Roughly two-thirds of teens and young adults think it is important to understand both sides of a political issue The majority of young people (ages 13-25) believe it’s important to understand both sides of political issues. In Springtide’s 2024 Study of Young People and Civic Life, about two-thirds (68%) of
What influences young people’s political views? Outside of family, friends, and personal experiences, young people identify social media and the news as top influences on their political opinions. A majority (61%) say that their family is one of the top five influences on their political opinions. Just under half (45%)
Do Young Americans Believe Religion Should Influence Politics? “Totally separate” was Atticus’s (19, conservative) response when asked what he felt the relationship should be between religion and politics. Like Atticus, almost half (46%) of young people surveyed in the 2024 Springtide Study of Young People and Civic Life report that
Gen Alpha 13-Year-Olds and Climate Change Many young Americans are concerned about climate change. In a 2024 survey, Springtide asked 1,112 13-year-olds—the oldest members of Gen Alpha—about their perspectives on climate change. While 17% of these young teens say that they never worry about it, 59% say that they worry
Even after the last ballot is cast, civic engagement remains vital to the lives of young people between the ages of 13 and 25. How civically engaged are teens and young adults? In Springtide’s 2024 survey, most young people (72%) report that they have participated in at least one civic
For many young people, the word politics evokes feelings of unhappiness and disillusionment. Close to half of young Americans surveyed in Springtide’s 2024 Study of Young People and Civic Life express unhappiness with the current direction of US politics (48%) and with US society overall (45%). Conducted between December 2023
More than half of young people report that religious beliefs at least slightly inform their political views. Most young people say that their religion¹ shapes their politics at least slightly (57%). Many others, including those who claim no religion or spirituality, say that their religion does not shape their politics
Understanding the electorate increasingly means understanding Latina/o populations—especially Latina/o young people. This is because early projections indicate that Latina/os will make up a record 15% of all eligible voters in November 2024. Eligible voters who are Latina/o also tend to be younger than eligible voters overall—31% of Latina/o eligible voters
Can Young People Have Lasting Relationships with Those Who Have Different Political Views? Most young people, regardless of political ideology, say they would not let political differences get in the way of their relationship with a friend or family member. In 2024, Springtide surveyed 6,669 young people, ages 13 to
This election year, Springtide Research Institute surveyed over 6,500 young people, ages 13 to 25, asking them about their social media use and civic engagement. About a quarter of young people say that social media influences their opinions about political issues. More Than One-Third of Young People (37%) Report Using