Sources of guidance on right and wrong among married adults by state (2014) Switch to: State among married adults by sources of guidance on right and wrong

% of married adults who say they look to…most for guidance on right and wrong

StateReligionPhilosophy/reasonCommon senseScienceDon't knowSample size
Alabama54%3%38%2%3%284
Alaska30%6%48%11%5%156
Arizona39%9%41%10%2%318
Arkansas59%6%30%3%2%156
California33%11%42%11%3%1,712
Colorado33%11%47%6%3%287
Connecticut22%13%52%11%2%186
Delaware32%7%51%7%4%148
District of Columbia29%17%35%13%6%106
Florida36%9%44%8%3%987
Georgia52%6%33%8%1%486
Hawaii26%9%53%11%1%135
Idaho40%7%49%3%2%197
Illinois34%10%45%9%2%666
Indiana37%6%48%7%2%329
Iowa42%7%46%3%2%192
Kansas45%8%41%6%< 1%172
Kentucky48%5%39%4%3%223
Louisiana53%5%36%4%2%212
Maine15%12%60%12%2%158
Maryland34%7%43%13%3%319
Massachusetts16%13%51%19%2%335
Michigan40%8%42%8%2%501
Minnesota34%9%47%7%3%309
Mississippi61%6%27%4%2%147
Missouri46%8%39%4%3%314
Montana32%9%49%7%3%184
Nebraska40%8%44%7%1%169
Nevada32%6%45%14%3%145
New Hampshire17%13%56%12%2%154
New Jersey26%12%50%9%3%462
New Mexico43%6%33%11%8%143
New York28%12%48%9%3%920
North Carolina47%8%36%6%2%565
North Dakota35%5%47%8%4%184
Ohio37%9%45%7%3%582
Oklahoma39%9%43%7%2%202
Oregon31%12%45%10%1%209
Pennsylvania39%7%43%9%2%706
Rhode Island29%13%52%6%1%147
South Carolina53%7%34%3%3%252
South Dakota33%10%51%6%1%161
Tennessee52%6%35%3%4%382
Texas44%8%38%7%2%1,347
Utah54%5%35%3%2%182
Vermont13%14%62%11%1%170
Virginia42%10%36%9%2%511
Washington33%12%41%10%4%346
West Virginia55%4%38%2%< 1%145
Wisconsin36%6%50%6%2%348
Wyoming38%6%47%4%5%176
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