Latin@ Attitudes: Cultural and Moral Issues

POL 168

Professor B. Jones

Survey Data

• Source: Pew Hispanic Center/Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life Survey of Hispanics

• Administered Oct. 2006• 4016 Latin@ Respondents• Questions:

– Gay Marriage– Abortion– Religiosity and Influence of the Church– Party Affiliation– Demographics

Gay Marriage Survey Item

• Question Format:• 11. All in all, do you favor or oppose• allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally?• 1 Favor• 2 Oppose• 3 Don’t know• 4 Refused• Analysis

Legalizing Gay Marriage: Pew Survey 2006Latino Respondents (n=4016)

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Percent 27.79 60.46 8.74 3.01

Favor Oppose Don't Know Refused

Legalizing Gay Marriage

Abortion Survey Item

• Question Format• 20. On another subject, do you think abortion should

be legal in all cases, legal in most cases, illegal in most cases, or illegal in all cases?

• qn20• 1 Legal in all cases• 2 Legal in most cases• 3 Illegal in most cases• 4 Illegal in all cases• 5 Don’t Know• 6 Refused• ANALYSIS

Abortion RightsAbortion Rights: Pew Survey 2006

Latino Respondents (n=4016)

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5

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Percent 11.18 24.73 24 34.41 4.43 1.25

Legal in All Cases

Legal in Some Cases

Illegal in Some Cases

Illegal in All Cases

Don't Know Refused

Church’s Role Survey Item

• Question Format• 16. In your opinion, should churches and other

houses of worship keep out of political matters – or should they express their views on day-to-day social and political questions?

• qn16• 1 Should keep out• 2 Should express views• 3 Don’t know• 4 Refused• ANALYSIS

Church’s Role in Political Matters

Church Should Express Views on Political MattersPew Survey 2006: Latino Respondents (n=4016)

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Percent 39.84 53.51 6.03 0.62

Should Keep Out Should Express View s Don't Know Refused

Importance of Religion Survey Item

• Question Format• 22. Generally speaking, how important are your religious beliefs

in influencing your political thinking? Would you say your religious beliefs are a very important influence on your political thinking, somewhat important, not too important or not at all important?

• qn22• 1 Very important• 2 Somewhat important• 3 Not too important• 4 Not at all important• 5 Don't know• 6 Refused • ANALYSIS

Importance of Religious BeliefsImportance of Religious Beliefs on Political Beliefs

Pew Survey 2006: Latino Resondents (n=4016)

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Percent 40.94 24 11.68 18.65 4.01 0.72

Very ImportantSomew hat Important

Not too Important

Not at all Important

Don't Know Refused

Party Affiliation• Item on next slide a function of two items:• 70. Regardless of whether you can vote in U.S. elections, please tell me, In politics today, • do you consider yourself a Republican, a Democrat, an Independent, or something • else?• qn70• 1 Republican• 2 Democrat• 3 Independent• 7 Something else • 8 Don’t Know• 9 Refused• (ASK Q71 IF INDEPENDENT, Q70 = 3,7,8,9• 71. Do you consider yourself closer to the Republican party or the Democratic party? • qn71• 1 Republican• 2 Democrat• 3 Neither• 4 Other• 8 Don’t Know• 9 Refused

Party Affiliation

• Final Question (one used in this slide set) includes partisan “leaners” as true partisans. Survey results derived from:

• Q70/71 Leaned Party Table• lean• 1 Republican• 2 Democrat• 3 Independent• 4 Something Else• 5 Don't Know• 6 Refused• ANALYSIS

Party Identification

Party IdentificationPew Survey 2006: Latino Respondents (n=4016)

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Percent 26.12 46.96 7 4.08 9.96 5.88

Republican Democrat Independent Something Else Don't Know Refused

Group-Based Analysis

• Now turn to more refined analysis

• We control for type of religious affiliation:– Evangelical, Catholic, or Other

• Party Affiliation– Republican, Democrat, or Independent

• Age Groups– 18-29; 30-39; 40-54; 55+

• Analysis: Gay Marriage

Gay Marriage: Evangelical, Catholic, and Other

Legalizing Gay Marriage by Religious AffiliationPew Survey 2006: Latino Respondents (n=4016)

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Percent Opposing 91 57 64

Evangelical Non-Evangelical/Non-Catholic Catholic

Gay Marriage: Party AffiliationLegalizing Gay Marriage by Party Affiliation

Pew Survey 2006: Latino Respondents (Rep., Dem., and Indep. Only)

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Percent Opposing 61 62 80

Independent Democrat Republican

Gay Marriage: Age GroupsLegalizing Gay Marriage by Age Group

Pew Survey 2006: Latino Respondents (n=4016)

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Percent Opposing 57 65 72 80

29 and Under Age 30-39 Age 40-54 55 and Older

Church Influence

• Analysis of Church Influence

• Accounting for same groups as previous slides

• ANALYSIS

Influence of Church: By Partisan Affiliation

Church Should Express Views on Political Matters by Religious Affliation Pew Survey 2006: Latino Respondents

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Percent Agreeing 67 58 48

Evangelical Catholic Non-Evangelical/Non-Catholic

Influence of Church: By Partisanship

Church Should Express Views on Political Matters by Party AffiliationPew Survey 2006: Latino Respondents (Rep., Dem., and Indep. Only)

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Percent Involved 60 57 58

Independent Democrat Republican

Influence of Church: By Age GroupChurch Should Express Views by Age Group

Pew Survey 2006: Latino Respondents (n=4016)

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Church Should be Involved 64 61 55 49

29 and Under Age 30-39 Age 40-54 55 and Older

Analysis of Abortion Item

• Graphs are of means on abortion item for different subgroups.

• Remember: Item Ranges from 1 (Always Legal) to 4 (Always Illegal)

• Thus, a high average score means the group, on average, scores at the higher end of the scale.

• Subgroup Analysis

Abortion Attitudes: By Religious Affiliation

Abortion Attitudes by Religious Affiliation Pew Survey 2006

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0.5

1

1.5

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3.5

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Average Score 3.25 2.67 2.79

Evangelical Catholic Non-Evangelical/Non-Catholic

Abortion Attitudes by Party Affiliation

Abortion Attitudes by Party Affilation Pew Survey 2006

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Average Score 2.98 2.74 2.88

Independent Democrat Republican

Abortion Attitudes by Age Group

Abortion Attitudes by Age Group Pew Survey 2006

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Average Score 2.85 2.86 2.84 2.91

29 and Under Age 30-39 Age 40-54 55 and Older