Sources of guidance on right and wrong among adults who say that there are clear standards for what is right and wrong by state (2014) Switch to: State among adults who say that there are clear standards for what is right and wrong by sources of guidance on right and wrong

% of adults who say that there are clear standards for what is right and wrong who say they look to…most for guidance on right and wrong

StateReligionPhilosophy/reasonCommon senseScienceDon't knowSample size
Alabama61%4%29%3%2%231
Alaska44%5%35%12%4%106
Arizona50%9%34%5%3%252
Arkansas64%6%29%< 1%1%126
California45%9%34%9%2%1,154
Colorado50%10%34%2%3%193
Connecticut30%10%47%11%1%113
Florida48%8%38%5%2%671
Georgia61%6%26%5%2%377
Idaho54%3%39%2%2%137
Illinois48%10%34%5%3%430
Indiana55%7%32%3%3%243
Iowa53%3%39%2%2%113
Kansas55%4%36%4%1%120
Kentucky59%4%32%4%1%172
Louisiana55%10%30%3%2%183
Maryland47%7%37%7%2%207
Massachusetts20%16%50%13%< 1%177
Michigan48%5%39%6%2%352
Minnesota45%9%37%5%3%196
Mississippi66%3%28%3%1%121
Missouri52%7%32%4%5%239
Montana45%7%40%3%5%134
Nebraska53%7%33%4%2%128
New Hampshire27%14%44%13%2%100
New Jersey41%9%38%9%4%266
New Mexico57%9%24%6%3%103
New York42%11%37%7%2%544
North Carolina53%6%34%5%2%377
North Dakota46%5%40%7%1%139
Ohio49%8%37%5%1%385
Oklahoma62%4%26%4%4%134
Oregon53%7%34%5%1%140
Pennsylvania49%6%36%7%1%501
South Carolina66%6%25%2%1%197
South Dakota49%10%38%2%< 1%113
Tennessee64%5%28%1%2%292
Texas55%6%31%6%2%949
Utah65%5%26%3%2%126
Virginia59%7%28%4%2%328
Washington44%9%34%9%4%243
West Virginia60%4%34%1%1%136
Wisconsin51%3%39%5%2%199
Wyoming54%6%34%2%4%147
Sample sizes and margins of error vary from subgroup to subgroup, from year to year and from state to state. You can see the sample size for the estimates in this chart on rollover or in the last column of the table. And visit this table to see approximate margins of error for a group of a given size. Readers should always bear in mind the approximate margin of error for the group they are examining when making comparisons with other groups or assessing the significance of trends over time. For full question wording, see the survey questionnaire.

Learn More: Religion, Philosophy/reason, Common sense, Science