Young Voters Supported Obama Less, But May Have Mattered More
26 November 2012 Barack Obama won 60% of the vote among those younger than 30, down from 66% in 2008, but his youth support may have been an even more important factor in his victory this year.
• Video: Michael Dimock discusses the survey
Voters Give Low Marks to the 2012 Campaign
15 November 2012 Many voters say the 2012 presidential election campaign was more negative than usual and had less discussion of issues than in most previous campaigns. They give mixed grades to the candidates, the consultants, the press and the pollsters.
• Few Voters Get Politics at Church
• Quiz: Your Turn to Grade the Campaign
Hispanic Electorate Likely To Double By 2030
14 November 2012 The record number of Latinos who voted this year are the leading edge of an ascendant ethnic voting bloc that is likely to double in size within a generation.
Changing Face of America Helps Obama's Re-election
7 November 2012 Barack Obama retained enough support from key elements of his base to win re-election, even as he lost ground nationally since 2008. In particular, Obama maintained wide advantages among young people, women, minorities, and both the less affluent and the well-educated.
• Graphic: Likely Voters in the Final Stretch
• Pew Research's Final Election Estimate
How Teens Research in the Digital Age
1 November 2012 Teachers participating in a Pew Internet study say the impact of today's digital environment on their students' research habits and skills is mostly positive, but not without drawbacks.
More Americans Worry about Financing Retirement
22 October 2012 Despite a slowly improving economy, about four-in-ten adults (38%) say they are not confident that they will have enough income and assets for their retirement, up from 25% at the end of the Great Recession in 2009.
Networked: The New Social Operating System
19 October 2012 Daily life is connected life, its rhythms driven by email, text messages, tweets and Facebook updates. Some worry that this new environment makes us isolated. In Networked, Pew Internet & American Life Project Director Lee Rainie and Barry Wellman show how the large, loosely knit social circles of networked individuals expand opportunities for learning and personal interaction.
• Excerpt: How to Thrive in a Networked World
Tiger Moms
Most Americans agree with Amy Chua that U.S. parents aren't tough enough, but most Asians think parents put too much pressure on children.
Un-Mirrored Self-Images
Nine-in-ten U.S. adults say most of their fellow Americans are overweight. But only 39% say they themselves are overweight.
Does Google Make Us Stupid?
Most experts say the internet will enhance--not degrade--our intelligence. It will also change the way we read and write and be rebuilt by new gadgetry and applications.
Obama's Re-election Win Sobered by Unmet Global Expectations
26 November 2012 Much of the world cheered the November 6 re-election of U.S. president Barack Obama. But the president’s honeymoon may be short lived.
Cell Phones: They're For More Than
Just Making Calls
25 November 2012 Fully 85% of American adults own a cell phone, and the devices have become a portal for an ever-growing list of activities. Taking photos and texting top the list.
The 'Fiscal Cliff' and Public Opinion
21 November 2012 The looming deadline to avoid steep federal spending cuts has echoes of the battle over raising the debt limit in 2011 which soured public opinion about how both parties dealt with the issue.
• Broad Public Concern about 'Fiscal Cliff'
• More Following 'Fiscal Cliff' Debate than Petraeus Investigation
Many Countries Penalize Blasphemy, Apostasy and Defamation of Religion
21 November 2012 As of 2011 nearly half of the countries and territories in the world (47%) have laws or policies that penalize blasphemy, apostasy or religious defamation.
No Reversal in Decline of Marriage
20 November 2012 In 2011, 4.2 million adults were newly married, about the same number as in 2010 and sharply lower than the 4.5 million newlyweds estimated in 2008.
Parents Concerned About Teens' Online Activities and Privacy
20 November 2012 Most parents of teenagers are concerned about what their teenage children do online and how their behavior could be monitored by others.
Positive Media Coverage of Obama Surged During Last Week of Campaign
19 November 2012 Much of the surge in positive coverage was tied to Obama's strategic position, including improving opinion polls and electoral math, rather than directly to positive assessments of his response to Superstorm Sandy.
• Pew Research's Record on Elections
• Misreading the 2012 Election
Religious Makeup of the New Congress
16 November 2012 The newly elected, 113th Congress includes the first Buddhist to serve in the Senate, the first Hindu and the first member of Congress to describe her religion as "none," continuing a gradual increase in religious diversity that mirrors the country as a whole.
Behind Gay Marriage Momentum, Regional Gaps Persist
9 November 2012 While support for gay marriage is on the rise nationwide, there are wide regional differences in the level of support, which is strongest in New England and weakest in the South.
• Graphic: Election-Day Wins for Same-Sex Marriage
Mobile Health Has Found Its Market In Smartphone Owners
8 November 2012 Over half of smartphone owners gather health information on their phones, compared with 6% of non-smartphone owners.
Election 2012: A Milestone En Route to Becoming a Majority Minority Nation
7 November 2012 The minority groups that carried President Obama to victory yesterday by giving him 80% of their votes are on track to become a majority of the nation's population by 2050. They currently make up 37% of the population, and they cast a record 28% of the votes in the 2012 presidential election.
• 2012 Election In One Word | FAQ: Behind the Poll
• How the Faithful Voted | How Latinos Voted
One-in-Five Registered Voters Discuss How They Voted on Social Media
6 November 2012 Fully 22% of registered voters have told others how they voted on a social networking site, while 30% have been encouraged to vote for a candidate by family and friends and 20% have encouraged others to vote.
• Registered Voters Watching Political Videos Online
• Who Are the Nonvoters and What Are Their Beliefs?
Twitter Use During Hurricane Sandy
6 November 2012 For millions who lost power during Hurricane Sandy but could still access the internet on mobile devices, Twitter served as a critical lifeline throughout the disaster that struck the East Coast.
• More Public Interest in Hurricane than Election
Record Shares of Young Adults Have Finished Both High School and College
5 November 2012 In 2012, for the first time ever, one-third of the nation's 25 to 29-year-olds have completed at least a bachelor's degree. College completion is also now at record levels among key demographic groups.
• Graphic: Record-Breaking Attainment
News Coverage Negative For Obama, Romney in Campaign's Final Days
2 November 2012 The candidates have both received more negative than positive coverage from the news media since the conventions, but Obama has had an edge overall. Social media has been harsher than the mainstream press.
• Slideshow: How Tone Has Changed, Differs
Journalist Alan Murray Named President of Pew Research Center
2 November 2012 Veteran journalist Alan Murray, currently deputy managing editor and executive editor, online, for The Wall Street Journal, has been named President of the Pew Research Center, succeeding public opinion expert Andrew Kohut.
Latinos Have Growing Confidence in Personal Finances, Nation's Direction
2 November 2012 Compared with 2011, more Latinos express satisfaction with the direction of the country, report that their finances are in "excellent" or "good" shape and expect their family's finances to improve in the next 12 months.
Commentary: American, Chinese Publics Increasingly Wary of the Other
1 November 2012 As economic and geopolitical competition grows between the U.S. and China, Americans say they want to get tougher with China on economic issues and the Chinese hold a more negative view of relations with the U.S.
• Graphic: The U.S.-China Relationship
Internet Gains Most as Campaign News Source, But Cable TV Still Leads
25 October 2012 Americans are following the presidential campaign more closely on nearly every news platform than they were earlier in the year.
Fully 10% of Campaign Donors Say They Contributed Via Mobile
25 October 2012 Democrats are more likely to contribute online or from their cell phone, while Republicans are more likely to contribute in person, by phone call, or via regular mail.
How America Has Changed Since 2008
24 October 2012 View a Pew Research presentation tracking the shifts in public views on the issues, the makeup of the electorate and how the campaigns are engaging voters.
In Digital Age, Young Americans Keep Reading, in Print and e-Book Forms
23 October 2012 More than eight-in-ten Americans between the ages of 16 and 29 read a book in the past year, and six in ten used their local public library.
4-in-10 Adults Use Social Networking to Engage in Political or Civil Activities
19 October 2012 
The use of social media is becoming a feature of political and civic engagement for many Americans. A new report examines who is more likely to use social media to express their views, react to others' postings, follow candidates and 'like' and share others' content.
• Political Conversation on Social Media Mostly Negative
• Social Networking and Political News
• Video: Presidential Candidates and Social Media
16 October 2012 Scott Keeter, Director of Survey Research, answers questions about the factors behind the growing partisan gap in American politics. Ask the Expert archive
Get Out the Red Pen...
After the 2012 election, Pew Research asked 1,200 voters to grade the performance of the candidates, the media and to assess public opinion. Answer a sample of questions from the survey and compare your results with other voters.
What's Your Global IQ?
Take our 10-question quiz to test how much you know about the worldwide image of the United States.
The Political Party Quiz
Do your views align more with Republicans, Democrats or Independents? Answer 12 questions in our politics quiz, built in partnership with PBS NewsHour, and we'll tell you where you fit on the political spectrum. See how you compare to other Americans by age, gender, race and religion.
Test Your News IQ
Take our 11-question quiz about the presidential election and the news. Then see how you did in comparison with 1,010 randomly sampled adults (and 771 voters). Tell us how you did on Facebook.
How Red or Blue Are You?
Answer a series of questions about your beliefs to find where you come out on the political spectrum. Are you Staunch Conservative or a Solid Liberal? Compare yourself to others who participated in our nationwide survey. Read the full report.
How 'Millennial' Are You?
Take our quiz and we'll tell you how "Millennial" you are, on a scale from 0 to 100, by comparing your answers with those of respondents to a scientific nationwide survey.
Test Your Religion IQ
How much do you know about the world's major religions? And how do you score compared with the average American? Take our quiz and find out.
Couples Quiz
Who calls the shots in your home? Nowadays, it's often the woman who wears the pantsuit. Take our quiz to find out where you fit.
Visit Interactive for other features.
How Do Americans View the World?
Explore an interactive feature illustrating trends in American attitudes on foreign affairs from the Pew Research Center and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
The Lost Decade of the Middle Class
Our video explores how middle-class Americans view themselves, as well as their outlook on the future and on the presidential candidates who are courting their votes.
• Read the Full Report
The Rise of Asian Americans
Explore an interactive map of Asian Americans, including Chinese Americans, Filipino Americans, Indian Americans, Vietnamese Americans, Korean Americans and Japanese Americans.
• Infographic: Data About Asian Americans
• The Full Report: The Rise of Asian Americans
Who Owns the News Media?
An interactive database of firms that own news properties in the U.S. lets you explore each media sector. Updated, July 2012.
Mapping Muslims Globally
Explore interactive maps covering 232 countries and territories that show the size and distribution of the 1.6 billion Muslim population.
Migration, by Religion
An interactive database shows the religious affiliation of international migrants and examines patterns among seven major religious groups.
Public Attitudes Across the Globe
Explore public opinion trends in 55 countries on topics ranging from attitudes toward the U.S. to views about globalization, democratization, an extremism. Results can be displayed in map, table or chart format.
Tracking Family Trends
Explore five decades of economic and demographic change in the structure of American families with an interactive database.