Natural Disaster Observations - 2/27/06
Key Observations
Religion Matters
Religion Matters
- Of our participants, 80% believe in a Supreme Being and 73% use the Bible as their source of standards for right and wrong.
-
Corresponding with this, 67% of those polled are more interested in religious matters
than they were five years ago.
- Those respondents with an annual household income of under $50,000 were more likely to agree with this statement (70%) than those whose household income is more than $50,000 (64%).
-
62% of our respondents feel the moral and ethical standards of our country are lower than they were five
years ago.
- However, only 52% of participants with an annual household income over $75,000 agree with this statement compared with 64% of those with an annual household income below $75,000.
-
62% of our respondents see the moral and ethical standards of the leaders of our country as
lower than five years ago.
- Those with annual household income levels under $75,000 were more likely to agree with this statement (64%), compared with 56% of those with a higher annual household income level.
-
84% of those polled believe charity begins at home.
- 90% of those whose annual household income is over $50,000 agree with this statement while only 81% of those with an annual household income under $50,000 agree.
-
While at the same time, many of our respondents believe God helps those who help themselves (68%).
- Only 61% of those with household income is more than $50,000 annually agree with this statement while 71% of those with annual household earnings under $50,000 agree.
- Also, 74% of participants who have not taken college coursework agree with this statement while only 64% who have college experience do.
- 84% of women believe in a Supreme Being compared with 74% of men.
- Only 65% of men use the Bible as their source of standards for right and wrong while 77% of women do.
- More women report they are more interested in religious matters than they were five years ago (71%) than do men (62%).
- 88% of women believe charity begins at home while 80% of men share this belief.
- Only 60% of men believe God helps those who helps themselves but 72% of women do.
- However, 61% of men believe most people will lie to cover things up while only 47% of women do.
Katrina Observations
Helping others in Need
Helping others in Need
- Individuals have a moral obligation to help others in need after a natural disaster, such as Hurricane Katrina, is a sentiment shared by 79% of our poll participants
-
56% of those surveyed feel individuals have a greater moral obligation to help their own
countrymen in need than those in need from other countries
- Participants without a college degree were more likely to agree with this statement (61%) than those with a college degree (45%).
- Also, 58% of those with an annual household income of less than $50,000 agreed with this statement, compared with 50% whose annual household income was above $50,000.
-
Of those polled, 66% feel individuals have a greater moral obligation to help others in need
if government programs do not provide adequate response.
- Of those polled, 72% of those with a household income level under $50,000 annually agreed but only 56% with annual household earnings of over $50,000 felt this way.
- Participants who do not have a college degree agreed more with this statement (69%) than those who do have a college degree (60%).
- 59% of respondents over the age of 36 agreed with the statement while 50% of those between the ages of 18-35 did.
-
70% of the participants responded that government officials should be held personally responsible for
the demonstrated competence of people whom they appoint.
- Only 56% of non-high school graduates agreed with this statement compared with 72% of those who have a high school diploma.
- However, only 66% of those with an annual household income of over $50,000 agreed compared with 74% with a lower annual household income.
- Of those polled, only 65% of those between the ages of 18-35 agreed with this statement while 73% of those over the age of 36 did.
-
Our survey group was divided on the issue "People who follow evacuation orders in a natural disaster should receive
aid before those who did not follow evacuation orders."
- 40% of respondents disagreed with this statement, 38% agreed and 22% were neutral.
- Those participants who had no college experience agreed more with this statement (43%) than those who had completed some college coursework (35%).
- 73% of men believe we have a moral obligation to help others in need and 70% of women share this sentiment.
- However, 60% of women believe we have a moral obligation to help their own countrymen in need before those in need from other countries while only 50% of men do
- Also, women were more likely to agree with the statement “individuals have a greater moral obligation to help others in need if government programs do not provide an adequate response” (70%) than men (59%).
- 43% of men agree people who follow evacuation orders in a natural disaster should receive aid before those who did not follow evacuation orders but only 36% of women agree with this statement.