Young man sitting in a dark room before a wall featuring various conspiracy theory-related items illuminated by a computer screen

September 28, 2023

America’s Crisis of Confidence: Rising Mistrust, Conspiracies, and Vaccine Hesitancy After COVID-19

Findings from the May 2023 American Perspectives Survey

America is experiencing a crosscutting crisis of expertise and scientific distrust accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic that poses significant challenges to democratic debate and public decision-making Continue Reading →

Large group of Hispanic women protesting in green bandanas, one wearing purple in focus in the forefront holds up a sign that says "por tus hijas" or "for your daughters" with a picture of a young girl on in.

December 12, 2022

Abortion, Race, and Ethnicity

As the dust settles after the 2022 midterm election, researchers are now able to look at how the Dobbs decision impacted voters across the country. While significant attention has been given to the abortion views of men and women of various age groups, less notice has been paid to the similarities and differences of racial and ethnic groups. Continue Reading →

A help wanted sign is posted at a taco stand in Solana Beach, California, U.S., July 17, 2017.

July 15, 2021

The Great American Jobs Reshuffle

Findings from the June 2021 American Perspectives Survey

The COVID-19 pandemic decimated American workplaces, yet workers’ experiences varied dramatically. This report examines current unemployment trends and how workers navigate an uncertain environment. In the wake of the pandemic, workplace flexibility is more important for everyone, even if not all workers agree on the benefits of remote work. Continue Reading →

COVID-19 vaccination stickers sit in waiting during the Columbus Public Health drop-in clinic at Stonewall Columbus in the Short

June 29, 2021

Peer Pressure, Not Politics, May Matter Most When it Comes to Getting the COVID-19 Vaccine

Americans experience widely different levels of social pressure to get the COVID-19 vaccine. And for better or worse, our friends exercise considerable influence over the information we have and the decisions we make. Continue Reading →

An older man sits on a bench in a park as a group of young runners go by.

June 23, 2021

Is Social Isolation Hampering the Vaccine Rollout?

Americans who are socially disconnected report far lower vaccination rates and may ultimately prove to be an important impediment. Continue Reading →

January 8, 2021

Older Americans Support Getting Vaccinated Regardless of Their Politics or the Perceived Threat of COVID-19

As the US ramps up vaccinations, political identity is important in predicting the behavior of younger Americans. Continue Reading →

December 9, 2020

A Turning Point? Americans Grapple With COVID-19 Amid Enduring Partisan and Racial Divisions

Findings from the November 2020 American Perspectives Survey

The November 2020 APS explores how Americans are grappling with COVID-19 amid soaring numbers of infections. Though large partisan divisions persist, more Americans say they would get a free, FDA-approved vaccine. It also challenges the “shy Trump voter” hypothesis and explores possible explanations for Trump’s increased support among non-white voters. Continue Reading →

July 15, 2020

STEM Perspectives: Attitudes, Opportunities, and Barriers in America’s STEM Workforce

In a survey of STEM graduates, our scholars explore opinions of the STEM field, STEM career satisfaction, and why some STEM degree holders have exited the field. Continue Reading →

July 9, 2020

The Parents are Not All Right: The Experiences of Parenting During a Pandemic

Findings from the AEI COVID-19 and American Life Survey

Parenting during the pandemic placed a huge burden on those with children at home. Mothers (especially single mothers) have experienced a decline in mental health and are especially anxious about sending their children back to school. Continue Reading →

June 16, 2020

Hardship, Anxiety, and Optimism: Racial and Partisan Disparities in Americans’ Response to COVID-19

Findings from the AEI COVID-19 and American Life Survey

The COVID-19 and American Life Survey finds that most Americans do not think life will return to normal until 2021. Financial hardships have hit many households, disproportionately affecting minorities. Continue Reading →

Generation Uncoupled

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Generation Uncoupled: America's New Gender Divide and the Crisis of Human Connection

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Survey Reports

Daniel A. Cox
July 23, 2026

A Digital Divide in American Adolescence: Gender, Class, and the New Teenage Experience

If teenage years once represented a time of rebellion, teenagers’ lives today are marked less by pushing boundaries and more by building their own. Many teenage experiences are less common than they once were—dating, working a part-time job, and experimenting with drugs and alcohol are less common experiences. The 2026 American Teenagers Survey from the Continue Reading →

Daniel A. Cox, Jae Grace, Avery Shields
April 27, 2026

Strangers Next Door: The Decline of Neighborhood Socializing and the Class Divide in Belonging

Acknowledgment The American Enterprise Institute’s Survey Center on American Life is grateful to the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation for its generous support of this research. As Americans spend more of their time online, the neighborhood—once a primary physical location for real-world socialization—is playing less of a central role than ever before. Since Continue Reading →