Survey Results

Mind: non-physicalism or physicalism?


1733 respondents
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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:
physicalism
51.93% (51.59%)
Reject or lean against:
physicalism
0.23% (0.00%)
Accept or lean towards:
non-physicalism
32.08% (31.85%)
Reject or lean against:
non-physicalism
0.29% (0.00%)
Accept a combination of views
0.63%
Accept an alternative view
4.21%
The question is too unclear to answer
4.67%
There is no fact of the matter
0.29%
Agnostic/undecided
6.23%
Other
0.52%
N = 1733, excluding skipped & insufficiently familiar (52 respondents)
Alternative Views

101 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.

  • MONI (14): monism (13) monist (1)
  • DUAL (9): dualism (5) dual (2) dualistic (1) duality (1)
  • NEUT (9): neutral (9)
  • EMER (7): emergentism (4) emergent (1) emergence (1) emergentist (1)
  • NONR (7): non-reductive (6) non-reductionist (1)
  • PANP (7): panpsychism (5) panpsychic (1) panpsychist (1)
  • PRAG (6): pragmatism (3) pragmatist (1) pragmasitm (1) pragmatic (1)
  • NATU (6): naturalism (5) nature (1)
  • IDEA (5): idealism (5)
  • REAL (5): reality (2) realism (1) realist (1) real (1)
  • PHEN (5): phenomenology (3) phenomenological (1) phenomenal (1)
  • HYLO (5): hylomorphism (5)
  • REDU (4): reductive (3) reductionism (1)

Longitudinal comparison to 2009 survey

Geographic filters do not apply to this section.
Option 2009 2020 Change Swing
Option
Accept or lean towards: physicalism 56.5% 57.41%  0.91  1.10
2009 56.5%
2020 57.41%
Change  0.91
Swing  1.10
Accept or lean towards: non-physicalism 27.07% 25.77%  1.30 -1.10
2009 27.07%
2020 25.77%
Change  1.30
Swing -1.10
Accept a combination of views 3.97% 0.31%  3.66
2009 3.97%
2020 0.31%
Change  3.66
Accept an alternative view 1.93% 2.62%  0.69
2009 1.93%
2020 2.62%
Change  0.69
The question is too unclear to answer 6.34% 5.25%  1.09
2009 6.34%
2020 5.25%
Change  1.09
There is no fact of the matter 0.32% 0.15%  0.17
2009 0.32%
2020 0.15%
Change  0.17
Insufficiently familiar with the issue 0.86% 2.47%  1.61
2009 0.86%
2020 2.47%
Change  1.61
Agnostic/undecided 2.47% 5.25%  2.78
2009 2.47%
2020 5.25%
Change  2.78
Skipped 0.43% 0.31%  0.12
2009 0.43%
2020 0.31%
Change  0.12
Other 0.11% 0.46%  0.35
2009 0.11%
2020 0.46%
Change  0.35
N (2020) = 648
N (2009) = 931
Weighted values
Option 2009 2020 Change
Physicalism 60.07 58.65 1.42
Non-physicalism 33.6 33.73 0.13

Strongest correlations with main questions (target population)

r: -0.69
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 14 468
Reject 204 152
n: 838
p < 0.0001
r: 0.62
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 576 137
Reject 137 381
n: 1231
p < 0.0001
r: -0.52
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 53 806
Reject 250 368
n: 1477
p < 0.0001
r: -0.5
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 13 383
Reject 116 179
n: 691
p < 0.0001
r: 0.45
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 263 222
Reject 54 301
n: 840
p < 0.0001
r: 0.43
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 534 28
Reject 278 130
n: 970
p < 0.0001
r: -0.43
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 64 791
Reject 228 383
n: 1466
p < 0.0001
r: -0.41
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 177 540
Reject 324 209
n: 1250
p < 0.0001
r: -0.4
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 63 424
Reject 188 186
n: 861
p < 0.0001
r: 0.35
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 502 208
Reject 198 304
n: 1212
p < 0.0001
r: -0.35
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 277 227
Reject 300 73
n: 877
p < 0.0001
r: 0.34
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 295 243
Reject 106 291
n: 935
p < 0.0001
r: 0.33
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 198 215
Reject 58 258
n: 729
p < 0.0001
r: -0.31
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 65 643
Reject 156 354
n: 1218
p < 0.0001
r: 0.3
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 624 229
Reject 308 291
n: 1452
p < 0.0001
r: 0.3
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 134 337
Reject 36 339
n: 846
p < 0.0001
r: 0.29
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 366 410
Reject 123 449
n: 1348
p < 0.0001
r: 0.29
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 408 107
Reject 206 149
n: 870
p < 0.0001
r: 0.28
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 107 376
Reject 17 338
n: 838
p < 0.0001
r: -0.28
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 259 510
Reject 327 234
n: 1330
p < 0.0001
r: -0.28
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 212 234
Reject 248 93
n: 787
p < 0.0001
r: -0.28
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 302 475
Reject 370 217
n: 1364
p < 0.0001
r: -0.28
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 152 587
Reject 220 324
n: 1283
p < 0.0001
r: -0.27
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 486 341
Reject 478 130
n: 1435
p < 0.0001
r: 0.27
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 151 137
Reject 75 169
n: 532
p < 0.0001
r: -0.27
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 25 323
Reject 61 182
n: 591
p < 0.0001
r: 0.27
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 615 243
Reject 315 296
n: 1469
p < 0.0001
r: -0.26
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 113 411
Reject 163 212
n: 899
p < 0.0001
r: -0.26
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 213 311
Reject 240 161
n: 925
p < 0.0001
r: 0.26
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 171 179
Reject 61 182
n: 593
p < 0.0001
r: -0.26
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 123 290
Reject 173 144
n: 730
p < 0.0001
r: 0.26
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 127 321
Reject 43 297
n: 788
p < 0.0001
r: -0.25
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 75 343
Reject 123 220
n: 761
p < 0.0001
r: -0.25
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 130 294
Reject 150 153
n: 727
p < 0.0001
r: -0.25
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 138 307
Reject 173 188
n: 806
p < 0.0001
r: 0.24
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 77 414
Reject 24 349
n: 864
p < 0.0001
r: -0.24
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 84 335
Reject 142 205
n: 766
p < 0.0001
r: 0.23
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 334 272
Reject 150 293
n: 1049
p < 0.0001
r: 0.23
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 173 224
Reject 65 228
n: 690
p < 0.0001
r: 0.23
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 189 134
Reject 81 135
n: 539
p < 0.0001
r: 0.23
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 201 222
Reject 97 248
n: 768
p < 0.0001
r: -0.23
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 66 372
Reject 96 193
n: 727
p < 0.0001
r: -0.23
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 611 231
Reject 543 89
n: 1474
p < 0.0001
r: -0.23
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 43 297
Reject 75 190
n: 605
p < 0.0001
r: 0.23
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 212 230
Reject 88 204
n: 734
p < 0.0001
r: 0.23
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 202 288
Reject 98 279
n: 867
p < 0.0001
r: -0.22
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 17 397
Reject 65 276
n: 755
p < 0.0001
r: 0.22
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 367 375
Reject 161 383
n: 1286
p < 0.0001
r: -0.22
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 526 257
Reject 491 114
n: 1388
p < 0.0001
r: 0.22
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 305 449
Reject 136 432
n: 1322
p < 0.0001
r: 0.22
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 351 369
Reject 154 378
n: 1252
p < 0.0001
r: 0.22
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 191 268
Reject 72 286
n: 817
p < 0.0001
r: 0.22
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 347 506
Reject 156 443
n: 1452
p < 0.0001
r: 0.22
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 176 165
Reject 95 169
n: 605
p < 0.0001
r: -0.21
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 26 321
Reject 55 187
n: 589
p < 0.0001
r: 0.21
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 190 525
Reject 62 460
n: 1237
p < 0.0001
r: -0.21
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 11 362
Reject 38 233
n: 644
p < 0.0001
r: 0.21
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 252 546
Reject 98 470
n: 1366
p < 0.0001
r: -0.21
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 71 383
Reject 113 236
n: 803
p < 0.0001
r: 0.2
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 114 280
Reject 42 251
n: 687
p < 0.0001
r: -0.2
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 92 255
Reject 113 132
n: 592
p < 0.0001
r: 0.2
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 42 441
Reject 1 354
n: 838
p < 0.0001
r: -0.2
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 211 586
Reject 261 324
n: 1382
p < 0.0001
r: 0.19
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 122 198
Reject 52 201
n: 573
p < 0.0001
r: -0.19
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 405 448
Reject 378 221
n: 1452
p < 0.0001
r: -0.19
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 98 278
Reject 113 165
n: 654
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 125 364
Reject 62 314
n: 865
p < 0.0001
r: -0.18
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 263 509
Reject 295 282
n: 1349
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 279 193
Reject 153 177
n: 802
p < 0.0001
r: -0.18
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 87 342
Reject 95 198
n: 722
p < 0.0001
r: -0.18
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 206 548
Reject 220 328
n: 1302
p < 0.0001
r: -0.18
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 121 200
Reject 133 120
n: 574
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 347 356
Reject 170 346
n: 1219
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 40 300
Reject 14 280
n: 634
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 243 225
Reject 133 207
n: 808
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 35 452
Reject 15 359
n: 861
p < 0.0001
r: -0.17
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 105 285
Reject 115 164
n: 669
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 75 372
Reject 34 305
n: 786
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 426 285
Reject 214 302
n: 1227
p < 0.0001
r: -0.17
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 72 529
Reject 116 326
n: 1043
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 138 665
Reject 53 520
n: 1376
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 254 175
Reject 131 162
n: 722
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 576 188
Reject 341 207
n: 1312
p < 0.0001
r: 0.16
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 93 362
Reject 43 309
n: 807
p < 0.0001
r: -0.16
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 50 385
Reject 69 253
n: 757
p < 0.0001
r: -0.16
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 52 289
Reject 96 200
n: 637
p < 0.0001
r: 0.16
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 407 446
Reject 207 392
n: 1452
p < 0.0001
r: 0.15
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 226 550
Reject 122 442
n: 1340
p < 0.0001
r: 0.15
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 143 233
Reject 81 197
n: 654
p < 0.0001
r: 0.15
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 150 707
Reject 35 576
n: 1468
p < 0.0001
r: -0.15
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 220 403
Reject 191 222
n: 1036
p < 0.0001
r: 0.15
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 76 298
Reject 38 251
n: 663
p < 0.0001
r: -0.15
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 107 245
Reject 113 163
n: 628
p: 0.0002
r: -0.15
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 510 306
Reject 456 167
n: 1439
p < 0.0001
r: -0.15
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 25 832
Reject 74 548
n: 1479
p < 0.0001
r: 0.14
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 397 294
Reject 211 294
n: 1196
p < 0.0001
r: -0.14
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 261 501
Reject 257 298
n: 1317
p < 0.0001
r: 0.14
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 71 279
Reject 19 224
n: 593
p: 0.0005
r: -0.14
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 150 336
Reject 156 201
n: 843
p < 0.0001
r: 0.14
Mind: physicalism Accept Reject
Accept 641 153
Reject 366 166
n: 1326
p < 0.0001

Strongest correlations with demographic questions (target population)

r: -0.23
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 32 846
Reject 94 552
n: 1524
p < 0.0001
r: 0.22
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 161 460
Reject 47 439
n: 1107
p < 0.0001
r: 0.21
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 123 755
Reject 22 624
n: 1524
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 77 544
Reject 18 468
n: 1107
p < 0.0001
r: 0.16
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 786 83
Reject 508 127
n: 1504
p < 0.0001
r: -0.16
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 20 601
Reject 48 438
n: 1107
p < 0.0001
r: -0.15
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 16 862
Reject 50 596
n: 1524
p < 0.0001
r: 0.13
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 82 539
Reject 28 458
n: 1107
p < 0.0001
r: -0.12
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 12 609
Reject 27 459
n: 1107
p < 0.0001
r: 0.12
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 51 827
Reject 9 637
n: 1524
p < 0.0001
r: -0.11
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 12 866
Reject 32 614
n: 1524
p < 0.0001
r: -0.11
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 9 612
Reject 24 462
n: 1107
p: 0.0002
r: -0.11
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 55 814
Reject 73 562
n: 1504
p < 0.0001
r: -0.11
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 28 841
Reject 54 581
n: 1504
p < 0.0001
r: 0.1
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 121 757
Reject 53 593
n: 1524
p < 0.0001
r: -0.1
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 8 613
Reject 20 466
n: 1107
p: 0.0006
r: -0.1
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 10 611
Reject 27 459
n: 1107
p: 0.0007
r: 0.1
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 34 844
Reject 8 638
n: 1524
p < 0.0001
r: 0.1
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 48 830
Reject 13 633
n: 1524
p: 0.0002
r: -0.09
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 95 526
Reject 108 378
n: 1107
p: 0.002
r: 0.09
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 51 570
Reject 20 466
n: 1107
p: 0.0021
r: 0.09
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 57 834
Reject 18 643
n: 1552
p: 0.0003
r: -0.09
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 19 602
Reject 29 457
n: 1107
p: 0.0041
r: -0.08
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 11 610
Reject 21 465
n: 1107
p: 0.0054
r: -0.08
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 174 704
Reject 162 484
n: 1524
p: 0.0013
r: 0.08
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 29 592
Reject 10 476
n: 1107
p: 0.0079
r: 0.08
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 43 578
Reject 17 469
n: 1107
p: 0.0091
r: 0.08
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 29 592
Reject 8 478
n: 1107
p: 0.0099
r: 0.08
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 56 775
Reject 20 588
n: 1439
p: 0.0033
r: 0.07
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 27 594
Reject 10 476
n: 1107
p: 0.0134
r: -0.07
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 15 816
Reject 24 584
n: 1439
p: 0.0053
r: -0.07
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 32 846
Reject 42 604
n: 1524
p: 0.0043
r: 0.07
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 5 616
Reject 0 486
n: 1107
p: 0.0162
r: -0.07
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 42 836
Reject 50 596
n: 1524
p: 0.0053
r: -0.07
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 9 612
Reject 13 473
n: 1107
p: 0.019
r: -0.07
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 428 216
Reject 324 121
n: 1089
p: 0.0233
r: -0.07
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 5 616
Reject 13 473
n: 1107
p: 0.0249
r: -0.06
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 416 415
Reject 344 264
n: 1439
p: 0.0184
r: 0.06
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 197 681
Reject 112 534
n: 1524
p: 0.018
r: -0.06
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 22 869
Reject 30 631
n: 1552
p: 0.0219
r: -0.06
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 13 865
Reject 18 628
n: 1524
p: 0.0243
r: -0.05
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 73 805
Reject 69 577
n: 1524
p: 0.0378
r: 0.05
Mind: physicalism Yes No
Accept 159 719
Reject 85 561
n: 1524
p: 0.0441