What terrifies American adults? Corrupt government officials (29.8%) was the most common fear at the Very Afraid level in the ninth 2023 Chapman Survey of American Fears. Public speaking only was ranked #73 (10.4%)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In October Chapman University reported results from their ninth 2023 Chapman Survey of American Fears. That survey of 97 fears on 1014 adults was done by SSRS March 27 to April 4, 2023, and the margin of error is 3.7%. They asked about four fear levels: Very Afraid, Afraid, Slightly Afraid, and Not Afraid. They reported the percentage sum for Very Afraid plus Afraid. On October 20, 2023 I blogged about how Corrupt government officials (60.1) was the most common fear in the ninth Chapman Survey of American Fears. Public speaking only was ranked #53 (28.7%).  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another way to report that survey is just by the Very Afraid level. Corrupt government officials again (29.8%) was the most common fear, and public speaking only was ranked #73 (10.4%). I have prepared a pair of bar charts of that data, the Top Fifty and Bottom Forty-Seven, which are shown above. (Click on them to see an enlarged view). For each entry I show the question number from the Methodology Report.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How do the Top Ten just for Very Afraid compare with those for the sum of Very Afraid + Afraid? The table shown above reveals that eight of the ten fears are on both lists, but only the top one is the same.