The Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol over the certification of the 2020 presidential election was a flashpoint for Americans and the American political system. And it highlighted several key components of a question our researchers have been studying for the last several years: Do Americans trust their elections? […] Read more »
‘An American Tradition’: Lessons from a year covering conspiracy theories
… I have spent this year thinking and writing about the draw to conspiracy theories, the perverse comfort they provide and the damage they can cause. Today in the United States, we are living in an era of segregated belief, of divergent realities, at a time when social media has […] Read more »
Millions Embrace Covid-19 Misinformation, Which Is Linked to Hesitancy on Vaccination and Boosters
Twenty-one months into the global pandemic, millions of Americans continue to believe misinformation about vaccination and Covid-19, and these beliefs are associated with hesitancy to get themselves and their children vaccinated – or, if they are vaccinated, to get a booster for added protection against the omicron and delta variants. […] Read more »
How Important is Religion to Americans?
Most Americans with a religious affiliation say religion is important to them now and was as a child. Among those without a connection to organized religion, few consider religion important now but 58% say religion was at least somewhat important in their family when they were children, including 29% for […] Read more »
How conspiracy theories in the US became more personal, more cruel and more mainstream after the Sandy Hook shootings
The legacy of the Sandy Hook shootings in 2012 continues to reverberate nine years later, including in how conspiracy theories have changed since the tragedy. Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AFP via Getty Images Amanda J. Crawford, University of Connecticut Conspiracy theories are powerful forces in the U.S. They have damaged public health […] Read more »
Winter 2021 Update On Parents’ Views Of Vaccines For Kids
After an initial wave of eager parents got their teens vaccinated for COVID-19 in the spring and summer, vaccine uptake among 12-17 year-olds appears to have slowed, with about half of parents saying their teen has gotten at least one dose as of November (before news of the omicron variant), […] Read more »