Corruption, Nuclear Threats, and Economic Instability Dominate National Fears in 2024

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Orange, Calif. – October 23, 2024 .–Government corruption, the possibility of global war, and economic uncertainty are among the fears gripping the American psyche in 2024, according to new findings from Chapman University.

The fear of corrupt government officials tops the list this year as it has for the last nine years. Americans are also very fearful about loved ones becoming seriously ill or dying, nuclear war, terrorism, and running out of money.

“The Chapman University Survey of American Fears is unique in its scope and 10-year history, offering unprecedented insight into the fears of Americans from all walks of life, as well as the causes and consequences of those fears,” said Ann Gordon, Ph.D., associate professor of political science and co-principal investigator of the survey. Gordon is also the director of the Henley Social Sciences Laboratory at Chapman University where she works on the survey closely with student researchers.

The Survey of American Fears asked more than 1,000 people across the country about 85 fears covering a wide range of categories, from crime to natural disasters to ghosts, spiders, and public speaking.

The top American fears in 2024 are:

Corrupt government officials – 65.2%
People I love becoming seriously ill – 58.4%
Cyberterrorism – 58.3%
People I love dying – 57.8%
Russia using nuclear weapons – 55.8%
Not having enough money for the future – 55.7%
U.S. becoming involved in another world war – 55% [TIED]
7. North Korea using nuclear weapons – 55% [TIED]
9. Terrorist attacks – 52.7%
10. Biological warfare – 52.5%

“This year, all of our Top 10 fears were expressed by more than half of Americans, and many were high throughout the rest of the survey,” said Christopher Bader, Ph.D., chair and professor of sociology. “This tells me Americans are becoming more afraid in general, about everything.”

Recent world events have stirred fears about war and terror attacks, given that six of the top fears have to do with fears of war or warfare, Bader said. The fear of running out of money moved from the tenth spot on the 2023 list to the sixth spot in 2024. Climate fear has been consistent year-over-year, with about 49% of Americans responding that they were afraid or very afraid of the effects of climate change.

Political fears have also intensified, the survey shows, which could have implications on the November election. More than half of Americans (51.6%) fear the outcome of the election while 48.6% are worried about potential civil unrest following the results.

“The fear of government corruption has consistently been one of the top fears expressed by Americans,” said Steve Pfaff, Ph.D., professor of sociology. “What that tells us is there is a profound mistrust; that American citizens are worried about their government and afraid that powerful or resourceful interests may have undue influence over the government.”

“One thing we’ve noticed over time through this survey is that where people get their information from is changing,” said Bader. “Social media and websites target people by showing them things that they are afraid of. Through algorithms, people are being fed their fears and we believe that’s increasing people’s overall level of fear.”

Conducted for Chapman by SSRS, this nationally representative survey utilizes a probability-based method. The survey was fielded in the spring of 2024 over the web. There were 1,008 respondents, with a margin of error of +/- 4%

The full results of the Chapman Survey of American Fears and a discussion of its methodology is available here.

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About Chapman University

Founded in 1861, Chapman University is a nationally ranked private university in Orange, California, about 30 miles south of Los Angeles. Chapman serves nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students, with a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Students can choose from over 100 areas of study within 11 colleges for a personalized education. Chapman is categorized by the Carnegie Classification as an R2 “high research activity” institution. Students at Chapman learn directly from distinguished world-class faculty including Nobel Prize winners, MacArthur fellows, published authors and Academy Award winners. The campus has produced a Rhodes Scholar, been named a top producer of Fulbright Scholars and hosts a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honor society. Chapman also includes the Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus in Irvine. The university features the No. 4 film school and No. 66 business school in the U.S. Learn more about Chapman University: www.chapman.edu.