Most Americans believe it is important to stay informed about major public issues, but far fewer say they are highly informed about those topics themselves, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.
The survey, conducted in March, found that 82% of U.S. adults believe it is extremely or very important for people to stay informed about both the healthcare system and voting and election processes. Another 80% said it is important to understand the powers and limits of the presidency.
Despite placing a high value on staying informed, relatively few Americans described themselves as highly knowledgeable about many of the issues. For example, while 75% said it is important to understand economic and tax policies, only 24% said they feel extremely or very informed about them. Similar gaps appeared across topics including immigration, foreign policy, gun regulation, Social Security and technology regulation.
Pew found that older Americans were generally more likely than younger adults both to view staying informed as important and to report being knowledgeable about public affairs. Democrats and Republicans showed broadly similar attitudes about the importance of being informed, though Democrats were more likely to emphasize understanding presidential powers and vaccine policies, while Republicans were more likely to say they were highly informed about elections, immigration and gun regulation.
The survey also found Americans rely on a wide range of sources for information. News organizations were the most commonly cited source for topics such as immigration and foreign policy, while government sources played a larger role for issues like Social Security and election administration. Younger adults were more likely than older Americans to rely on social media for information across a range of subjects.
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