ABSTRACT A national public survey, conducted by the Opinion Research Corporation of Princeton, New Jersey, was undertaken to provide the Commission with public views on population questions to guide its policy recommendations. This report presents a brief summary of the major findings of that survey. Overall, the findings indicate that there is potential support for a national stabilization program. This is based on respondents' strong support for specific population policies and their apparent desire that the United States population not increase much more. This survey also gives some tentative guides to the location and nature of that support among the American public. Findings of the Commission's FINDINGS OF THE COMMISSION'S The Commission on Population Growth and the American Future undertook a nationwide public opinion survey as part of its research program. Along with public hearings held across the country, the survey provided the Commission with citizens' views to guide its policy recommendations and the format of its public presentations. The survey was planned to measure (1) the level of demographic knowledge among the citizenry, (2) the degree of concern about population matters and the relationship of population problems to other public issues, and (3) attitudes toward possible population policies and personal preferences relevant to population. The Commission staff designed the interview consisting of 70 questions, and the analysis. The Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) of Princeton, New Jersey drew a national probability sample of 1,708 men and women 16 years of age and older, including a double sampling of blacks (in order to obtain an adequate number for analysis.) ORC conducted the interviews in May and June 1971 and produced the computer tabulations. The following report will present a brief summary of the major findings of the survey.1 Other analyses of the survey will be found in the Commission's Research Reports: Volume IV, Governance and Population: The Governmental Implications of Population Change; Volume V, Population Distribution and Policy; and Volume VI, Aspects of Population Growth Policy. For further information, copies of printouts, special analyses, tapes, data decks, and code books can be ordered from the Roper Public Opinion Research Center and the Opinion Research Corporation. DEMOGRAPHIC KNOWLEDGE2 Perhaps because population problems have frequently been discussed in an international context, Americans were more likely to give correct answers to some of the factual questions relating to the size and comparative growth rates of foreign countries than they were to questions about the size of the United States. When asked which country had the largest population, 62 percent answered China (Table 1). More than half knew that India was growing faster and England slower than the United States (Table 2). However, only 16 percent knew that the world's population was currently between 3.0 and 3.99 billion (Table 3). About 37 percent of the public thought that the United States population was then between 175 and 224 million. Guesses outside this range were more likely to Table 1.-Question No. 22: Which country in the world has the largest population? be underestimates (31 percent) than overestimates (21 percent) (Table 4). Overestimates were more likely, though, when respondents were asked to estimate the United States population in the year 2000 if the present growth rate continued. About 69 percent estimated 300 million or more and 12 percent replied less than 250 million (Table 5). There was some variation by sex in response to these questions-men were more likely to respond the first time asked and more likely to guess correctly than women. With some exceptions, there was a tendency for knowledge of demographic facts to increase with numbers of years in school. The levels of correct responses to these simple demographic questions indicated that the Commission's legislative mandate to educate the public would require a major effort. This provided a basis for the Commission's recommendation for development and expansion of population education programs. CONCERN ABOUT POPULATION AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER ISSUES Concern about United States population growth seems high: 65 percent of the public felt growth was a serious problem, 26 percent thought it a problem but not so serious, and only seven percent said it was no problem at all. While there were variations in response, between 86 percent and 97 percent of all major groups thought population growth was a problem.3 The parallel question about population distribution elicited a similar pattern of response, but at a slightly lower level of concern. Distribution was felt to be a serious problem by 54 percent of the public and a problem but not so serious by 30 percent.4 To probe the concern about population growth from another perspective, the respondents were asked if Table 3.-Question No. 21: How many people would you guess there are in the world today? |