Sources of guidance on right and wrong among adults who say that right or wrong depends on the situation by state (2014) Switch to: State among adults who say that right or wrong depends on the situation by sources of guidance on right and wrong

% of adults who say that right or wrong depends on the situation who say they look to…most for guidance on right and wrong

StateReligionPhilosophy/reasonCommon senseScienceDon't knowSample size
Alabama41%4%47%5%3%268
Alaska16%9%56%13%7%193
Arizona21%11%53%13%2%374
Arkansas38%7%45%9%1%180
California21%15%48%13%3%2,431
Colorado17%18%50%13%2%299
Connecticut15%16%55%12%1%257
Delaware23%10%57%8%2%199
District of Columbia22%14%45%14%4%222
Florida23%12%53%10%2%1,303
Georgia35%11%44%8%2%571
Hawaii16%13%62%8%1%215
Idaho18%11%59%10%2%178
Illinois20%12%53%13%2%860
Indiana26%9%51%12%2%398
Iowa25%15%52%5%3%213
Kansas27%12%52%8%2%187
Kentucky28%13%50%6%3%251
Louisiana37%10%46%7%1%268
Maine13%15%60%10%2%213
Maryland27%9%49%13%3%417
Massachusetts13%11%58%16%3%506
Michigan22%9%56%10%3%601
Minnesota17%14%56%10%2%357
Mississippi41%12%35%9%2%181
Missouri28%12%49%8%3%394
Montana17%16%54%12%1%170
Nebraska21%12%54%10%2%180
Nevada20%13%53%12%3%210
New Hampshire10%13%65%11%2%192
New Jersey22%12%54%11%2%596
New Mexico30%9%43%13%4%194
New York18%15%54%10%3%1,357
North Carolina33%11%45%9%1%624
North Dakota22%7%55%13%4%196
Ohio25%12%53%8%2%728
Oklahoma24%11%56%8%1%244
Oregon16%15%52%15%2%270
Pennsylvania25%10%51%12%2%836
Rhode Island23%9%55%12%< 1%195
South Carolina33%10%46%7%4%282
South Dakota25%11%52%10%2%187
Tennessee32%9%50%6%2%354
Texas33%11%44%11%2%1,509
Utah27%10%52%10%1%179
Vermont7%16%59%17%2%217
Virginia25%13%50%9%3%529
Washington19%17%50%12%2%454
West Virginia42%7%45%4%2%165
Wisconsin23%15%48%11%3%389
Wyoming23%13%50%10%5%162
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