{"id":69513,"date":"2024-01-24T09:50:02","date_gmt":"2024-01-24T14:50:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/2024\/01\/24\/how-do-nones-think-about-morality\/"},"modified":"2024-12-20T13:40:35","modified_gmt":"2024-12-20T18:40:35","slug":"how-do-nones-think-about-morality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/religion\/2024\/01\/24\/how-do-nones-think-about-morality\/","title":{"rendered":"8. How do \u2018nones\u2019 think about morality?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When making decisions between right and wrong, most \u201cnones\u201d say they rely extensively on the desire to avoid hurting people, and on the use of logic and reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overall, 83% of \u201cnones\u201d say the desire to avoid harming other people is extremely or very important to them when making moral decisions, while 82% say the same about the use of logic and reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Chart<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Majorities of \u201cnones\u201d also say feeling good when they choose right over wrong factors into their decision-making (69%), as does the desire to stay out of trouble (60%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like most \u201cnones,\u201d most religiously affiliated Americans cite each of these four considerations \u2013 not wanting to hurt people, logic and reason, feeling good when choosing the right thing, and wanting to stay out of trouble \u2013 as key factors when making decisions between right and wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What most distinguishes \u201cnones\u201d on this survey question is a lack of reliance on religious beliefs. Just 12% of \u201cnones\u201d say they rely heavily on religious beliefs in deciding between right and wrong, compared with 65% of U.S. adults who identify with a religion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Factors that influence decision-making about right and wrong<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

To probe the way people describe their moral calculations, the survey asked: \u201cHow important are each of the following factors when you make decisions between right and wrong?\u201d It then listed seven possible factors, such as \u201cyour religious beliefs,\u201d \u201cthe way you were raised,\u201d and \u201clogic and reason.\u201d Respondents were asked to say whether each of the seven factors was extremely, very, somewhat, not too, or not at all important when choosing between right and wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On many factors, there are relatively small differences between atheists, agnostics and adults who describe their religion as \u201cnothing in particular.\u201d However, just over half of respondents whose religion is \u201cnothing in particular\u201d say the belief that \u201cwhat goes around comes around\u201d is an extremely or very important factor when they make moral decisions, which is notably higher than the share of agnostics and atheists who say this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Religiously affiliated adults are much more likely than \u201cnones\u201d to say their religious beliefs and the way they were raised play an extremely or very important role when they are making moral decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Table<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Views on whether belief in God is necessary for morality<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Almost all agnostics (98%) and atheists (97%) say it is possible to be moral and have good values without believing in God. A somewhat smaller majority of those who describe their religion as \u201cnothing in particular\u201d say this (83%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just 10% of \u201cnones\u201d overall say belief in God is necessary to be moral and have good values.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are few differences by gender and age on this question among \u201cnones.\u201d And majorities of \u201cnones\u201d in all racial and ethnic categories agree it\u2019s possible to be moral without believing in God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, 27% of Black \u201cnones\u201d say it is necessary to believe in God to be moral and have good values, which is higher than the shares of Hispanic, Asian or White \u201cnones\u201d who say this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among adults who identify with a religion, 65% say it\u2019s possible to be moral and have good values without believing in God, while one-third say belief in God is necessary to be moral and have good values.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Table<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Return to the report\u2019s Overview<\/a>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find answers to other questions: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n