Impact of Age, Religion, and Geographical Location on Social Values and Popular Opinion

Research has shown that a large range of differing opinions exist with regards to social values and popular opinion in the United States. Topics of debate often include reproductive health issues such as abortion, sex education, and accessibility to birth control. However, little is known about what causes these differing opinions. Personal experiences related to age, religion, upbringing, and geographical location could contribute to the formation of social values and popular opinion. Exposure to and engagement in trending media sources could also play a role in determining social acceptability and norms. Thus, this study examines how differences of age, religion, and geographic location correlate with stances on many of today’s social values. Cross-sectional data is being collected from a national survey disseminated electronically through schools, churches, and community organizations. No exclusion criteria were set forth as a part of this study, except the individual must currently be residing in the US. Bivariate analyses, regressions, and correlations will be run to determine relationships between personal demographics, upbringing, social values, and popular opinion. Measures of age and religion will be further stratified by geographic location to assess any significant differences within the various regions of the US. The findings of this study could be influential in informing health education and prevention techniques by targeting differing populations based on values and beliefs. It could also provide information on what specific factors of individuals’ upbringing impact idea formation most, helping health professionals to better integrate preventative messaging and initiate early risk reduction efforts.