Survey Results

Law: legal positivism or legal non-positivism?


618 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:
legal positivism
39.48% (38.83%)
Reject or lean against:
legal positivism
0.00% (0.00%)
Accept or lean towards:
legal non-positivism
44.98% (44.17%)
Reject or lean against:
legal non-positivism
0.00% (0.00%)
Accept a combination of views
0.97%
Accept an alternative view
1.78%
The question is too unclear to answer
2.10%
There is no fact of the matter
0.81%
Agnostic/undecided
11.00%
Other
0.32%
N = 618, excluding skipped & insufficiently familiar (501 respondents)
Alternative Views

15 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.

  • MORA (3): moral (3)
  • NATU (2): natural (2)

Longitudinal comparison to 2009 survey

This question was not in the 2009 survey

Strongest correlations with main questions (target population)

r: -0.3
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 79 138
Reject 189 111
n: 517
p < 0.0001
r: 0.29
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 71 67
Reject 58 134
n: 330
p < 0.0001
r: 0.29
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 83 96
Reject 61 188
n: 428
p < 0.0001
r: -0.28
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 23 201
Reject 95 232
n: 551
p < 0.0001
r: 0.27
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 151 75
Reject 137 169
n: 532
p < 0.0001
r: -0.27
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 83 92
Reject 183 79
n: 437
p < 0.0001
r: -0.26
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 56 132
Reject 149 137
n: 474
p < 0.0001
r: -0.26
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 26 203
Reject 91 234
n: 554
p < 0.0001
r: -0.25
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 14 134
Reject 57 158
n: 363
p < 0.0001
r: 0.25
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 78 52
Reject 76 112
n: 318
p < 0.0001
r: 0.24
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 141 61
Reject 124 156
n: 482
p < 0.0001
r: -0.24
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 59 147
Reject 145 161
n: 512
p < 0.0001
r: -0.24
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 24 113
Reject 53 139
n: 329
p < 0.0001
r: 0.24
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 91 119
Reject 76 219
n: 505
p < 0.0001
r: 0.24
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 191 14
Reject 219 69
n: 493
p < 0.0001
r: -0.23
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 46 103
Reject 71 128
n: 348
p < 0.0001
r: -0.23
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 52 126
Reject 118 131
n: 427
p < 0.0001
r: 0.22
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 36 59
Reject 37 111
n: 243
p: 0.0005
r: 0.22
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 99 108
Reject 90 214
n: 511
p < 0.0001
r: 0.22
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 63 84
Reject 57 155
n: 359
p < 0.0001
r: 0.21
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 95 80
Reject 99 153
n: 427
p < 0.0001
r: -0.21
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 137 89
Reject 244 78
n: 548
p < 0.0001
r: 0.21
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 96 108
Reject 105 185
n: 494
p < 0.0001
r: -0.21
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 33 62
Reject 66 82
n: 243
p: 0.0011
r: 0.21
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 156 40
Reject 174 97
n: 467
p < 0.0001
r: -0.2
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 35 149
Reject 84 165
n: 433
p < 0.0001
r: -0.2
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 60 141
Reject 139 174
n: 514
p < 0.0001
r: 0.19
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 51 134
Reject 48 233
n: 466
p < 0.0001
r: -0.18
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 153 71
Reject 251 64
n: 539
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 131 61
Reject 134 128
n: 454
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 62 109
Reject 61 207
n: 439
p < 0.0001
r: -0.18
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 36 116
Reject 84 109
n: 345
p: 0.001
r: 0.17
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 47 128
Reject 51 212
n: 438
p: 0.0002
r: 0.17
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 23 91
Reject 18 144
n: 276
p: 0.0036
r: 0.17
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 19 172
Reject 8 270
n: 469
p: 0.0002
r: -0.17
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 79 134
Reject 142 146
n: 501
p: 0.0002
r: 0.16
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 34 105
Reject 24 176
n: 339
p: 0.003
r: 0.16
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 154 74
Reject 180 145
n: 553
p < 0.0001
r: -0.16
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 38 117
Reject 79 137
n: 371
p: 0.002
r: -0.16
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 25 114
Reject 61 139
n: 339
p: 0.0034
r: 0.16
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 37 193
Reject 20 305
n: 555
p: 0.0002
r: -0.16
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 39 129
Reject 73 178
n: 419
p: 0.0012
r: 0.16
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 90 98
Reject 89 196
n: 473
p: 0.0006
r: 0.16
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 33 142
Reject 28 235
n: 438
p: 0.001
r: 0.16
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 36 158
Reject 24 255
n: 473
p: 0.0006
r: -0.16
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 66 116
Reject 101 151
n: 434
p: 0.0011
r: 0.15
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 43 147
Reject 42 216
n: 448
p: 0.0012
r: -0.15
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 22 168
Reject 57 255
n: 502
p: 0.0007
r: 0.15
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 74 96
Reject 67 163
n: 400
p: 0.0027
r: 0.15
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 159 69
Reject 195 130
n: 553
p: 0.0004
r: 0.15
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 160 70
Reject 202 123
n: 555
p: 0.0004
r: 0.15
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 17 120
Reject 19 181
n: 337
p: 0.0066
r: -0.15
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 43 154
Reject 101 212
n: 510
p: 0.0009
r: -0.15
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 68 117
Reject 136 140
n: 461
p: 0.0016
r: 0.14
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 78 47
Reject 101 95
n: 321
p: 0.0099
r: -0.14
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 30 180
Reject 67 228
n: 505
p: 0.0014
r: 0.14
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 10 155
Reject 9 212
n: 386
p: 0.0053
r: 0.14
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 53 175
Reject 52 271
n: 551
p: 0.0009
r: -0.14
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 57 79
Reject 102 109
n: 347
p: 0.0099
r: 0.14
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 74 140
Reject 67 215
n: 496
p: 0.0023
r: 0.13
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 42 143
Reject 30 219
n: 434
p: 0.007
r: 0.13
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 11 104
Reject 9 152
n: 276
p: 0.0328
r: 0.13
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 89 139
Reject 108 217
n: 553
p: 0.0028
r: -0.13
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 46 150
Reject 107 185
n: 488
p: 0.0056
r: 0.12
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 129 61
Reject 159 114
n: 463
p: 0.0076
r: -0.12
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 57 145
Reject 116 191
n: 509
p: 0.0051
r: 0.12
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 72 113
Reject 79 197
n: 461
p: 0.0086
r: -0.12
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 54 78
Reject 111 98
n: 341
p: 0.0253
r: 0.12
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 73 112
Reject 73 176
n: 434
p: 0.0119
r: 0.12
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 35 144
Reject 42 230
n: 451
p: 0.0109
r: 0.12
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 50 77
Reject 59 122
n: 308
p: 0.0361
r: 0.12
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 30 140
Reject 27 198
n: 395
p: 0.0184
r: 0.12
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 128 72
Reject 131 137
n: 468
p: 0.0121
r: -0.11
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 8 139
Reject 22 177
n: 346
p: 0.0337
r: 0.11
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 176 36
Reject 193 79
n: 484
p: 0.012
r: 0.11
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 60 92
Reject 57 136
n: 345
p: 0.0377
r: 0.11
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 29 108
Reject 32 180
n: 349
p: 0.0368
r: 0.11
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 18 129
Reject 13 185
n: 345
p: 0.0387
r: 0.11
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 44 184
Reject 31 277
n: 536
p: 0.01
r: -0.11
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 49 143
Reject 92 186
n: 470
p: 0.0167
r: -0.11
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 122 74
Reject 186 76
n: 458
p: 0.0185
r: -0.11
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 44 153
Reject 85 180
n: 462
p: 0.0188
r: 0.11
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 11 172
Reject 9 240
n: 432
p: 0.0245
r: -0.11
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 112 116
Reject 184 139
n: 551
p: 0.0114
r: 0.11
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 69 148
Reject 66 227
n: 510
p: 0.0159
r: -0.1
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 31 147
Reject 78 193
n: 449
p: 0.0367
r: 0.1
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 97 104
Reject 114 175
n: 490
p: 0.0322
r: -0.1
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 31 160
Reject 57 207
n: 455
p: 0.0408
r: 0.09
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 13 184
Reject 9 266
n: 472
p: 0.0435
r: -0.09
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 80 128
Reject 145 160
n: 513
p: 0.04
r: 0.09
Law: legal positivism Accept Reject
Accept 109 119
Reject 134 191
n: 553
p: 0.0444

Strongest correlations with demographic questions (target population)

r: -0.21
Law: legal positivism Yes No
Accept 23 168
Reject 73 197
n: 461
p < 0.0001
r: 0.19
Law: legal positivism Yes No
Accept 47 144
Reject 29 241
n: 461
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
Law: legal positivism Yes No
Accept 108 124
Reject 130 192
n: 554
p < 0.0001
r: 0.16
Law: legal positivism Yes No
Accept 27 164
Reject 18 252
n: 461
p: 0.0007
r: -0.16
Law: legal positivism Yes No
Accept 13 222
Reject 40 288
n: 563
p: 0.0002
r: 0.15
Law: legal positivism Yes No
Accept 211 24
Reject 271 57
n: 563
p: 0.0004
r: 0.15
Law: legal positivism Yes No
Accept 20 171
Reject 16 254
n: 461
p: 0.0013
r: 0.14
Law: legal positivism Yes No
Accept 8 183
Reject 1 269
n: 461
p: 0.0031
r: -0.13
Law: legal positivism Yes No
Accept 12 229
Reject 32 306
n: 579
p: 0.0015
r: 0.12
Law: legal positivism Yes No
Accept 12 229
Reject 2 336
n: 579
p: 0.0026
r: -0.12
Law: legal positivism Yes No
Accept 6 185
Reject 26 244
n: 461
p: 0.0077
r: 0.11
Law: legal positivism Yes No
Accept 6 185
Reject 1 269
n: 461
p: 0.0144
r: 0.11
Law: legal positivism Yes No
Accept 14 227
Reject 8 330
n: 579
p: 0.0113
r: 0.1
Law: legal positivism Yes No
Accept 19 222
Reject 8 330
n: 579
p: 0.0122
r: 0.1
Law: legal positivism Yes No
Accept 25 216
Reject 16 322
n: 579
p: 0.0197
r: 0.1
Law: legal positivism Yes No
Accept 8 183
Reject 3 267
n: 461
p: 0.0385
r: -0.1
Law: legal positivism Yes No
Accept 10 181
Reject 30 240
n: 461
p: 0.041
r: 0.09
Law: legal positivism Yes No
Accept 51 190
Reject 56 282
n: 579
p: 0.0243
r: -0.09
Law: legal positivism Yes No
Accept 134 109
Reject 207 131
n: 581
p: 0.0354