---
"title": "Appendix C: The history of the political typology"
"description": "The Pew Research Center political typology aims to sort Americans into groups based on their political values and beliefs. The current study – Pew Research Center’s ninth political typology study since the first one in 1987 – is based on a survey conducted among 10,357 adults on Nov. 17-30, 2025. Previous versions of the political […]"
"date": "2026-06-10"
"authors":
  -
    "name": "Jocelyn Kiley"
    "job_title": "Director, Politics Research"
    "link": "https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/staff/jocelyn-kiley/"
  -
    "name": "J. Baxter Oliphant"
    "job_title": "Senior Researcher "
    "link": "https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/staff/baxter-oliphant/"
  -
    "name": "Hannah Hartig"
    "job_title": "Senior Researcher"
    "link": "https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/staff/hannah-hartig/"
  -
    "name": "Gabriel Borelli"
    "job_title": "Research Associate"
    "link": "https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/staff/gabriel-borelli/"
  -
    "name": "Andrew Daniller"
    "job_title": "Research Associate"
    "link": "https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/staff/andrew-daniller/"
  -
    "name": "Steven Shepard"
    "job_title": "Associate Director, Politics"
    "link": "https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/staff/steven-shepard/"
  -
    "name": "Ted Van Green"
    "job_title": "Research Analyst"
    "link": "https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/staff/ted-van-green/"
  -
    "name": "Andy Cerda"
    "job_title": "Research Analyst"
    "link": "https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/staff/andy-cerda/"
  -
    "name": "Shanay Gracia"
    "job_title": "Research Analyst"
    "link": "https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/staff/shanay-gracia/"
"url": "https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/politics/2026/06/10/appendix-c-the-history-of-the-political-typology/"
"categories":
  - "Partisanship & Issues"
  - "Political Issues"
  - "Political Typology"
  - "Politics & Policy"
  - "U.S. Elections & Voters"
---

# Appendix C: The history of the political typology

The Pew Research Center political typology aims to sort Americans into groups based on their political values and beliefs. The current study – Pew Research Center’s ninth political typology study since [the first one in 1987](https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/politics/1987/09/30/the-people-the-press-politics/) – is based on a survey conducted among 10,357 adults on Nov. 17-30, 2025. Previous versions of the political typology were conducted in [1994](https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/politics/1994/09/21/the-people-the-press-politics-2/), [1999](https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/politics/1999/11/11/retro-politics/), [2004](https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/politics/2005/05/10/beyond-red-vs-blue/) (published in 2005), [2011](https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/politics/2011/05/04/beyond-red-vs-blue-the-political-typology/), [2014](https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/politics/2014/06/26/the-political-typology-beyond-red-vs-blue/), [2017](https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/politics/2017/10/24/political-typology-reveals-deep-fissures-on-the-right-and-left/) and [2021](https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/politics/2021/11/09/beyond-red-vs-blue-the-political-typology/).

The first political typology in 1987 was conducted using face-to-face interviews. Political typologies from 1994-2017 were conducted by telephone. Beginning with the 2021 typology, interviews have been conducted using the Center’s primarily online [American Trends Panel](https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/the-american-trends-panel/).

[![Table shows the Pew Research Center Political Typology Groups from 1987 to 2026](https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/06/PP_2026.5.10_political-typology_AC-01.png?w=640){.aligncenter width=400}](https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/?attachment_id=313099)