McCourtney Institute for Democracy

New consortium to focus on moral and ethical decision making

Dec 5, 2022

Researching how people make moral and ethical decisions will be the goal of the Penn State Consortium on Moral Decision-Making, a new, interdisciplinary network that will advance the social scientific study of moral decision-making. Directed by Daryl Cameron, associate professor of psychology and…

Mood of the Nation Poll offers a snapshot of life during pandemic's early phase

Aug 17, 2020

As COVID-19 swept across the country this spring, most Americans reported feeling fearful of at least one daily activity that they did not think twice about before the pandemic, according to findings from the latest McCourtney Institute for Democracy Mood of the Nation Poll. The poll, conducted…

Mood of the Nation Poll examines gun control as case reaches Supreme Court

Dec 4, 2019

The Supreme Court’s decision on a New York City gun regulation could mean the first significant judicial action on gun reform in nearly a decade — at a time when the McCourtney Institute for Democracy’s Mood of the Nation Poll finds that a majority of Americans support stricter regulations for gun…

Though politically divided, Americans remain patriotic

Jul 2, 2019

Beyond fireworks and outdoor parties, the Fourth of July provides an opportunity for citizens across the United States to reflect on what it means to be an American. Despite increasing polarization, people across the political spectrum appear to be largely united on what it means to be patriotic,…

Dionne shares his views on empathy and democracy in latest podcast

Apr 18, 2019

The “Democracy Works” podcast spoke with E.J. Dionne about his views on the relationship between partisan politics and democracy. The conversation covered various topics from Donald Trump, the future of the republican party, and the need for empathy in politics. E.J Dionne is a columnist for The…

Mood of the Nation Poll examines empathy, or lack thereof, between parties

Dec 6, 2018

In the years since the 2016 election, countless news stories and public opinion polls have sought to answer the question of what divides Republicans and Democrats. Results from the latest Penn State Mood of the Nation Poll show that not only do people with opposing political beliefs fundamentally…

Mood of the Nation Poll finds one person's anger is another's pride

Oct 15, 2018

From Colin Kaepernick to Brett Kavanaugh, Americans appear to be sharply divided over the people who shape political life.  Those divides are evident in the latest McCourtney Institute Mood of the Nation Poll. The poll utilizes open-ended questions that allow participants to respond in their own…

Van Hook talks U.S. census on McCourtney Institute podcast

May 8, 2018

The next U.S. census won’t happen until 2020, but it’s already a hot topic of conversation as controversy builds over a proposed question on citizenship.  Jennifer Van Hook, Roy C. Buck Professor of Sociology and Demography in the College of the Liberal Arts, recently discussed the implications of…

McCourtney Institute Mood of the Nation Poll examines public trust in the FBI

Feb 23, 2018

Months of attacks on the FBI are impacting the public’s perception of the Bureau’s 13,000 agents, according to newly-released findings from the McCourtney Institute for Democracy’s Mood of the Nation Poll. Among Democrats, 67 percent trust the FBI to do what is right “most of the time” or “just…