're giving the possibility of identity theft some thought.
What do you think should be/is higher on the list?
Quote from: Admiral Yi on November 18, 2015, 04:59:08 PM
Quote from: garbon on November 18, 2015, 04:56:23 PM
Do most American fear identify theft? I don't think most American would regularly think about it even though it would be awful. I know I don't. :unsure:
Most people buy shit online. My guess is at least somewhere in the back of their minds they're giving the possibility of identity theft some thought.
What do you think should be/is higher on the list?
Credit card fraud is a separate item in that list.
I'd say unemployment and illness should be a bit higher. Maybe something on death of family/kids.
Quote from: garbon on November 18, 2015, 05:04:46 PM
I'd say unemployment and illness should be a bit higher. Maybe something on death of family/kids.
These are good.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on November 18, 2015, 04:50:12 PM
You think 58% of Americans have this kind of fear?
I think a reasonable list would be something like:
1. Random psycho mass shooting.
2. Identity theft
3. Terror attack
So, I dug into their raw data and methodology. I take it back. The question, specifically, was "Thinking about the Federal Government in
Washington D.C., how afraid are you of [Corrupt Government Officials]?". Out of 1541 participants, 481 said "Very Afraid" and 416 said "Afraid". I'm not sure how to interpret that, either.
Edit:
Also worth pointing out that over 80% of respondents don't usually trust the US Federal government (484 "Hardly Ever", 737 "Some of the Time"). Probably has something to do with it.
My top fears:
1. Something bad happening to my kid or my wife
2. Illness screwing me up
3. Losing financial security
4. The environment going to shit
Moldy, did you happen to see if it was a legit random survey or a bullshit internet poll?
Although I suppose it could be considered a rational response if you interpret the question as "do you think corruption exists at all" rather than "does [corruption] cause you overwhelming dread and sleepless nights."
A horrible survey/poll. I don't know what sort of methodology they used (info on that might be in the link, but I didn't bother), but whatever it was, they didn't use it well. For example, dying is on the list twice, at 21% and again at 16%. Though I guess one of those could be fear of death, they other fear of dye.
And as pointed out already, some of these are just bizarre. Sure, when you get down to under 5%, you expect some strange fears, but 13% of Americans are afraid of the whooping cough? Yeah, right.
Quote from: Malthus on November 18, 2015, 05:13:29 PM
My top fears:
1. Something bad happening to my kid or my wife
2. Illness screwing me up
3. Losing financial security
4. The environment going to shit
Yeah, I basically pegged Malthus's top 3. :showoff:
Quote from: Admiral Yi on November 18, 2015, 05:16:07 PM
Moldy, did you happen to see if it was a legit random survey or a bullshit internet poll?
Although I suppose it could be considered a rational response if you interpret the question as "do you think corruption exists at all" rather than "does [corruption] cause you overwhelming dread and sleepless nights."
Sorry, meant to post the link to the full data (since it isn't liked from the blog post for some reason): http://www.chapman.edu/wilkinson/research-centers/babbie-center/survey-american-fears.aspx
It was a legit, randomized GfK poll.
Quote from: dps on November 18, 2015, 05:18:13 PM
A horrible survey/poll. I don't know what sort of methodology they used (info on that might be in the link, but I didn't bother), but whatever it was, they didn't use it well. For example, dying is on the list twice, at 21% and again at 16%. Though I guess one of those could be fear of death, they other fear of dye.
One is dying period, the other is dying alone.
QuoteAnd as pointed out already, some of these are just bizarre. Sure, when you get down to under 5%, you expect some strange fears, but 13% of Americans are afraid of the whooping cough? Yeah, right.
You underestimate how pervasive the anti-vaxxer movement is. :P
I have very recently developed a fear of crappy surveys of what people in the US fear.
Quote from: Baron von Schtinkenbutt on November 18, 2015, 05:38:55 PM
Quote from: dps on November 18, 2015, 05:18:13 PM
A horrible survey/poll. I don't know what sort of methodology they used (info on that might be in the link, but I didn't bother), but whatever it was, they didn't use it well. For example, dying is on the list twice, at 21% and again at 16%. Though I guess one of those could be fear of death, they other fear of dye.
One is dying period, the other is dying alone.
QuoteAnd as pointed out already, some of these are just bizarre. Sure, when you get down to under 5%, you expect some strange fears, but 13% of Americans are afraid of the whooping cough? Yeah, right.
You underestimate how pervasive the anti-vaxxer movement is. :P
There's a connection between the anti-vaccination lunacy and the whooping cough?
Quote from: dps on November 18, 2015, 05:50:29 PM
There's a connection between the anti-vaccination lunacy and the whooping cough?
Yeah, should be the other way around.
Quote from: Baron von Schtinkenbutt on November 18, 2015, 05:37:05 PM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on November 18, 2015, 05:16:07 PM
Moldy, did you happen to see if it was a legit random survey or a bullshit internet poll?
Although I suppose it could be considered a rational response if you interpret the question as "do you think corruption exists at all" rather than "does [corruption] cause you overwhelming dread and sleepless nights."
Sorry, meant to post the link to the full data (since it isn't liked from the blog post for some reason): http://www.chapman.edu/wilkinson/research-centers/babbie-center/survey-american-fears.aspx
It was a legit, randomized GfK poll.
Pfft. Their head of project was just a Senior Research Manager?
A couple things that are curious - why did they prime respondents with questions about property/violent crimes before asking them about their fears? Also I wonder why they didn't randomise the order of the questions about fears?
Does explain how things like Obamacare made the list, none of this was open ended. Just rating scales on level of fear to their listed items. Or dress was was really noting that you are afraid that people judge you about the way you dress.
Actually not to go all DGul but as the percentages listed in that infographic are just % who said they are afraid to very afraid, I don't think there is much to say that people to say that people are actually more afraid of weight than say 'rape by someone you know'. One came in a question with several other personal attributes and as how afraid are you being judged because of your... and the other came in a list of how afraid are you of becoming the victim of the following crimes.
#1- 87.5% of Americans fear filling in an online survey, so most fill it with BS answers.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on November 18, 2015, 05:51:27 PM
Quote from: dps on November 18, 2015, 05:50:29 PM
There's a connection between the anti-vaccination lunacy and the whooping cough?
Yeah, should be the other way around.
Not saying anti-vaxxers fear whooping cough, saying that people fear whooping cough because anti-vaxxers are providing a breeding ground for it.