Survey Results

Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes or no?


1703 respondents
Login to view or update your response to this question.

What the percentages mean: "Accept or lean toward P: 50% (40%)" means that 50% of respondents endorsed this answer inclusively (including multiple-answer endorsements) and 40% endorsed this answer exclusively (excluding multiple-answer endorsements).

These results should not be used for comparison to 2009 results due to different populations and parameters. For meaningful longitudinal comparisons, see the longitudinal analysis section.

Accept or lean towards:
yes
62.48% (62.01%)
Reject or lean against:
yes
0.06% (0.00%)
Accept or lean towards:
no
25.78% (25.48%)
Reject or lean against:
no
0.06% (0.00%)
Accept a combination of views
0.59%
Accept an alternative view
1.47%
The question is too unclear to answer
2.58%
There is no fact of the matter
1.00%
Agnostic/undecided
6.22%
Other
0.65%
N = 1703, excluding skipped & insufficiently familiar (82 respondents)
Alternative Views

32 target respondents indicated that they accept or lean toward an alternative view. The words used in their responses cluster as follows. These results are not filtered by AOS, region, etc.

  • USEF (6): useful (6)
  • PRAG (5): pragmatist (2) pragmatic (1) pragmatically (1) pragmatism (1)

Longitudinal comparison to 2009 survey

Geographic filters do not apply to this section.
Option 2009 2020 Change Swing
Option
Accept or lean towards: yes 64.88% 63.73%  1.15  2.62
2009 64.88%
2020 63.73%
Change  1.15
Swing  2.62
Accept or lean towards: no 27.07% 20.68%  6.39 -2.62
2009 27.07%
2020 20.68%
Change  6.39
Swing -2.62
Accept a combination of views 1.61% 0.15%  1.46
2009 1.61%
2020 0.15%
Change  1.46
Accept an alternative view 0.64% 1.23%  0.59
2009 0.64%
2020 1.23%
Change  0.59
The question is too unclear to answer 2.47% 2.62%  0.15
2009 2.47%
2020 2.62%
Change  0.15
There is no fact of the matter 0.21% 0.46%  0.25
2009 0.21%
2020 0.46%
Change  0.25
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 0.43% 2.31%  1.88
2009 0.43%
2020 2.31%
Change  1.88
Agnostic/undecided 1.93% 7.41%  5.48
2009 1.93%
2020 7.41%
Change  5.48
Skipped 0.64% 0.77%  0.13
2009 0.64%
2020 0.77%
Change  0.13
Other 0.11% 0.62%  0.51
2009 0.11%
2020 0.62%
Change  0.51
N (2020) = 648
N (2009) = 931
Weighted values
Option 2009 2020 Change
Yes 64.08 63.72 0.36
No 30.36 32.63 2.27

Strongest correlations with main questions (target population)

r: 0.5
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 930 95
Reject 257 242
n: 1524
p < 0.0001
r: 0.28
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 443 163
Reject 141 148
n: 895
p < 0.0001
r: 0.25
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 590 398
Reject 202 305
n: 1495
p < 0.0001
r: 0.24
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 806 182
Reject 333 174
n: 1495
p < 0.0001
r: 0.24
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 190 359
Reject 36 207
n: 792
p < 0.0001
r: -0.23
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 396 415
Reject 297 119
n: 1227
p < 0.0001
r: -0.22
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 87 371
Reject 99 141
n: 698
p < 0.0001
r: 0.22
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 180 395
Reject 36 230
n: 841
p < 0.0001
r: -0.22
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 49 519
Reject 54 200
n: 822
p < 0.0001
r: 0.22
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 461 107
Reject 164 90
n: 822
p < 0.0001
r: -0.2
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 54 410
Reject 61 168
n: 693
p < 0.0001
r: -0.2
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 408 414
Reject 302 132
n: 1256
p < 0.0001
r: 0.2
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 457 437
Reject 138 317
n: 1349
p < 0.0001
r: -0.18
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 267 287
Reject 187 89
n: 830
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 165 251
Reject 47 144
n: 607
p < 0.0001
r: -0.18
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 99 512
Reject 78 192
n: 881
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 212 389
Reject 50 237
n: 888
p < 0.0001
r: -0.17
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 226 345
Reject 162 124
n: 857
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 706 277
Reject 280 199
n: 1462
p < 0.0001
r: 0.16
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 584 350
Reject 210 235
n: 1379
p < 0.0001
r: 0.16
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 224 349
Reject 79 205
n: 857
p < 0.0001
r: 0.16
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 166 263
Reject 59 168
n: 656
p < 0.0001
r: -0.15
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 18 629
Reject 19 291
n: 957
p < 0.0001
r: -0.15
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 262 656
Reject 187 269
n: 1374
p < 0.0001
r: -0.15
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 116 423
Reject 78 182
n: 799
p < 0.0001
r: 0.15
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 139 414
Reject 37 211
n: 801
p < 0.0001
r: 0.15
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 382 218
Reject 124 140
n: 864
p < 0.0001
r: -0.15
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 125 423
Reject 88 158
n: 794
p < 0.0001
r: 0.15
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 279 179
Reject 110 130
n: 698
p < 0.0001
r: -0.15
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 510 456
Reject 306 167
n: 1439
p < 0.0001
r: -0.15
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 34 430
Reject 27 166
n: 657
p: 0.0002
r: -0.14
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 23 309
Reject 18 112
n: 462
p: 0.0019
r: 0.14
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 218 671
Reject 71 399
n: 1359
p < 0.0001
r: 0.14
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 279 570
Reject 78 345
n: 1272
p < 0.0001
r: 0.14
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 123 341
Reject 29 166
n: 659
p: 0.0003
r: 0.14
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 108 382
Reject 27 192
n: 709
p: 0.0002
r: -0.14
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 580 408
Reject 371 136
n: 1495
p < 0.0001
r: -0.14
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 65 417
Reject 58 191
n: 731
p: 0.0002
r: 0.14
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 395 504
Reject 142 313
n: 1354
p < 0.0001
r: 0.14
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 728 227
Reject 307 152
n: 1414
p < 0.0001
r: 0.13
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 374 475
Reject 139 280
n: 1268
p < 0.0001
r: 0.13
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 77 343
Reject 18 187
n: 625
p: 0.0008
r: -0.13
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 20 555
Reject 23 243
n: 841
p < 0.0001
r: -0.13
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 110 493
Reject 79 209
n: 891
p < 0.0001
r: 0.13
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 378 158
Reject 162 112
n: 810
p: 0.0002
r: 0.13
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 160 393
Reject 41 207
n: 801
p: 0.0002
r: -0.13
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 69 471
Reject 48 209
n: 797
p: 0.0002
r: 0.13
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 175 378
Reject 53 221
n: 827
p: 0.0002
r: 0.13
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 227 238
Reject 80 150
n: 695
p: 0.0007
r: 0.13
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 197 214
Reject 68 127
n: 606
p: 0.0017
r: -0.13
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 182 434
Reject 112 174
n: 902
p < 0.0001
r: 0.13
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 141 350
Reject 46 205
n: 742
p: 0.0006
r: -0.12
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 19 632
Reject 15 304
n: 970
p < 0.0001
r: 0.12
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 144 404
Reject 49 248
n: 845
p: 0.0003
r: 0.12
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 242 766
Reject 66 421
n: 1495
p < 0.0001
r: -0.12
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 249 402
Reject 151 168
n: 970
p < 0.0001
r: 0.12
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 577 74
Reject 274 45
n: 970
p: 0.0002
r: -0.12
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 231 701
Reject 142 302
n: 1376
p < 0.0001
r: 0.12
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 396 240
Reject 165 149
n: 950
p: 0.0003
r: -0.12
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 178 457
Reject 119 195
n: 949
p: 0.0003
r: 0.11
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 209 363
Reject 72 215
n: 859
p: 0.0008
r: -0.11
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 9 448
Reject 16 210
n: 683
p: 0.0031
r: 0.11
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 93 437
Reject 24 237
n: 791
p: 0.0016
r: -0.11
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 142 745
Reject 99 335
n: 1321
p < 0.0001
r: -0.11
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 119 292
Reject 72 121
n: 604
p: 0.0066
r: -0.11
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 193 384
Reject 124 142
n: 843
p: 0.0015
r: -0.11
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 163 415
Reject 102 167
n: 847
p: 0.0016
r: -0.11
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 307 681
Reject 200 307
n: 1495
p < 0.0001
r: -0.1
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 56 365
Reject 41 164
n: 626
p: 0.0099
r: 0.1
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 257 211
Reject 101 129
n: 698
p: 0.0066
r: 0.1
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 118 388
Reject 37 214
n: 757
p: 0.005
r: 0.1
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 334 321
Reject 134 169
n: 958
p: 0.0016
r: 0.1
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 214 289
Reject 87 175
n: 765
p: 0.005
r: 0.1
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 52 284
Reject 14 136
n: 486
p: 0.0261
r: 0.1
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 782 183
Reject 352 117
n: 1434
p < 0.0001
r: 0.1
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 116 455
Reject 43 243
n: 857
p: 0.0033
r: 0.1
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 268 619
Reject 101 332
n: 1320
p: 0.0003
r: -0.1
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 110 823
Reject 91 377
n: 1401
p: 0.0002
r: 0.1
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 175 308
Reject 61 158
n: 702
p: 0.0088
r: 0.1
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 379 557
Reject 136 310
n: 1382
p: 0.0003
r: -0.1
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 175 208
Reject 96 74
n: 553
p: 0.0232
r: 0.1
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 133 544
Reject 50 267
n: 994
p: 0.0027
r: 0.09
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 56 402
Reject 15 225
n: 698
p: 0.0122
r: -0.09
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 555 121
Reject 294 40
n: 1010
p: 0.0028
r: -0.09
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 61 275
Reject 42 109
n: 487
p: 0.0386
r: -0.09
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 95 836
Reject 63 380
n: 1374
p: 0.0005
r: 0.09
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 412 236
Reject 166 145
n: 959
p: 0.0042
r: 0.09
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 481 476
Reject 198 291
n: 1446
p: 0.0005
r: 0.09
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 512 248
Reject 204 159
n: 1123
p: 0.0022
r: -0.09
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 607 402
Reject 340 148
n: 1497
p: 0.0004
r: 0.09
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 62 358
Reject 23 182
n: 625
p: 0.024
r: 0.09
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 141 389
Reject 49 202
n: 781
p: 0.012
r: -0.09
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 590 284
Reject 351 117
n: 1342
p: 0.0011
r: -0.09
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 28 540
Reject 14 240
n: 822
p: 0.0113
r: -0.09
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 471 380
Reject 269 155
n: 1275
p: 0.0018
r: -0.09
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 79 463
Reject 60 188
n: 790
p: 0.0152
r: -0.09
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 192 356
Reject 108 138
n: 794
p: 0.0155
r: 0.08
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 131 394
Reject 43 207
n: 775
p: 0.0183
r: -0.08
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 594 294
Reject 354 119
n: 1361
p: 0.0019
r: 0.08
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Accept Reject
Accept 230 387
Reject 87 199
n: 903
p: 0.0139

Strongest correlations with demographic questions (target population)

r: -0.22
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Yes No
Accept 37 717
Reject 66 331
n: 1151
p < 0.0001
r: -0.13
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Yes No
Accept 14 740
Reject 22 375
n: 1151
p < 0.0001
r: -0.12
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Yes No
Accept 72 966
Reject 75 454
n: 1567
p < 0.0001
r: 0.11
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Yes No
Accept 35 719
Reject 4 393
n: 1151
p < 0.0001
r: 0.11
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Yes No
Accept 90 664
Reject 23 374
n: 1151
p: 0.0002
r: 0.11
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Yes No
Accept 129 625
Reject 37 360
n: 1151
p: 0.0003
r: 0.1
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Yes No
Accept 163 875
Reject 45 484
n: 1567
p < 0.0001
r: 0.09
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Yes No
Accept 899 126
Reject 424 97
n: 1546
p: 0.0003
r: -0.09
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Yes No
Accept 76 949
Reject 59 462
n: 1546
p: 0.0008
r: 0.08
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Yes No
Accept 225 813
Reject 87 442
n: 1567
p: 0.0008
r: 0.08
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Yes No
Accept 253 785
Reject 95 434
n: 1567
p: 0.001
r: -0.08
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Yes No
Accept 32 1006
Reject 41 488
n: 1567
p: 0.0012
r: 0.08
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Yes No
Accept 99 939
Reject 32 497
n: 1567
p: 0.0019
r: 0.08
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Yes No
Accept 853 181
Reject 397 130
n: 1561
p: 0.0022
r: -0.08
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Yes No
Accept 18 736
Reject 21 376
n: 1151
p: 0.0089
r: -0.08
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Yes No
Accept 6 748
Reject 14 383
n: 1151
p: 0.0096
r: -0.08
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Yes No
Accept 178 856
Reject 126 401
n: 1561
p: 0.0029
r: -0.07
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Yes No
Accept 117 637
Reject 83 314
n: 1151
p: 0.0145
r: -0.07
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Yes No
Accept 23 1015
Reject 25 504
n: 1567
p: 0.005
r: 0.07
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Yes No
Accept 31 723
Reject 9 388
n: 1151
p: 0.0204
r: 0.07
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Yes No
Accept 27 727
Reject 4 393
n: 1151
p: 0.0225
r: -0.07
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Yes No
Accept 7 747
Reject 12 385
n: 1151
p: 0.0262
r: -0.07
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Yes No
Accept 114 924
Reject 73 456
n: 1567
p: 0.01
r: 0.06
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Yes No
Accept 199 839
Reject 71 458
n: 1567
p: 0.015
r: 0.06
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Yes No
Accept 29 725
Reject 9 388
n: 1151
p: 0.0408
r: -0.06
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Yes No
Accept 141 897
Reject 100 429
n: 1567
p: 0.0214
r: -0.06
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Yes No
Accept 7 747
Reject 10 387
n: 1151
p: 0.0497
r: -0.06
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Yes No
Accept 35 1003
Reject 26 503
n: 1567
p: 0.0261
r: -0.05
Analytic-synthetic distinction: yes Yes No
Accept 30 1008
Reject 22 507
n: 1567
p: 0.0428