Loading…
Would you say that most of the time people try to be helpful, or that they are mostly just looking out for themselves?
People try to be helpful or look out for themselves · Asked in 10 waves, 1964–2004 · 15,300 responses · weighted estimates computed from individual responses
Codes that include 'no Pre/Post IW' were dropped for respondents without that interview. Dropped only in years where the codebook names a design split (alternate form, half sample, abbreviated or web instrument): 0 in 1972. NA code treated as not asked where it exceeds 10% of a year's answers (an unlabeled split or filter): 0 in 2002. Kept and flagged: 0 (no_answer), 9 (dk). Codebook notes: 1968 NOTE: See intro VCF0619. 2002 NOTE: Respondents were randomly assigned to either VCF0620 or VCF0621.
Shares of people who gave an answer. Each column is one wave, evenly spaced rather than to scale in time; hover for exact shares.
| Group | Just look out for themselves | Try to be helpful | n | MoE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All respondents | 39% | 61% | 1066 | ±3 |
| Poll | Field dates | Mode | Respondents | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANES 2004 Time Series Study Source variable: V045188. | 2004-09-07 to 2004-12-19 | face to face | 1,212 | 1,066 |
| ANES 2002 Time Series Study Source variable: V025103. | 2002-09-18 to 2002-12-06 | phone | 1,511 | 677 |
| ANES 2000 Time Series Study Source variable: V001477. | 2000-09-05 to 2000-12-22 | mixed | 1,807 | 1,555 |
| ANES 1992 Time Series Study Source variable: V926140. | 1992-09-02 to 1993-01-16 | mixed | 2,485 | 2,255 |
| ANES 1976 Time Series Study Source variable: V763746. | 1976-09-07 to 1977-01-30 | face to face | 2,248 | 1,909 |
| ANES 1974 Time Series Study Source variable: V742401. | 1974-11-06 to 1975-01-31 | face to face | 1,575 | 1,575 |
| ANES 1972 Time Series Study Source variable: V720582. | 1972-09-01 to 1973-02-13 | face to face | 2,705 | 2,174 |
Shares of people who gave an answer. A group’s column is left blank in waves where its effective sample is under 50; hover for exact shares.
| White | 34% | 66% | 757 | ±4 |
| Black | 53% | 47% | 153 | ±9 |
| Hispanic | 45% | 55% | 93 | ±11 |
| Asian † | Too few respondents | – | – | 19 | ±25 |
| Other † | 46% | 54% | 26 | ±21 |
ANES 2004 Time Series Study · US citizens 18+ living in households in the contiguous 48 states. Shares of people who gave an answer. n is unweighted; ± is the 95% margin of error at 50% from the weighted effective sample. Groups with an effective sample under 50 are grayed; under 20, hidden.
| 1968-09-06 to 1969-01-28 |
| face to face |
| 1,557 |
| 1,348 |
| ANES 1966 Time Series Study Source variable: V660137. | 1966-11-08 to 1967-02-01 | face to face | 1,291 | 1,291 |
| ANES 1964 Time Series Study Source variable: V640399. | 1964-09-07 to 1965-02-01 | face to face | 1,571 | 1,450 |