bear in Jefferson , Iowa on November 18 , 1901 , George Gallup studied journalism and psychology , focusing on how to assess readers ’ interest in newsprint and magazine content . In 1935 , he founded the American Institute of Public Opinion to scientificallymeasurepublic opinions on topics such as government spending , condemnable DoJ , and presidential candidates . Although he go in 1984 , The Gallup Poll continues his bequest of seek to determine and reportthe willof the hoi polloi in an unbiased , self-governing means . To celebrate his day of parentage , we compiled a lean of some of the weird , funniest Gallup pate over the yr .
1. THREE IN FOUR AMERICANS BELIEVE IN THE PARANORMAL (2005)
harmonise to this Gallup poll , 75 percent of Americans have at least oneparanormalbelief . Specifically , 41 percent believe in extrasensory perception ( ESP ) , 37 percent believe in haunted house , and 21 per centum consider in witches . What about transmit spirits , you might ask ? Only 9 pct of Americans believe that it ’s possible to conduct a flavor so that it take temporary control of one ’s torso . Interestingly , believe in extrasensory phenomenon was comparatively similar across people of unlike genders , race , years , and education levels .
2. ONE IN FIVE AMERICANS THINK THE SUN REVOLVES AROUND THE EARTH (1999)
In this opinion poll , Gallup judge todeterminethe popularity of heliocentric versus geocentric views . While 79 percent of Americans correctly stated that the Earth orbit around the sun , 18 percentage think the sun revolves around the Earth . Three percentage prefer to rest indifferent , saying they had no opinion either way .
3. 22 PERCENT OF AMERICANS ARE HESITANT TO SUPPORT A MORMON (2011)
Gallup first measure out anti - Mormon thought back in 1967 , and it was still an issue in 2011 , a year before Mormon Mitt Romney ran for president . Approximately 22 percent of Americans articulate they would not vote for aMormonpresidential candidate , even if that candidate belonged to their preferable political party . Strangely , Americans ’ prejudice against Mormons has stay stable since the 1960s , despite decrease bias against African Americans , Catholics , Jews , and women .
4. MISSISSIPPIANS GO TO CHURCH THE MOST; VERMONTERS THE LEAST (2010)
This 2010 crown amusinglyconfirmsthe stereotype that Southerner are more religious than the rest of the country . Although 42 per centum of all Americans serve church on a regular basis ( which Gallup fix as weekly or almost hebdomadary ) , there are large variations ground on geographics . For lesson , 63 percent of people in Mississippi attend church on a regular basis , followed by 58 percent in Alabama and 56 per centum in South Carolina , Louisiana , and Utah . round out the lowest levels of church attending , on the other deal , were Vermont , where 23 percentage of resident attend church on a regular basis , New Hampshire , at 26 pct , and Maine at 27 per centum .
5. ONE IN FOUR AMERICANS DON’T KNOW WHICH COUNTRY AMERICA GAINED INDEPENDENCE FROM (1999)
Although 76 percent of Americans do it that the United Statesgained independencefrom Great Britain as a event of the Revolutionary War , 24 per centum were n’t so indisputable . Two pct cogitate the correct resolution was France , 3 percent said a different country ( such as Mexico , China , or Russia ) , and 19 percent had no opinion . Certain group of people who consider themselves patriotic , include workforce , sometime masses , and white people ( according to Gallup polls ) , were more likely to make love that America gained its independency from Great Britain .
6. ONE THIRD OF AMERICANS BELIEVE IN GHOSTS (2000)
This Halloween - themed Gallup poll asked Americans about their habits and conduct on the last day of October . Predictably , two - third of Americans reported that someone in their house planned to give confect to trick - or - negotiator and more than three - quarter of parents with shaver report that their Kyd would wear a costume . More surprisingly , 31 percentage of American adultsclaimedto believe in ghostwriter , an increase from 1978 , when only 11 percentage of American adult admitted to a opinion in ghosts .
7. 5 PERCENT OF WORKING MILLENNIALS THRIVE IN ALL FIVE ELEMENTS OF WELL-BEING (2016)
This recent Gallup poll is shady in a sad way , as it sheds light on the tragicomical life of a millennial . In this poll , well - being is defined as having function , social reinforcement , manageable finances , a strong residential area , and good physical health . Sadly , only 5 percent of work millennials — defined as people born between 1980 and 1996 — werethrivingin these five indicators of well - being . To anticipate this lack of well - being , Gallup ’s written report recommends that manager raise study - life residue and meliorate their communicating with millennial employees .
8. THE WORLD IS BECOMING SLIGHTLY MORE NEGATIVE (2014)
If you seem to feel more focus , sadness , anxiousness , and pain than ever before , Gallup has the proof that it ’s not all in your head . grant to the companionship ’s worldwide electronegative experience indicant , damaging feelings such as stress , sadness , and ira haveincreasedsince 2007 . Unsurprisingly , people living in warfare - torn , dangerous parts of the word — Iraq , Iran , Egypt , Syria , and Sierra Leone — reported the highest grade of minus emotions .
