Unusually Wide Gap in ‘Satisfaction,' ‘Right Direction' Measures

Report Read time:
Unusually Wide Gap in ‘Satisfaction,' ‘Right Direction' Measures

When taking the temperature of the public's outlook about the overall state of the nation, most pollsters use one of two time-tested approaches: Asking people how "satisfied" they are with the way things are going in the country or asking people to say whether the country is headed in the "right direction" or is on the "wrong track." The Pew Research Center for the People & the Press and the Gallup Organization rely on the measure of satisfaction, while major broadcast networks and their print partners (ABC/Washington Post, CBS/New York Times, NBC/Wall Street Journal) ask the public whether the country is headed in the right direction or on the wrong track.

Over most of the past two decades, these two measures tended to offer the same general results—when the public's mood is bright, both move up, and when things look gloomy both move down. But occasionally these measures diverge, and since last fall's election, the percentage saying the country is generally headed in the right direction has consistently surpassed the percentage expressing satisfaction with national conditions.

In early March, nearly twice as many people said the country was moving in the right direction as said they were satisfied with the way things are going in the country. Reflecting their positive views of President Obama, Democrats are now much more positive than Republicans about the country's course, and are much more optimistic than they were before the election.

The divergence between these measures is unusual, though not unprecedented.

Read the full report Unusually Wide Gap in ‘Satisfaction,' ‘Right Direction' Measures on the Pew Research Center's Web site.

America’s Overdose Crisis
America’s Overdose Crisis

America’s Overdose Crisis

Sign up for our five-email course explaining the overdose crisis in America, the state of treatment access, and ways to improve care

Sign up
Quick View
America’s Overdose Crisis

America’s Overdose Crisis

Sign up for our five-email course explaining the overdose crisis in America, the state of treatment access, and ways to improve care

Sign up

MORE FROM PEW

An aerial view of a vast wetland, with scattered vegetation visible on sandy islands. In Western Australia, a Conservation Model for the World
A presentation being given by a businesswoman to a group of participants at a business conference. Four Plan Features Can Boost 'Retirement Readiness'
A large group of people in formal or traditional attire stands together on a stage, with a digital background depicting marine life and the large text “WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies.” WTO Needs to Redouble Its Effort on Fishing Subsidies
A man in a winter hat and sunglasses kneels on a rocky shoreline in front of a campfire, holding a metal mug with gloved hands. Behind him, in the water, a motorboat is moored to the shore. Cliffs rise on both sides of the water. Why Newfoundland’s South Coast Fjords Are Sacred
Composite image of modern city network communication concept

Learn the Basics of Broadband from Our Limited Series

Sign up for our four-week email course on Broadband Basics
Quick View

How does broadband internet reach our homes, phones, and tablets? What kind of infrastructure connects us all together? What are the major barriers to broadband access for American communities?

Pills illustration
Pills illustration

What Is Antibiotic Resistance—and How Can We Fight It?

Sign up for our four-week email series The Race Against Resistance.
Quick View
Pills illustration

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria, also known as “superbugs,” are a major threat to modern medicine. But how does resistance work, and what can we do to slow the spread? Read personal stories, expert accounts, and more for the answers to those questions in our four-week email series: Slowing Superbugs.