How Americans’ views of the U.S. compare with international views of the U.S.
People around the world see both strengths and flaws in the U.S., but they generally view the U.S. positively, according to a new survey of 24 countries.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Janell Fetterolf is a senior researcher at Pew Research Center, specializing in international survey research. She is a contributing author on numerous reports, including studies about America’s image abroad, democracy, and views of gender equality. She also works on developing questionnaires, assessing data quality, and analyzing survey results. Fetterolf has a Ph.D. in social psychology from Rutgers University and a B.A. from Northwestern University.
People around the world see both strengths and flaws in the U.S., but they generally view the U.S. positively, according to a new survey of 24 countries.
Overwhelmingly, people believe the U.S. interferes in the affairs of other countries (82%), but most also believe the U.S. contributes to peace and stability around the world (61%). U.S. President Joe Biden receives mostly positive reviews from publics around the world with 54% expressing confidence in Biden, while 39% say they lack confidence in him.
Most Americans say it’s not necessary to believe in God in order to be moral and have good values, according to a spring 2022 survey.
Most think social media has made it easier to manipulate and divide people, but they also say it informs and raises awareness.
Most say U.S. is reliable partner, and ratings for Biden are mostly positive – although down significantly from last year.
Attitudes toward NATO have grown more positive: 67% express a favorable opinion of the organization, up from 61% in 2021.
We asked respondents in both countries to, in their own words, define what democracy means to them. Most commonly, people mention three broad concepts: freedom and human rights, elections and procedures, and having a voice in government.
As democratic nations have wrestled with economic, social and geopolitical upheaval in recent years, the future of liberal democracy has come into question. Our international surveys reveal key insights into how citizens think about democratic governance.
The U.S. is seen positively in advanced economies for its technology, entertainment, military and universities, but negatively for its health care system, discrimination and the state of its democracy.
Dissatisfaction with the functioning of democracy is linked to concerns about the economy, the pandemic and social divisions.
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