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Leaders, Heroes, and Role Models:
Who do we look up to and why?

Final Top Line Results
Lincoln Institute- PA Statewide Survey

Conducted September 16 - 19 Sample Size of 750

INTRODUCTION: We are conducting a survey of attitudes and opinions concerning some important issues facing Pennsylvania today. May we have a few minutes of your time to complete the survey?

Great, thank you .

Q1. What would you say is the single most important personal characteristic or quality you look for in a role model? (DO NOT READ CHOICES - ONE ANSWER ONLY)

1. Honesty38051%
2. Strong Morals4106%
3. Integrity/Ethical13718%
4. Intelligent/Smart1402%
5. Confident/Self assured1101%
6. Hard working801%
7. Respectful901%
8. Leadership quality6509%
9. Religion/Spiritual801%
10. Creative/Innovative501%
11. Risk taker/Entrepreneur000%
12. Challenges Authority000%
13. Plays by the rules300%
14. Undecided/None2303%
15. Other 4606%

Q2. Please rank each of the following qualities as very important, somewhat important, not very important or not at all important in terms of the ones you believe are important in a role model.

Honesty

1. Very73698% Total very/somewhat: 100%
2. Somewhat1302% Total not very/not at all:00%
3. Not very 100%
4. Not at all000%
5. Undecided000%
6. Refuse000%

A. Having a strong moral character

1. Very62884%
2. Somewhat10814%
3. Not very 1001%
4. Not at all301%
5. Undecided100%
6. Refuse000%
Total very/somewhat: 98%
Total not very/not at all: 02%

B. Integrity or Ethics

1. Very69493% Total very/somewhat:99%
2. Somewhat4806% Total not very/not at all:01%
3. Not very 301%
4. Not at all200%
5. Undecided200%
6. Refuse100%

C. Being intelligent or knowledgeable

1. Very54773% Total very/somewhat:99%
2. Somewhat19226% Total not very/not at all:01%
3. Not very 1101%
4. Not at all000%
5. Undecided000%
6. Refuse000%

D. Being confident or self-assured

1. Very44559% Total very/somewhat:97%
2. Somewhat28438% Total not very/not at all:03%
3. Not very 1903%
4. Not at all200%
5. Undecided000%
6. Refuse000%

E. Being respectful of others

1. Very64486% Total very/somewhat:99%
2. Somewhat10113% Total not very/not at all:01%
3. Not very 501%
4. Not at all000%
5. Undecided000%
6. Refuse000%

F. Having leadership qualities

1. Very58878% Total very/somewhat:99%
2. Somewhat15521% Total not very/not at all:01%
3. Not very 701%
4. Not at all000%
5. Undecided000%
6. Refuse000%

G. Being a religious or spiritual individual

1. Very27937%Total very/somewhat:76%
2. Somewhat29039%Total not very/not at all:23%
3. Not very 10914%
4. Not at all6409%
5. Undecided801%
6. Refuse000%

H. Being creative or innovative

1. Very34946% Total very/somewhat:94%
2. Somewhat35748% Total not very/not at all:06%
3. Not very 3805%
4. Not at all401%
5. Undecided200%
6. Refuse000%

I. Having an entrepreneurial spirit on such things as risk-taking

1. Very16422% Total very/somewhat:78%
2. Somewhat41856% Total not very/not at all:19%
3. Not very 11715%
4. Not at all2904%
5. Undecided2003%
6. Refuse200%

J. Being outspoken on things like challenging authority

1. Very24433% Total very/somewhat:81%
2. Somewhat36248% Total not very/not at all:17%
3. Not very 10214%
4. Not at all2303%
5. Undecided1702%
6. Refuse200%

K. Playing by the rules

1. Very54172% Total very/somewhat:96%
2. Somewhat17724% Total not very/not at all:03%
3. Not very 2303%
4. Not at all200%
5. Undecided601%
6. Refuse100%

Q2b. Please name for us a person, living or dead, who you consider to be a role model.

Father9913%
Mother4606%
Other family6008%
Friend/Acquaintance1802%
Clergy/Pastor7310%
Politician/Elected official27337%
Armed Forces1001%
Athlete401%
Actor/Musician1702%
Teacher1101%
Undecided/None7811%
Other6108%

Q3. What would you say is the single most important quality or trait that you look for in a hero? (DO NOT READ CHOICES - ONE ANSWER ONLY)

1. Honesty16923%
2. Strong Morals3104%
3. Integrity/Ethical11115%
4. Intelligent/Smart501%
5. Confident/Self-assured3004%
6. Hard working1101%
7. Respectful1202%
8. Leadership quality3805%
9. Religion/Spiritual701%
10. Creative/Innovative300%
11. Risk-taker/Entrepreneur1001%
12. Challenges Authority401%
13. Plays by the rules200%
14. Good looking200%
15. Occupation/Job type200%
16. Popular/Well-liked100%
17. Ability to inspire1001%
18. Ability to communicate401%
19. Undecided/None7610%
20. Other8111%
(New categories added from verbatim responses)
21. Bravery/courage9513%
22. Loyalty701%
23. Compassion/caring3905%

Q4. Please name for us a person, living or dead, who you consider to be a hero. (DO NOT READ CHOICES - ONE ANSWER ONLY)

Politician18324%
Actor/Musician1402%
Athlete601%
Scientist/Doctor601%
Artist000%
Clergy/Pastor5007%
Businessman/woman000%
Family member11816%
Armed forces5808%
Friend/Acquaintance601%
Teacher701%
Undecided/None16923%
Other6809%
(New categories added from verbatim responses)
9/11 victims3004%
Firemen/women3004%
Policemen/women501%

Q5. In your opinion, what job title or occupation represents the one that you believe is most heroic? (DO NOT READ CHOICES - ONE ANSWER ONLY)

Professional athlete200%
Teacher4306%
Business person200%
Pastor/Clergy1802%
Parent/Relative1502%
Firefighter17223%
Member of Armed Forces15921%
Elected official6409%
Policeman/woman8912%
Movie star100%
Doctor4306%
Astronaut200%
Social service volunteer801%
Organ Donor000%
Blue collar worker/union301%
Homemaker601%
Undecided8311%
Other4005%

Q6. What would you say is the single most important personal characteristic or quality that you look for in a leader? (DO NOT READ CHOICES - ONE ANSWER ONLY)

1. Honesty29039%
2. Strong Morals3204%
3. Integrity/Ethical15621%
4. Intelligent/Smart3404%
5. Confident/Self-assured3805%
6. Hard working701%
7. Respectful901%
8. Leadership quality4806%
9. Religion/Spiritual601%
10. Creative/Innovative401%
11. Risk-taker/Entrepreneur1001%
12. Challenges Authority100%
13. Plays by the rules401%
14. Vision2003%
15. Inspiration901%
16. Undecided/None1402%
17. Other6809%

Q7. Please name for us a person living today who you consider to be a great leader? (DO NOT READ CHOICES - ONE ANSWER ONLY)

1. President George W. Bush18625%
2. Bill Clinton7810%
3. John Kerry2303%
4. The Pope1702%
5. Colin Powell3304%
6. Jesse Jackson200%
7. Rudy Giuliani1702%
8. Undecided/None18024%
9. Other13919%
(New categories added from verbatim responses)
10. Jimmy Carter1502%
11. Norman Schwarzkopf1302%
12. Donald Trump100%
13. Nelson Mandela701%
14. John McCain 1302%
15. Billy Graham1102%
16. John Edwards401%
17. Tony Blair1102%

Q8. Looking back through history, name for us a person no longer living who you would consider to have been a great leader? (DO NOT READ CHOICES - ONE ANSWER ONLY)

1. George Washington4306%
2. Abraham Lincoln8011%
3. Franklin Delano Roosevelt 6308%
4. John F. Kennedy 8611%
5. Ronald Reagan12817%
6. Napoleon100%
7. Jesus Christ1302%
8. Martin Luther King, Jr.3805%
9. Mother Theresa1001%
10. Undecided/None6809%
11. Other8812%
(New categories added from verbatim responses)
12. Gandhi1602%
13. Teddy Roosevelt1302%
14. Dwight Eisenhower 2904%
15. Thomas Jefferson701%
16. Harry Truman 3204%
17. Helen Keller100%
18. Malcolm X501%
19. Winston Churchill2503%
20. Richard Nixon401%

Please tell me if you agree or disagree with the following statements.

Q9. The most important measure of success is how much money a person makes

Strongly agree1202% Total Agree: 04%
Somewhat agree1802% Total Disagree: 95%
Strongly disagree60981%
Somewhat disagree10814%
Undecided000%
Refuse301%

Q10. The most important measure of success is how others think of you.

Strongly agree13117% Total Agree: 38%
Somewhat agree15721% Total Disagree: 60%
Strongly disagree26635%
Somewhat disagree18925%
Undecided401%
Refuse301%

Q11. The most important measure of success is what a person does to help others.

Strongly agree52069% Total Agree: 94%
Somewhat agree18425% Total Disagree: 04%
Strongly disagree1101%
Somewhat disagree2603%
Undecided501%
Refuse401%

Q12. America's leaders today do not live up to the standards of the great leaders from our nation's past.

Strongly agree31542% Total Agree: 65%
Somewhat agree17323% Total Disagree: 31%
Strongly disagree11215%
Somewhat disagree12416%
Undecided2203%
Refuse401%

Q13. We currently live in an age without heroes.

1. Strongly agree12817% Total Agree: 36%
Somewhat agree14019% Total Disagree: 63%
Strongly disagree31542%
Somewhat disagree16021%
Undecided401%
Refuse300%

Now, I have a few more questions for demographic purposes and then we'll be through ...

Q14. Are you registered to vote as a Republican, Democrat, Independent or something else?

1. Republican 31542%
2. Democrat 34646%
3. Independent/Other 6909%
4. Refuse 2003%

Q15. What is your approximate age according to the following brackets: 18-29, 30-44, 45-59 or 60 and over?

1. 18-29 3805%
2. 30-44 16622%
3. 45-59 32143%
4. 60+ 22029%
5. Refuse501%

Q16. Do you consider yourself to be conservative or liberal when thinking about politics?

1. Conservative38351%
2. Liberal21629%
3. Moderate11215%
4. Undecided2303%
5. Refuse1602%

Q17. What was the last grade you completed in school? (DO NOT READ CATEGORIES)

1. K1-K8701%
2. Some high school but did not graduate1602%
3. Graduated high school24232%
4. Technical or vocational school2704%
5. Some college12517%
6. Graduated college18324%
7. Graduate school/Professional school14119%
8. Undecided000%
9. Refuse901%

Q18. Is your main religious background Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish or something else?

1. Catholic24533%
2. Protestant29239%
3. Jewish1802%
4. Baptist2303%
5. Agnostic/Atheist801%
6. Methodist901%
7. Lutheran1702%
8. Mormon300%
9. Christian2003%
10. Evangelical300%
11. Fundamentalist100%
12. Other9212%
13. Refuse1903%

Q19. Is your main racial heritage of Caucasian, African-American, Hispanic, or another background? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)

1. White/Caucasian65387%
2. African American6008%
3. Hispanic901%
4. Asian or Pacific Islander100%
5. Native American501%
6. Other1402%
7. Refuse1502%

Q20. What was your total household income in 2003 according to the following income brackets - less than $15,000, $15 - $30,000, $31 - $50,000, $51 - $75,000, $76 - $99,000, $100,000 - $200,000 or more than $200,000?

1. Less than $15,0003605%
2. $15,000 - $30,00011415%
3. $31,000 - $50,00016622%
4. $51,000 - $75,00015621%
5. $76,000 - $99,0008111%
6. $100,000 - $200,0007109%
7. Over $200,0001903%
8. Undecided1001%
9. Refuse9713%

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE SURVEY. HAVE A GOOD DAY/NIGHT.

Gender [by observation]:

1. Male34646%
2. Female40454%

Area:

3805%1. North West [Erie, Crawford, Mercer, Venango, Warren, Forest]
8311%2. Southwest [Lawrence, Beaver, Washington, Greene, Fayette, Westmoreland, Indiana, Armstrong, Butler]
9012%3. The "T"/Central PA [Jefferson, Elk, McKean, Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Centre, Cambria, Somerset, Bedford, Fulton, Franklin, Huntingdon, Blair, Potter, Tioga, Bradford, Susquehanna, Wyoming, Sullivan, Lycoming, Clinton, Union, Snyder, Northumberland, Montour, Columbia, Mifflin, Juniata]
9212%4. The Northeast/Lehigh Valley [Luzerne, Carbon, Monroe, Schuylkill, Lackawanna, Lehigh, Northampton, Pike, Wayne]
11015%5. South Central [Perry, Cumberland, Adams, York, Lancaster, Lebanon, Dauphin, Berks]
17423%6. Southeast [Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Bucks]
8111%7. Allegheny County
8211%8. Philadelphia

The margin of error on a sample size of 750 is +/-3.8%.

Intro | Survey | Survey Analysis | Focus Group Entry | Focus Group Report

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