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 →

July 17, 2023

What the Rise in Dog Attacks Signals About the State of America’s Social Capital

In the wake of the pandemic, the increase in both dog attacks and individual antisocial behavior seems to be a consequence of our deteriorating social capital. Continue Reading →

Red leather-bound Qur'an on a wooden table with prayer beads and a light blue surgical mask draped over top.

January 5, 2023

Faith After the Pandemic: How COVID-19 Changed American Religion

Findings from the 2022 American Religious Benchmark Survey

The Survey Center on American Life at AEI teamed up with researchers at NORC at the University of Chicago to measure religious affiliation and attendance both before the pandemic (2018 to March 2020) and again in spring 2022, revealing who remained at the pews, who returned to the pews, and who left. Continue Reading →

An illustration of the main street of a small town. There is a market, library, cafe, gym, and restaurant. People are walking on the sidewalk, are inside the buildings, and there is a car going down the street.

October 20, 2021

Public Places and Commercial Spaces: How Neighborhood Amenities Foster Trust and Connection in American Communities

Findings from the American Community Life Survey

The COVID-19 pandemic forced Americans across the country to reconsider their residential priorities. Today, many Americans would prefer to live in small towns or rural areas rather than denser urban neighborhoods, and they are more likely to prioritize personal space over access to community amenities. The report investigates the physical and social features of local communities that Americans value most. Continue Reading →

Cartoon of students sitting in a classroom wearing protective masks.

September 22, 2021

Controversy and Consensus: Perspectives on Race, Religion, and COVID-19 in Public Schools

At a time of rapid cultural change, Americans continue to debate what students should learn about race, sex, and religion. While the public broadly supports students learning about America’s complicated racial legacy, political divisions persist. Democrats are far more willing to defer to teachers, while Republicans want a much larger role for parents in education decisions. 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 →

Photo of a Christmas tree and its ornaments. Two people are walking away from the camera's view. We see their backs.

December 17, 2020

Holiday Spending in 2020

The holidays look different this year. In addition to traveling less, having smaller gatherings, and gathering virtually, Americans are also altering their spending habits. 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 →