For the past six years, Wilkinson’s Babbie Center for Research has surveyed what keeps Americans awake at night. Now, their ongoing multi-year, empirical “Study of American Fears” is becoming a book. Fear Itself: The Cause and Consequences of Fear in America examines the prevalent role that fear plays in the lives of daily Americans. The
If just thinking about the upcoming 2020 election makes you feel anxious, you’re not alone. Results from the 2019 Chapman University Survey of American Fears (CSAF) reveal that 47.5% of Americans are ‘afraid or very afraid’ of the outcome of the 2020 election. This fear is the 21st highest fear that Americans have ranking just
By Muhammad Karkoutli, Babbie Center Undergraduate Research Fellow (’20) and Syd Kotar, Henley Lab Undergraduate Research Fellow (’19) JUST four days following two earthquakes of magnitude 6.4 and 7.1 that occurred on July 4th and 5th respectively, we drove to Ridgecrest and Trona. These are two cities in Southern California that were at the epicenter
Last week, Dr. Jennifer D. Keene officially stepped into the position of Wilkinson College Dean. “I’m excited to begin, and look forward to working with the faculty and staff to build a bright future for Wilkinson College,” she said. In an email to Wilkinson College faculty and staff, Dr. Keene thanked former Wilkinson College Dean,
The Bensussen Distinguished Lecture in Arts presents Maria Elena Buszek on Monday, March 25 at 7 p.m. in Argyros Forum 209 ABC. This is free and open to the public. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Maria Elena Buszek, Ph.D., is a scholar, critic, curator, and Associate Professor of Art History at the University of Colorado Denver, where
The Chapman University Survey of American Fears Wave 5 (2018) provides an in-depth examination into the fears of average Americans. In June of 2018, a random sample of 1,190 adults from across the United States were asked their level of fear about ninety-four different phenomena including crime, the government, the environment, disasters, personal anxieties, technology
The Chapman University Survey of American Fears Wave 5 (2018) includes a battery of items on paranormal beliefs ranging from belief in aliens and psychic powers to Bigfoot and haunted houses. Paranormal Beliefs Currently the most common paranormal belief in the United States is that places can be haunted by spirits (57.7%), followed closely by
From devastating wildfires to killer hurricanes, nearly a quarter (21%) of America reports they or their families have had to flee their homes due to disaster. Evacuating one’s home is a heart wrenching choice, but it saves lives. Unfortunately, many Americans choose not to evacuate, even when authorities call for mandatory evacuations. The results are
Roughly 1% of the U.S. adult population are Muslims. The political and social scrutiny focused on this small group has led to major political figures advocating discriminatory practices based on religion alone. In the 2016 Chapman University Survey of American Fears, we explored how Americans as a whole view Muslims. This year, we’ve reexamined many
Americans Appear to be More Afraid of the President than Immigration Immigration policy has been a central focus of President Trump’s administration since he announced his candidacy in a speech in which he said, “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best … They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re