Daily Research News Online no. 3788 - US Public Reading Labels... Differently

US Public Reading Labels... Differently

February 10 2005

Fully 24% of US adults believe that 'liberals' oppose gun control, and 40% think that 'conservatives' support it, according to Harris Interactive. However social scientist Leo Bogart, who suggested the study, says that confusion over the meaning of such political labels reflects the way the words are used in normal speech, and the fact that 'Americans don't adhere to a party line or doctrine'.

The release notes that most people appear to understand these labels in pretty much the same way political pundits do. Large majorities believe that conservatives favor moral values, cutting taxes, and oppose same-sex marriage, gay rights, and abortion rights. Majorities believe liberals favor abortion rights, gay rights, same-sex marriages, and affirmative action. However, substantial numbers either don't know where conservatives and liberals stand on those and other issues, or misunderstand the labels completely.

Among the most unexpected views are...

19% think that 'conservatives' oppose cutting taxes
26 percent think that conservatives support affirmative action
8% think that conservatives support same sex marriage
39% believe liberals favor cutting taxes
24% believe that liberals either oppose gun control

The label 'right wing' is less clear to many people than 'conservative', and 'left-wing' less clear than 'liberal', with greater numbers 'not sure' about their positions or disagreeing with the generally held view.

'Moderates' and 'independents' are generally viewed as having views in the middle of other groups, as might be expected, but they are seen by many people to resemble conservatives in supporting moral values and tax cuts but to resemble liberals in supporting abortion rights, gun control and gay rights. Overall, people are more likely to see moderates and independents as resembling liberals than resembling conservatives.

Bogart comments 'The confusion over what the widely used political labels actually mean reflects their common use as epithets rather than as true descriptions of people's beliefs. Those beliefs are often inconsistent and self-contradictory, because Americans don't adhere to a party line or doctrine that provides ready answers to all questions. We may be 'conservative' on some issues and 'liberal' on others, but it's the specifics that matter, not the labels'.

Perceptions Of Conservatives “Thinking now of the political climate in the United States, do you think of conservatives as people who support or oppose…?”
Base: All adults
		Support	Oppose	Not Sure
Moral values	%	78	10	12
Cutting taxes	%	70	19	11
Gun control	%	40	50	10
Affirmative action	%	26	54	20
Abortion rights	%	13	77	10
Gay rights	%	8	81	11
Same-sex marriage	%	8	85	7

Perceptions Of Liberals "Thinking now of the political climate in the United States, do you think of liberals as people who support or oppose...?"
Base: All adults
		Support	Oppose	Not Sure
Abortion rights	%	84	6	10
Gay rights	%	82	7	10
Same-sex marriage	%	78	9	13
Affirmative action	%	74	9	17
Gun control	%	63	24	13
Moral values	%	54	28	18
Cutting taxes	%	39	44	17
Note: Percentages may not add up exactly to 100% due to rounding.

Perceptions Of Moderates “Thinking now of the political climate in the United States, do you think of moderates as people who support or oppose…?”
Base: All adults
		Support	Oppose	Not Sure
Moral values	%	68	6	26
Cutting taxes	%	53	16	30
Affirmative action	%	51	15	34
Abortion rights	%	50	19	31
Gun control	%	47	21	32
Gay rights	%	44	26	30
Same-sex marriage	%	26	43	31

The Harris Poll(r) was conducted online within the United States between January 11 and 16 among 2,209 people aged 18 and over. The company is online at www.harrisinteractive.com

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.