Survey Results

Consciousness: eliminativism, identity theory, dualism, panpsychism, or functionalism?


243 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:
dualism
19.75% (16.87%)
Reject or lean against:
dualism
4.53% (0.00%)
Accept or lean towards:
eliminativism
3.29% (2.88%)
Reject or lean against:
eliminativism
7.82% (0.00%)
Accept or lean towards:
functionalism
36.21% (31.28%)
Reject or lean against:
functionalism
3.29% (0.00%)
Accept or lean towards:
identity theory
14.81% (12.35%)
Reject or lean against:
identity theory
6.17% (0.00%)
Accept or lean towards:
panpsychism
9.05% (6.58%)
Reject or lean against:
panpsychism
5.35% (0.00%)
Accept a combination of views
8.64%
Accept an alternative view
8.64%
The question is too unclear to answer
4.53%
There is no fact of the matter
0.82%
Agnostic/undecided
7.00%
Other
0.41%
N = 243, excluding skipped & insufficiently familiar (3 respondents)
Alternative Views

99 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.

  • HYLO (8): hylomorphism (6) hylomorphic (2)
  • PROP (8): property (7) propositional (1)
  • IDEA (8): idealism (8)
  • PHYS (8): physical (4) physicalism (4)
  • EMER (6): emergentism (6)
  • MONI (6): monism (6)
  • PHEN (5): phenomenological (2) phenomenologist (1) phenomenalism (1) phenomenology (1)
  • NONR (4): non-reductive (3) nonreductivism (1)
  • ASPE (4): aspect (2) aspects (2)
  • REPR (3): representationalism (2) representational (1)
  • MATE (3): materialism (2) material (1)
  • NEUT (3): neutral (3)
  • HYLE (3): hylemorphism (2) hylemorphic (1)
  • QUAL (3): qualities (1) qualia (1) qualitative (1)

Longitudinal comparison to 2009 survey

This question was not in the 2009 survey

Strongest correlations with main questions (target population)

r: -0.69
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 14 204
Reject 468 152
n: 838
p < 0.0001
r: -0.52
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 39 149
Reject 388 158
n: 734
p < 0.0001
r: 0.5
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 84 77
Reject 29 388
n: 578
p < 0.0001
r: 0.47
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 120 66
Reject 85 428
n: 699
p < 0.0001
r: 0.45
Consciousness: panpsychism Accept Reject
Accept 11 48
Reject 6 683
n: 748
p < 0.0001
r: 0.45
Consciousness: functionalism Accept Reject
Accept 263 54
Reject 222 301
n: 840
p < 0.0001
r: -0.43
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 110 81
Reject 531 43
n: 765
p < 0.0001
r: 0.43
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 102 114
Reject 72 562
n: 850
p < 0.0001
r: 0.4
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 100 120
Reject 70 565
n: 855
p < 0.0001
r: 0.38
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 130 61
Reject 159 381
n: 731
p < 0.0001
r: 0.38
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 116 85
Reject 127 435
n: 763
p < 0.0001
r: 0.37
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 168 18
Reject 298 227
n: 711
p < 0.0001
r: 0.37
Consciousness: panpsychism Accept Reject
Accept 20 39
Reject 34 655
n: 748
p < 0.0001
r: -0.35
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 9 172
Reject 134 376
n: 691
p < 0.0001
r: 0.35
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 143 54
Reject 212 378
n: 787
p < 0.0001
r: 0.34
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 73 116
Reject 63 476
n: 728
p < 0.0001
r: 0.33
Consciousness: functionalism Accept Reject
Accept 178 108
Reject 148 314
n: 748
p < 0.0001
r: -0.33
Consciousness: functionalism Accept Reject
Accept 8 206
Reject 105 259
n: 578
p < 0.0001
r: 0.32
Consciousness: functionalism Accept Reject
Accept 216 63
Reject 215 244
n: 738
p < 0.0001
r: -0.31
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 47 146
Reject 278 276
n: 747
p < 0.0001
r: 0.31
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 41 82
Reject 25 359
n: 507
p < 0.0001
r: 0.3
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 193 22
Reject 389 237
n: 841
p < 0.0001
r: 0.3
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 129 34
Reject 236 231
n: 630
p < 0.0001
r: 0.3
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 74 63
Reject 100 268
n: 505
p < 0.0001
r: -0.3
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 58 119
Reject 346 193
n: 716
p < 0.0001
r: 0.29
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 151 55
Reject 315 321
n: 842
p < 0.0001
r: -0.29
Consciousness: functionalism Accept Reject
Accept 28 293
Reject 146 386
n: 853
p < 0.0001
r: 0.28
Consciousness: identity theory Accept Reject
Accept 107 17
Reject 376 338
n: 838
p < 0.0001
r: 0.28
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 61 92
Reject 60 330
n: 543
p < 0.0001
r: 0.28
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 87 86
Reject 105 356
n: 634
p < 0.0001
r: 0.28
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 91 39
Reject 129 225
n: 484
p < 0.0001
r: 0.27
Consciousness: eliminativism Accept Reject
Accept 5 23
Reject 21 355
n: 404
p < 0.0001
r: 0.27
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 134 60
Reject 239 302
n: 735
p < 0.0001
r: 0.27
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 195 17
Reject 423 185
n: 820
p < 0.0001
r: 0.27
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 78 70
Reject 84 339
n: 571
p < 0.0001
r: -0.27
Consciousness: functionalism Accept Reject
Accept 38 220
Reject 167 276
n: 701
p < 0.0001
r: 0.26
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 205 14
Reject 473 171
n: 863
p < 0.0001
r: 0.26
Consciousness: functionalism Accept Reject
Accept 105 110
Reject 102 269
n: 586
p < 0.0001
r: 0.26
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 65 88
Reject 77 387
n: 617
p < 0.0001
r: 0.26
Consciousness: functionalism Accept Reject
Accept 89 162
Reject 56 386
n: 693
p < 0.0001
r: -0.26
Consciousness: functionalism Accept Reject
Accept 27 251
Reject 110 343
n: 731
p < 0.0001
r: 0.26
Consciousness: functionalism Accept Reject
Accept 249 72
Reject 304 234
n: 859
p < 0.0001
r: -0.26
Consciousness: functionalism Accept Reject
Accept 26 294
Reject 143 394
n: 857
p < 0.0001
r: 0.26
Consciousness: functionalism Accept Reject
Accept 276 13
Reject 368 111
n: 768
p < 0.0001
r: -0.26
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 100 120
Reject 451 186
n: 857
p < 0.0001
r: -0.25
Consciousness: functionalism Accept Reject
Accept 142 121
Reject 325 124
n: 712
p < 0.0001
r: -0.25
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 29 122
Reject 177 256
n: 584
p < 0.0001
r: -0.25
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 15 171
Reject 131 384
n: 701
p < 0.0001
r: 0.24
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 146 57
Reject 254 329
n: 786
p < 0.0001
r: 0.24
Consciousness: functionalism Accept Reject
Accept 126 118
Reject 124 256
n: 624
p < 0.0001
r: 0.24
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 57 113
Reject 63 415
n: 648
p < 0.0001
r: 0.24
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 52 119
Reject 46 429
n: 646
p < 0.0001
r: 0.24
Consciousness: eliminativism Accept Reject
Accept 7 23
Reject 15 522
n: 567
p < 0.0001
r: 0.24
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 89 97
Reject 143 409
n: 738
p < 0.0001
r: 0.24
Consciousness: panpsychism Accept Reject
Accept 15 47
Reject 57 676
n: 795
p < 0.0001
r: -0.24
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 54 147
Reject 269 296
n: 766
p < 0.0001
r: -0.23
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 60 111
Reject 291 207
n: 669
p < 0.0001
r: 0.23
Consciousness: eliminativism Accept Reject
Accept 7 27
Reject 36 628
n: 698
p < 0.0001
r: 0.23
Consciousness: panpsychism Accept Reject
Accept 38 21
Reject 147 542
n: 748
p < 0.0001
r: -0.23
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 113 93
Reject 445 191
n: 842
p < 0.0001
r: -0.23
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 18 112
Reject 124 228
n: 482
p < 0.0001
r: 0.23
Consciousness: panpsychism Accept Reject
Accept 8 51
Reject 17 672
n: 748
p < 0.0001
r: 0.23
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 77 63
Reject 142 313
n: 595
p < 0.0001
r: -0.22
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 38 165
Reject 217 362
n: 782
p < 0.0001
r: 0.22
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 180 36
Reject 395 230
n: 841
p < 0.0001
r: -0.22
Consciousness: eliminativism Accept Reject
Accept 6 33
Reject 459 212
n: 710
p < 0.0001
r: 0.22
Consciousness: functionalism Accept Reject
Accept 174 106
Reject 207 248
n: 735
p < 0.0001
r: -0.22
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 11 189
Reject 112 500
n: 812
p < 0.0001
r: 0.22
Consciousness: functionalism Accept Reject
Accept 172 88
Reject 179 230
n: 669
p < 0.0001
r: -0.22
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 6 179
Reject 74 444
n: 703
p < 0.0001
r: -0.22
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 45 142
Reject 199 318
n: 704
p < 0.0001
r: -0.22
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 43 147
Reject 233 308
n: 731
p < 0.0001
r: -0.22
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 14 149
Reject 117 352
n: 632
p < 0.0001
r: -0.21
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 49 155
Reject 264 317
n: 785
p < 0.0001
r: 0.21
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 67 99
Reject 78 402
n: 646
p < 0.0001
r: 0.21
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 78 66
Reject 120 304
n: 568
p < 0.0001
r: 0.21
Consciousness: functionalism Accept Reject
Accept 108 89
Reject 124 208
n: 529
p < 0.0001
r: 0.21
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 89 81
Reject 153 340
n: 663
p < 0.0001
r: -0.21
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 14 147
Reject 88 329
n: 578
p < 0.0001
r: -0.21
Consciousness: functionalism Accept Reject
Accept 23 173
Reject 83 250
n: 529
p < 0.0001
r: 0.21
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 156 46
Reject 332 261
n: 795
p < 0.0001
r: -0.2
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 63 107
Reject 258 224
n: 652
p < 0.0001
r: 0.2
Consciousness: functionalism Accept Reject
Accept 72 110
Reject 72 230
n: 484
p < 0.0001
r: -0.2
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 35 84
Reject 149 165
n: 433
p < 0.0001
r: -0.2
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 17 170
Reject 150 389
n: 726
p < 0.0001
r: -0.2
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 27 178
Reject 185 415
n: 805
p < 0.0001
r: -0.2
Consciousness: functionalism Accept Reject
Accept 70 228
Reject 174 295
n: 767
p < 0.0001
r: -0.2
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 20 141
Reject 115 300
n: 576
p < 0.0001
r: -0.2
Consciousness: functionalism Accept Reject
Accept 23 238
Reject 97 292
n: 650
p < 0.0001
r: 0.2
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 108 97
Reject 187 395
n: 787
p < 0.0001
r: -0.2
Consciousness: functionalism Accept Reject
Accept 63 120
Reject 157 146
n: 486
p < 0.0001
r: 0.2
Consciousness: eliminativism Accept Reject
Accept 42 1
Reject 441 354
n: 838
p < 0.0001
r: -0.2
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 76 116
Reject 303 237
n: 732
p < 0.0001
r: 0.2
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 159 22
Reject 344 125
n: 650
p < 0.0001
r: -0.2
Consciousness: functionalism Accept Reject
Accept 72 193
Reject 218 251
n: 734
p < 0.0001
r: 0.2
Consciousness: functionalism Accept Reject
Accept 67 145
Reject 69 295
n: 576
p < 0.0001
r: 0.19
Consciousness: eliminativism Accept Reject
Accept 13 15
Reject 128 325
n: 481
p < 0.0001
r: 0.19
Consciousness: functionalism Accept Reject
Accept 54 158
Reject 48 318
n: 578
p < 0.0001
r: 0.19
Consciousness: functionalism Accept Reject
Accept 160 104
Reject 162 228
n: 654
p < 0.0001
r: -0.19
Consciousness: dualism Accept Reject
Accept 104 65
Reject 402 120
n: 691
p < 0.0001

Strongest correlations with demographic questions (target population)

r: 0.28
Consciousness: dualism Yes No
Accept 54 166
Reject 39 629
n: 888
p < 0.0001
r: 0.25
Consciousness: dualism Yes No
Accept 23 144
Reject 7 498
n: 672
p < 0.0001
r: -0.22
Consciousness: functionalism Yes No
Accept 11 324
Reject 82 473
n: 890
p < 0.0001
r: -0.18
Consciousness: dualism Yes No
Accept 15 152
Reject 125 380
n: 672
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
Consciousness: dualism Yes No
Accept 21 146
Reject 9 496
n: 672
p < 0.0001
r: -0.18
Consciousness: dualism Yes No
Accept 10 210
Reject 89 579
n: 888
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
Consciousness: dualism Yes No
Accept 18 149
Reject 17 488
n: 672
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
Consciousness: panpsychism Yes No
Accept 8 68
Reject 10 803
n: 889
p < 0.0001
r: 0.16
Consciousness: panpsychism Yes No
Accept 20 56
Reject 70 743
n: 889
p < 0.0001
r: 0.16
Consciousness: dualism Yes No
Accept 14 153
Reject 8 497
n: 672
p < 0.0001
r: 0.16
Consciousness: dualism Yes No
Accept 11 156
Reject 4 501
n: 672
p < 0.0001
r: 0.15
Consciousness: panpsychism Yes No
Accept 6 60
Reject 11 596
n: 673
p < 0.0001
r: 0.15
Consciousness: panpsychism Yes No
Accept 7 59
Reject 11 596
n: 673
p < 0.0001
r: -0.15
Consciousness: panpsychism Yes No
Accept 52 23
Reject 719 77
n: 871
p < 0.0001
r: 0.14
Consciousness: dualism Yes No
Accept 12 155
Reject 11 494
n: 672
p: 0.0003
r: 0.13
Consciousness: eliminativism Yes No
Accept 13 25
Reject 51 583
n: 672
p: 0.0005
r: -0.13
Consciousness: identity theory Yes No
Accept 50 44
Reject 407 159
n: 660
p: 0.0007
r: 0.12
Consciousness: functionalism Yes No
Accept 44 207
Reject 42 380
n: 673
p: 0.0013
r: 0.12
Consciousness: functionalism Yes No
Accept 54 281
Reject 45 510
n: 890
p: 0.0002
r: -0.12
Consciousness: dualism Yes No
Accept 8 159
Reject 56 449
n: 672
p: 0.0017
r: 0.12
Consciousness: dualism Yes No
Accept 19 148
Reject 23 482
n: 672
p: 0.0018
r: 0.12
Consciousness: functionalism Yes No
Accept 16 235
Reject 8 414
n: 673
p: 0.0024
r: 0.12
Consciousness: dualism Yes No
Accept 79 141
Reject 152 516
n: 888
p: 0.0006
r: -0.11
Consciousness: functionalism Yes No
Accept 71 264
Reject 161 394
n: 890
p: 0.0006
r: 0.11
Consciousness: functionalism Yes No
Accept 67 184
Reject 73 349
n: 673
p: 0.003
r: 0.11
Consciousness: functionalism Yes No
Accept 158 159
Reject 245 280
n: 842
p: 0.001
r: 0.11
Consciousness: dualism Yes No
Accept 43 177
Reject 80 588
n: 888
p: 0.0007
r: 0.11
Consciousness: panpsychism Yes No
Accept 9 67
Reject 32 781
n: 889
p: 0.001
r: 0.11
Consciousness: functionalism Yes No
Accept 5 246
Reject 0 422
n: 673
p: 0.0044
r: 0.11
Consciousness: dualism Yes No
Accept 16 204
Reject 10 658
n: 888
p: 0.0011
r: 0.11
Consciousness: identity theory Yes No
Accept 35 93
Reject 125 593
n: 846
p: 0.0015
r: -0.1
Consciousness: eliminativism Yes No
Accept 8 38
Reject 199 643
n: 888
p: 0.0018
r: 0.1
Consciousness: dualism Yes No
Accept 126 41
Reject 332 161
n: 660
p: 0.0076
r: 0.1
Consciousness: panpsychism Yes No
Accept 9 66
Reject 22 774
n: 871
p: 0.0023
r: -0.1
Consciousness: identity theory Yes No
Accept 54 74
Reject 400 318
n: 846
p: 0.0027
r: 0.1
Consciousness: panpsychism Yes No
Accept 8 68
Reject 23 790
n: 889
p: 0.0021
r: 0.1
Consciousness: panpsychism Yes No
Accept 14 61
Reject 55 741
n: 871
p: 0.0025
r: 0.1
Consciousness: dualism Yes No
Accept 110 98
Reject 291 341
n: 840
p: 0.004
r: 0.1
Consciousness: eliminativism Yes No
Accept 22 21
Reject 379 418
n: 840
p: 0.0044
r: 0.1
Consciousness: identity theory Yes No
Accept 29 102
Reject 104 654
n: 889
p: 0.0039
r: 0.1
Consciousness: identity theory Yes No
Accept 10 84
Reject 24 542
n: 660
p: 0.0137
r: 0.09
Consciousness: panpsychism Yes No
Accept 6 60
Reject 21 586
n: 673
p: 0.0151
r: 0.09
Consciousness: functionalism Yes No
Accept 25 226
Reject 22 400
n: 673
p: 0.0165
r: -0.09
Consciousness: dualism Yes No
Accept 17 203
Reject 96 572
n: 888
p: 0.0072
r: 0.09
Consciousness: eliminativism Yes No
Accept 5 41
Reject 29 813
n: 888
p: 0.0073
r: 0.09
Consciousness: dualism Yes No
Accept 146 77
Reject 372 294
n: 889
p: 0.0074
r: -0.09
Consciousness: functionalism Yes No
Accept 8 243
Reject 27 395
n: 673
p: 0.0203
r: -0.09
Consciousness: dualism Yes No
Accept 6 161
Reject 52 441
n: 660
p: 0.0223
r: -0.09
Consciousness: dualism Yes No
Accept 14 153
Reject 71 434
n: 672
p: 0.0221
r: 0.09
Consciousness: dualism Yes No
Accept 121 88
Reject 334 303
n: 846
p: 0.0107
r: -0.09
Consciousness: eliminativism Yes No
Accept 7 39
Reject 224 618
n: 888
p: 0.0098
r: -0.09
Consciousness: functionalism Yes No
Accept 6 245
Reject 24 398
n: 673
p: 0.025
r: -0.09
Consciousness: identity theory Yes No
Accept 9 123
Reject 83 673
n: 888
p: 0.0108
r: 0.09
Consciousness: functionalism Yes No
Accept 27 292
Reject 22 507
n: 848
p: 0.0128
r: 0.09
Consciousness: panpsychism Yes No
Accept 17 58
Reject 128 674
n: 877
p: 0.0115
r: -0.09
Consciousness: functionalism Yes No
Accept 179 156
Reject 339 217
n: 891
p: 0.0109
r: 0.08
Consciousness: eliminativism Yes No
Accept 6 40
Reject 107 735
n: 888
p: 0.0124
r: 0.08
Consciousness: functionalism Yes No
Accept 27 308
Reject 23 533
n: 891
p: 0.0128
r: -0.08
Consciousness: panpsychism Yes No
Accept 5 61
Reject 59 548
n: 673
p: 0.0317
r: 0.08
Consciousness: dualism Yes No
Accept 72 148
Reject 175 493
n: 888
p: 0.0152
r: -0.08
Consciousness: identity theory Yes No
Accept 68 63
Reject 449 309
n: 889
p: 0.0163
r: 0.08
Consciousness: dualism Yes No
Accept 51 169
Reject 123 545
n: 888
p: 0.0174
r: -0.08
Consciousness: panpsychism Yes No
Accept 6 70
Reject 93 720
n: 889
p: 0.0175
r: 0.08
Consciousness: functionalism Yes No
Accept 17 234
Reject 9 413
n: 673
p: 0.0391
r: -0.08
Consciousness: functionalism Yes No
Accept 13 238
Reject 29 393
n: 673
p: 0.0414
r: 0.08
Consciousness: functionalism Yes No
Accept 26 232
Reject 32 372
n: 662
p: 0.0442
r: -0.08
Consciousness: panpsychism Yes No
Accept 58 17
Reject 672 130
n: 877
p: 0.0211
r: 0.08
Consciousness: identity theory Yes No
Accept 11 83
Reject 48 518
n: 660
p: 0.0468
r: 0.08
Consciousness: identity theory Yes No
Accept 11 83
Reject 20 546
n: 660
p: 0.0472
r: 0.08
Consciousness: identity theory Yes No
Accept 26 76
Reject 101 469
n: 672
p: 0.0484
r: 0.08
Consciousness: functionalism Yes No
Accept 9 242
Reject 5 417
n: 673
p: 0.0496
r: -0.07
Consciousness: dualism Yes No
Accept 7 202
Reject 41 596
n: 846
p: 0.0307
r: 0.07
Consciousness: panpsychism Yes No
Accept 9 67
Reject 103 710
n: 889
p: 0.0272
r: -0.07
Consciousness: functionalism Yes No
Accept 23 312
Reject 67 488
n: 890
p: 0.0353
r: -0.07
Consciousness: dualism Yes No
Accept 30 179
Reject 129 508
n: 846
p: 0.0403
r: -0.07
Consciousness: dualism Yes No
Accept 6 214
Reject 30 638
n: 888
p: 0.0375
r: -0.07
Consciousness: dualism Yes No
Accept 6 217
Reject 43 623
n: 889
p: 0.0405
r: 0.07
Consciousness: functionalism Yes No
Accept 16 319
Reject 15 540
n: 890
p: 0.0448