SURVEYREPORT

Brandy Stark

Fantastic Archaeology

Summer Session B, 2001

Survey Research Project

Demographic Groups

1. Age:

a. 22 or under

**b. 23-29

c. 30-39

**d. 40 and above

Demographic Groups:

Ages 23-29:

Male: 7

Female: 17

Total: 24

Ages 40 and above:

Male: 14

Female: 9

Total: 23

Three Beliefs:

77. It is impossible to communicate with the dead.

a. agree strongly (0)

b. agree somewhat (1)

c. disagree somewhat (2)

d. disagree strongly (3)

e. undecided: the available evidence is inconclusive (4)

f. never heard of it/don't know enough to have an opinion (5)

Ages 23-29:

Males: 0=0

1=2

29%

2=4

57%

3=1

14%

4=0

5=0

(CHECK: Total 7)

Females: 0=3

18%

1=5

29%

2=2

12%

3=4

23%

4=3

18%

5=0

(CHECK: Total 17)

Ages 40 and above:

Males: 0=8

57%

1=4

29%

2=2

14%

3=0

4=0

5=0

(CHECK: Total 14)

Females:0=3

33%

1=1

11%

2=1

11%

3=2

22%

4=2

22%

5=0

(CHECK: Total 9)

92. One cannot read other people's thoughts by psychic powers.

a. agree strongly (1)

b. agree somewhat (2)

c. disagree somewhat (3)

d. disagree strongly (4)

e. undecided: the available evidence is inconclusive (5)

f. never heard of it/don't know enough to have an opinion (6)

Ages 23-29:

Males: 0=2

29%

1=0

2=2

29%

3=0

4=2

29%

5=0

n/a=1

14%

(CHECK: Total 7)

Females: 0=3

18%

1=3

18%

2=5

29%

3=0

4=6

35%

5=0

(CHECK: Total 17)

Ages 40 and above:

Males: 0=8

57%

1=2

14%

2=3

22%

3=0

4=0

5=1

(CHECK: Total 14)

Females:0=4

44%

1=1

11%

2=1

11%

3=0

4=3

33%

5=0

(CHECK: Total 9)

101. Ghosts really exist.

a. agree strongly (1)

b. agree somewhat (2)

c. disagree somewhat (3)

d. disagree strongly (4)

e. undecided: the available evidence is inconclusive (5)

f. never heard of it/don't know enough to have an opinion (6)

Ages 23-29:

Males: 0=1

14%

1=2

29%

2=3

43%

3=0

4=0

5=0

n/a=1

14%

(CHECK: Total 7)

Females: 0=3

18%

1=9

52%

2=2

12%

3=2

12%

4=1

5=0

(CHECK: Total 17)

Ages 40 and above:

Males: 0=2

14%

1=3

22%

2=0

3=8

57%

4=1

5=0

(CHECK: Total 14)

Females:0=1

11%

1=1

11%

2=0

3=4

44%

4=3

33%

5=0

(CHECK: Total 9)

Background information:

Highest level of education completed:

Ages 23-29

Male: 5 juniors in college (71%)

2 seniors in college

(29%)

Female: 4 junior high school/middle school (23%)

5 sophomores in college (29%)

7 juniors in college (41%)

1 senior in college (6%)

Ages 40 and above:

Male: 2 junior high/middle school (14%)

3 high school (21%)

4 sophomore in college (29%)

1 junior in college (7%)

4 senior in college (29%)

Female: 3 junior high/middle school (33%)

1 freshman in college (11%)

1 sophomore in college (11%)

2 junior in college (22%)

2 senior in college (22%)

Race:

Ages 23-39

Male: White 7 = 100%

Black 0 = 0%

Hispanic 0 = 0%

Asian 0 = 0%

Other 0 = 0%

Female: White 15 = 88%

Black 0 = 0%

Hispanic 0 = 0%

Asian 1 = 6%

Other 0 = 0%

N/A 1 = 65

Ages 40 and above

Male: White 12 = 86%

Black 2 = 14%

Hispanic 0 = 0%

Asian 0 = 0%

Other 0 = 0%

Female: White 9 = 100%

Black 0 = 0%

Hispanic 0=0%

Asian 0=0%

Other 0 = 0%

Where did you grow up mostly?

Ages 23-29

Male: Country: 5 = 71%

Small Town (pop below 50,000) 1 = 14%

Medium-sized metro area: 1 14%

Large metro area: 0 = 0%

Female: Country: 2 = 12%

Small Town (pop below 50,000) 5 = 29%

Medium-sized metro area: 6 = 35%

Large metro area: 4 = 24%

Ages 40 and above:

Male: Country: 3 = 21%

Small Town (pop below 50,000) 7 =50%

Medium-sized metro area: 0 = 0%

Large metro area: 4 = 29%

Female: Country: 0 = 0%

Small Town (pop below 50,000) 4 = 44%

Medium-sized metro area: 4 = 44%

Large metro area: 1 = 11%

Religiously, which of the following terms describes you best:

Ages 23-29

Male: Fundamentalist 0 = 0%

Conservative 1 = 14%

Moderate 1 = 14%

Liberal 2 = 29%

Non-Religious 3 = 21%

Female: Fundamentalist 0 = 0%

Conservative 6 = 35%

Moderate 8 = 47%

Liberal 1 =7%

Non-Religious 2 = 12%

Ages 40 and above

Male: Fundamentalist 0 = 0%

Conservative 4 = 29%

Moderate 5 = 36%

Liberal 3 = 21%

Non-Religious 2 = 14%

Female: Fundamentalist 0 = 0%

Conservative 2 = 22%

Moderate 3 = 33%

Liberal 3 = 33%

Non-Religious 1 = 11%

Which of the following best describes your political philosophy?

Ages 23-29

Male: Conservative 2 = 29%

Moderate 4 = 57%

Liberal 1 = 14%

Radical 0 = 0%

Female: Conservative 8 = 47%

Moderate 5 = 29%

Liberal 4 = 24%

Radical 0 = 0%

Ages 40 and above

Male: Conservative 3 = 21%

Moderate 9 = 64%

Liberal 1= 7%

Radical 1 = 7%

Female: Conservative 1 = 11%

Moderate 4 = 44%

Liberal = 44%

Radical 0 = 0%

Brandy Stark

Fantastic Archaeology

Summer Session B, 2001

Survey Report

For my report, I selected three "belief" questions in which I have a great deal of interest: number 77, "It is impossible to communicate with the dead", number 92, "One cannot read other people's thoughts by psychic powers", and number 101, "Ghosts really exist".

I chose to compare and contrast two age groups, those ages 23 - 29, (my own age group), to those 40 and above, (my mother's age group). I also sub-divided the categories by sex.

Question 77, "It is impossible to communicate with the dead"

For ages 23-29, many seemed indefinite one way or another on this belief: 29% of males and 29% of females "Agree somewhat," 57% of males and 12% of females "disagree with the statement somewhat." More appear to believe the validity of the ability to communicate with the dead: 14 % of males and 23% of females "disagree with the statement strongly." None of the males and 18% of the females agreed with the statement, while 0% of males and 18% of females remain "undecided."

In the 40 and above category, the poll showed a stronger opinion for the conservative side: 57% of the males and 33% of the females "agree strongly" with the statement. Like the previous age group, none selected choice (f), "never heard of it/don't know enough to have an opinion". Those who remained selected answers that ranged between these two extremes. 29% of males and 11% of females "agreed somewhat" with the statement, while 14% of males and 11%of females "disagreed somewhat". There is a divergence of opinions, however, between the genders of this category.. The males retain 0% for "disagree strongly", and "undecided" while the female population has a 22% "disagree strongly" rating, and a 22% "undecided" rate.

Question 92: One cannot read other people's thoughts by psychic powers.

As with the previous question, there are some similarities in the age categories. More of the 23-29 year olds believe that psychic powers do allow others to read peoples thoughts, while the 40 and above group expresses a more conservative viewpoint.

For ages 23-39, 29% of males and 18% of the females "agree strongly" with this statement. Fourteen percent of the women "agree somewhat" compared to 0% of the males. It is interesting to note that both 29% of males and 29% of the females "disagree somewhat" with the statement. This, being the slightly negative "middle grade" of the answers indicates that at least a fourth of the individuals polled have not fully decided about this topic. Many seem to lean towards believing the statement is false since 29% of males and 35% of females disagree strongly with the answer. None are undecided, and none have "never heard of it/don't know enough to have an opinion. One male participant, however, did leave the answer blank.

For ages 40 and above stronger proof of psychic abilities is needed, as 57% of males and 44% of females "agreed strongly" with the statement. Twenty-nine percent of the males disagreed strongly with the statement, but none of the females did. However, one female did opt for "undecided".

Question 101: Ghosts really exist.

This question held a wide range of answers. The younger category showed some strongly believing in ghosts (14% of males and 18% of females ages 23-29). Twenty-nine percent of males and fifty-two percent of females, over half of the polled women for this category, agree somewhat with this statement. The women, however, proved to be the stronger skeptics. Twelve percent disagreed somewhat with the statement, compared to 43% of the men, another 12% disagreed strongly (0% male), and 6% were undecided (0% male).

The 40 and older age group did not surprise me with their answers to this poll. Fewer believed strongly in ghosts (14% of men, 11% of women "strongly agreed", 22% of men and 11% of women "agreed somewhat") while more were skeptical. Both male and female polled a 0% for "disagree somewhat", but 57% of males and 44% of females disagreed strongly. A greater percentage was undecided if ghosts do exist: 7% of the men, and 33% of the women. None opted for choice (f), "never heard of it".

Influencing factors for poll answers

I noticed several factors that may hold a strong impact upon beliefs. One such factor lies with education. As more women than men seemed to hold stronger opinions to either complete belief or complete disbelief than men, education may hold a strong impact in shaping opinions. Perhaps education creates a middle ground, presenting more than one view of controversial subjects. It is also a forum of learning, where ideas can be exchanged.

This is illustrated in the poll statistics: more males than females have attained upper level education in both the younger and elder groups. Males in the 23-29 category are particularly well educated, according to the data submitted. All have completed a minimum of their junior year in college (71%), and 29% completed their senior year in college.

The females of this group have a more diverse upper educational background. Twenty-three percent list junior high as the highest grade attained. There is a large jump, then, to the underclassman level: 29% completed their sophomore year. Forty-one percent completed their junior year, and 6 percent completed their senior year.

The 40 and older group shows a slight divergence in these figures. Fourteen percent of these males list middle school as the last year completed, and 21% list high school. Of those who attained a college education, 29% ended after their sophomore year, 7% made it through their junior year, and 29% made it through the senior year.

This poll is also interesting because a large number of those who answered were of a Caucasian background. One hundred percent of males ages 23-29 were white, as were 100% of the females ages 40 and above. Only 6% of those surveyed were Asian, and that percentage comes from the 23-29 age group. Two males 40 and above listed themselves as black. One female 23-29 did not list her race.

Had the poll shown a stronger ethnic divergence the results may have been different. Different cultural backgrounds have different viewpoints about ghosts, ESP, and communication with the dead.

It is also interesting to note that none of those polled consider themselves to be religiously fundamental. Most opt for what they consider "moderate religions" (Ages 23-29: 14% male, 47% female; ages 40 and above: 36% male, 33% female). Most others categorize themselves as conservative (ages 23-29, male: 14%, female: 35%, ages 40 and above: 29% male, 22% female) or as liberal (ages 23-29, 23% of males, 7% females; ages 40 and above, 21% of males, 33% of females).

Nearly a fifth of the participants considered themselves non-religious (ages 23-29: male: 21%, female 12%; ages 40 and above, 14% males, and 11% of females).

The influence of moderate religions, or those who are non-religious, may be partially causing the variety of viewpoints. Without the strong influence of the more fundamental or liberal religions, many of which espouse certain viewpoints on unproved ideas, more seem to waver in the shades of gray, not fully accepting nor fully rejecting these ideas.

This idea carries through to their political beliefs. The males particularly scored highly in the "moderate" category, with those 23-29 ranking 57% moderate, and 40 and above 64% moderate. Only 29% of males 23-29 and 21% 40 and above considered themselves to be conservative while 14% 23-29 and 7% 40 and above were liberal.

The woman, again, held a wider range of percentages. Of those polled in the 23-29 category, 29% were moderate while 44% of the 40 and above also considered themselves moderate. What is surprising is that 44% of the 40 and above group considered themselves to be politically liberal, compared to only 24% of the 23-29 category. Eleven percent of women 40 and above considered themselves conservative, compared to the 47% 23-29. Yet, in several of the questions listed it was the women of the 40 and above group who displayed more skeptical belief in the paranormal.

This may be due, in part, to generation differences. One interesting question that might help clarify this point in the poll is to ask if the participants had been active during a war. Were they veterans? Had they protested? How did they feel about government's right to declare war? The 40 years and above have higher potential for experiencing a long-duration war. At the higher age range, there are surviving World War II veterans, followed by those in the Korean War, and Vietnam. Vietnam was a time, itself, that brought very strong emotions with it including wide-scale protesting, draft dodging, and patriotism.

The 23-29 year olds have not participated in a war of long duration. The Persian Gulf War had fewer casualties, compared to the wars previously listed, and displayed new technological ideals with warfare. Reserve and active forces were utilized, and no draft was enacted. Compared to Vietnam, the Persian Gulf War lasted a much shorter time, however, and did not hold as much wide-scale death and violence. It also had fewer veterans missing in action. With these factors in mind, the wide-scale psychological impact may not have been as devastating to this generation as Vietnam and prior wars were to earlier eras.

Another way to help solve this question would be to divide up the age category for 40 and above. Unlike the grouping prior, this category takes on a wide span of years. By dividing it up into smaller age ranges, 40-64, 65-80, 80 and above, for example, more detail data could be examined.

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