Survey reveals what Americans fear the most
As the presidential election campaign drags on, it may come as no surprise that corrupt government officials are one of the greatest fears many Americans have, according to a new study.
People are scared of a lot of things, ranging from terror attacks to identity theft and deaths within the family, according to the third annual Chapman University Survey of American Fears.
The 2016 survey data showed a shift from 2015, where many of the top fears were economic and “big brother type issues,” Christopher Bader, a professor of sociology at Chapman University in Orange, Calif., said in a statement. Bader, who led the team effort, said this year the responses showed more of a focus on health and finance.
But while the overall focus of fear may have shifted, corruption of government officials remained the top fear for the second year in a row.
“People often fear what they cannot control, and we find continued evidence of that in our top fears,” Bader said.
The survey asked 1,511 people nationwide about fears and concerns across different categories, including crime, the government, natural disasters and personal fears and technology.