Survey Results

Propositions: acts, simple entities, structured entities, nonexistent, or sets?


811 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:
sets
8.38% (7.64%)
Reject or lean against:
sets
1.85% (0.00%)
Accept or lean towards:
structured entities
38.35% (36.13%)
Reject or lean against:
structured entities
0.86% (0.00%)
Accept or lean towards:
simple entities
6.91% (5.67%)
Reject or lean against:
simple entities
1.85% (0.00%)
Accept or lean towards:
acts
8.14% (7.27%)
Reject or lean against:
acts
1.73% (0.00%)
Accept or lean towards:
nonexistent
15.41% (15.04%)
Reject or lean against:
nonexistent
2.34% (0.00%)
Accept a combination of views
3.21%
Accept an alternative view
3.08%
The question is too unclear to answer
3.58%
There is no fact of the matter
4.19%
Agnostic/undecided
13.93%
Other
0.25%
N = 811, excluding skipped & insufficiently familiar (332 respondents)
Alternative Views

38 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.

  • THEO (4): theory (2) theoretically (1) theoretical (1)
  • ABST (3): abstract (2) abstractions (1)
  • MENT (3): mental (3)
  • CONS (3): constructions (1) constellations (1) constructs (1)
  • THOU (2): thoughts (2)
  • POSS (2): possibilities (2)

Longitudinal comparison to 2009 survey

This question was not in the 2009 survey

Strongest correlations with main questions (target population)

r: -0.46
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 15 98
Reject 315 209
n: 637
p < 0.0001
r: 0.43
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 80 30
Reject 109 393
n: 612
p < 0.0001
r: 0.42
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 31 50
Reject 21 392
n: 494
p < 0.0001
r: -0.4
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 24 86
Reject 341 162
n: 613
p < 0.0001
r: 0.33
Propositions: structured entities Accept Reject
Accept 193 81
Reject 137 227
n: 638
p < 0.0001
r: 0.32
Propositions: sets Accept Reject
Accept 20 26
Reject 37 413
n: 496
p < 0.0001
r: 0.3
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 78 25
Reject 231 233
n: 567
p < 0.0001
r: -0.29
Propositions: structured entities Accept Reject
Accept 36 188
Reject 101 181
n: 506
p < 0.0001
r: 0.29
Propositions: structured entities Accept Reject
Accept 191 75
Reject 175 173
n: 614
p < 0.0001
r: 0.28
Propositions: sets Accept Reject
Accept 19 30
Reject 67 356
n: 472
p < 0.0001
r: 0.28
Propositions: sets Accept Reject
Accept 13 48
Reject 27 527
n: 615
p < 0.0001
r: -0.27
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 15 46
Reject 126 144
n: 331
p < 0.0001
r: -0.27
Propositions: structured entities Accept Reject
Accept 55 210
Reject 134 214
n: 613
p < 0.0001
r: -0.26
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 68 46
Reject 477 92
n: 683
p < 0.0001
r: 0.25
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 40 44
Reject 96 325
n: 505
p < 0.0001
r: 0.25
Propositions: acts Accept Reject
Accept 16 32
Reject 74 376
n: 498
p < 0.0001
r: 0.25
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 13 43
Reject 17 295
n: 368
p < 0.0001
r: 0.24
Propositions: simple entities Accept Reject
Accept 21 26
Reject 76 347
n: 470
p < 0.0001
r: 0.24
Propositions: acts Accept Reject
Accept 16 21
Reject 44 316
n: 397
p < 0.0001
r: -0.23
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 38 57
Reject 251 178
n: 524
p < 0.0001
r: -0.23
Propositions: structured entities Accept Reject
Accept 7 221
Reject 45 222
n: 495
p < 0.0001
r: 0.23
Propositions: structured entities Accept Reject
Accept 74 155
Reject 47 223
n: 499
p < 0.0001
r: 0.23
Propositions: simple entities Accept Reject
Accept 8 30
Reject 31 445
n: 514
p < 0.0001
r: 0.23
Propositions: sets Accept Reject
Accept 17 21
Reject 62 252
n: 352
p < 0.0001
r: 0.23
Propositions: structured entities Accept Reject
Accept 102 110
Reject 64 185
n: 461
p < 0.0001
r: 0.23
Propositions: structured entities Accept Reject
Accept 233 46
Reject 254 119
n: 652
p < 0.0001
r: 0.22
Propositions: simple entities Accept Reject
Accept 29 15
Reject 92 363
n: 499
p < 0.0001
r: -0.22
Propositions: structured entities Accept Reject
Accept 10 186
Reject 44 208
n: 448
p < 0.0001
r: -0.22
Propositions: structured entities Accept Reject
Accept 22 206
Reject 63 231
n: 522
p < 0.0001
r: 0.22
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 12 81
Reject 5 414
n: 512
p < 0.0001
r: 0.22
Propositions: structured entities Accept Reject
Accept 164 69
Reject 126 167
n: 526
p < 0.0001
r: 0.22
Propositions: structured entities Accept Reject
Accept 89 107
Reject 77 193
n: 466
p < 0.0001
r: -0.22
Propositions: structured entities Accept Reject
Accept 66 221
Reject 138 229
n: 654
p < 0.0001
r: -0.22
Propositions: structured entities Accept Reject
Accept 110 136
Reject 200 122
n: 568
p < 0.0001
r: 0.21
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 33 61
Reject 52 375
n: 521
p < 0.0001
r: 0.21
Propositions: acts Accept Reject
Accept 23 24
Reject 151 324
n: 522
p < 0.0001
r: 0.21
Propositions: sets Accept Reject
Accept 27 29
Reject 169 306
n: 531
p < 0.0001
r: 0.21
Propositions: sets Accept Reject
Accept 22 18
Reject 98 231
n: 369
p < 0.0001
r: -0.21
Propositions: sets Accept Reject
Accept 9 31
Reject 152 177
n: 369
p < 0.0001
r: 0.21
Propositions: structured entities Accept Reject
Accept 111 87
Reject 100 152
n: 450
p < 0.0001
r: 0.21
Propositions: acts Accept Reject
Accept 9 30
Reject 45 363
n: 447
p < 0.0001
r: 0.2
Propositions: structured entities Accept Reject
Accept 143 89
Reject 140 157
n: 529
p < 0.0001
r: 0.2
Propositions: structured entities Accept Reject
Accept 227 63
Reject 240 140
n: 670
p < 0.0001
r: 0.2
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 54 60
Reject 133 393
n: 640
p < 0.0001
r: -0.2
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 54 61
Reject 410 168
n: 693
p < 0.0001
r: -0.2
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 27 56
Reject 183 182
n: 448
p < 0.0001
r: 0.2
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 33 53
Reject 86 335
n: 507
p < 0.0001
r: -0.2
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 21 67
Reject 144 233
n: 465
p < 0.0001
r: 0.2
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 30 67
Reject 76 391
n: 564
p < 0.0001
r: 0.19
Propositions: sets Accept Reject
Accept 28 26
Reject 119 295
n: 468
p < 0.0001
r: -0.19
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 64 47
Reject 421 118
n: 650
p < 0.0001
r: -0.19
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 45 61
Reject 287 228
n: 621
p < 0.0001
r: 0.19
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 23 60
Reject 31 332
n: 446
p < 0.0001
r: -0.19
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 54 60
Reject 346 181
n: 641
p < 0.0001
r: -0.19
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 27 65
Reject 144 295
n: 531
p < 0.0001
r: 0.19
Propositions: acts Accept Reject
Accept 12 38
Reject 57 459
n: 566
p < 0.0001
r: -0.19
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 12 56
Reject 153 238
n: 459
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
Propositions: acts Accept Reject
Accept 14 27
Reject 83 345
n: 469
p < 0.0001
r: -0.18
Propositions: acts Accept Reject
Accept 21 21
Reject 207 131
n: 380
p: 0.0004
r: 0.18
Propositions: structured entities Accept Reject
Accept 261 34
Reject 289 83
n: 667
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
Propositions: acts Accept Reject
Accept 33 20
Reject 172 328
n: 553
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
Propositions: acts Accept Reject
Accept 12 49
Reject 29 593
n: 683
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
Propositions: structured entities Accept Reject
Accept 262 39
Reject 284 100
n: 685
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 55 54
Reject 148 395
n: 652
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
Propositions: structured entities Accept Reject
Accept 145 79
Reject 133 149
n: 506
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
Propositions: structured entities Accept Reject
Accept 171 101
Reject 163 188
n: 623
p < 0.0001
r: -0.18
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 31 53
Reject 247 174
n: 505
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
Propositions: sets Accept Reject
Accept 32 21
Reject 241 251
n: 545
p < 0.0001
r: -0.18
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 77 33
Reject 471 84
n: 665
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
Propositions: sets Accept Reject
Accept 36 26
Reject 212 325
n: 599
p < 0.0001
r: -0.18
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 60 56
Reject 405 147
n: 668
p < 0.0001
r: 0.18
Propositions: structured entities Accept Reject
Accept 182 110
Reject 188 199
n: 679
p < 0.0001
r: -0.17
Propositions: simple entities Accept Reject
Accept 14 31
Reject 323 228
n: 596
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 32 61
Reject 72 366
n: 531
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
Propositions: sets Accept Reject
Accept 12 44
Reject 55 454
n: 565
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
Propositions: simple entities Accept Reject
Accept 5 23
Reject 38 287
n: 353
p: 0.0011
r: 0.17
Propositions: sets Accept Reject
Accept 14 36
Reject 57 382
n: 489
p: 0.0002
r: 0.17
Propositions: simple entities Accept Reject
Accept 26 26
Reject 125 494
n: 671
p < 0.0001
r: 0.17
Propositions: acts Accept Reject
Accept 29 9
Reject 170 206
n: 414
p: 0.0006
r: -0.17
Propositions: structured entities Accept Reject
Accept 37 180
Reject 82 209
n: 508
p: 0.0002
r: 0.17
Propositions: structured entities Accept Reject
Accept 67 162
Reject 50 219
n: 498
p: 0.0002
r: -0.16
Propositions: acts Accept Reject
Accept 10 20
Reject 131 172
n: 333
p: 0.0025
r: 0.16
Propositions: structured entities Accept Reject
Accept 82 78
Reject 60 113
n: 333
p: 0.0026
r: 0.16
Propositions: structured entities Accept Reject
Accept 117 151
Reject 106 243
n: 617
p < 0.0001
r: 0.16
Propositions: sets Accept Reject
Accept 22 26
Reject 108 303
n: 459
p: 0.0005
r: 0.16
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 39 31
Reject 139 289
n: 498
p: 0.0003
r: 0.16
Propositions: structured entities Accept Reject
Accept 47 74
Reject 42 105
n: 268
p: 0.0084
r: 0.16
Propositions: simple entities Accept Reject
Accept 9 25
Reject 60 354
n: 448
p: 0.0007
r: 0.16
Propositions: sets Accept Reject
Accept 26 18
Reject 181 241
n: 466
p: 0.0006
r: 0.16
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 51 53
Reject 165 283
n: 552
p: 0.0002
r: 0.16
Propositions: sets Accept Reject
Accept 28 21
Reject 130 281
n: 460
p: 0.0006
r: 0.16
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 32 71
Reject 63 469
n: 635
p < 0.0001
r: 0.16
Propositions: simple entities Accept Reject
Accept 7 27
Reject 47 367
n: 448
p: 0.0008
r: -0.16
Propositions: structured entities Accept Reject
Accept 72 161
Reject 106 161
n: 500
p: 0.0004
r: -0.16
Propositions: acts Accept Reject
Accept 29 21
Reject 411 105
n: 566
p: 0.0002
r: 0.16
Propositions: acts Accept Reject
Accept 8 36
Reject 34 369
n: 447
p: 0.0009
r: 0.16
Propositions: acts Accept Reject
Accept 35 20
Reject 205 361
n: 621
p < 0.0001
r: 0.16
Propositions: structured entities Accept Reject
Accept 156 56
Reject 184 104
n: 500
p: 0.0005
r: -0.15
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 16 56
Reject 114 206
n: 392
p: 0.0025
r: -0.15
Propositions: nonexistent Accept Reject
Accept 49 70
Reject 321 237
n: 677
p < 0.0001

Strongest correlations with demographic questions (target population)

r: 0.19
Propositions: simple entities Yes No
Accept 6 38
Reject 8 502
n: 554
p < 0.0001
r: 0.19
Propositions: sets Yes No
Accept 24 34
Reject 59 436
n: 553
p < 0.0001
r: -0.17
Propositions: nonexistent Yes No
Accept 6 93
Reject 77 376
n: 552
p < 0.0001
r: -0.16
Propositions: nonexistent Yes No
Accept 6 93
Reject 54 399
n: 552
p: 0.0002
r: 0.15
Propositions: acts Yes No
Accept 10 55
Reject 57 585
n: 707
p < 0.0001
r: -0.14
Propositions: structured entities Yes No
Accept 11 222
Reject 39 282
n: 554
p: 0.0008
r: 0.14
Propositions: simple entities Yes No
Accept 14 40
Reject 61 593
n: 708
p: 0.0002
r: 0.14
Propositions: sets Yes No
Accept 13 45
Reject 31 464
n: 553
p: 0.0013
r: 0.14
Propositions: acts Yes No
Accept 9 56
Reject 15 627
n: 707
p: 0.0003
r: -0.13
Propositions: nonexistent Yes No
Accept 23 100
Reject 155 428
n: 706
p: 0.0005
r: -0.13
Propositions: structured entities Yes No
Accept 12 294
Reject 37 365
n: 708
p: 0.0006
r: 0.13
Propositions: nonexistent Yes No
Accept 29 94
Reject 58 525
n: 706
p: 0.0006
r: 0.13
Propositions: simple entities Yes No
Accept 7 47
Reject 60 594
n: 708
p: 0.0006
r: 0.12
Propositions: simple entities Yes No
Accept 9 45
Reject 96 558
n: 708
p: 0.0011
r: -0.12
Propositions: acts Yes No
Accept 46 17
Reject 574 58
n: 695
p: 0.0013
r: 0.12
Propositions: sets Yes No
Accept 6 61
Reject 12 628
n: 707
p: 0.0014
r: 0.12
Propositions: acts Yes No
Accept 5 50
Reject 12 486
n: 553
p: 0.0047
r: 0.12
Propositions: sets Yes No
Accept 8 56
Reject 28 585
n: 677
p: 0.0023
r: 0.12
Propositions: nonexistent Yes No
Accept 23 76
Reject 67 386
n: 552
p: 0.0063
r: 0.12
Propositions: acts Yes No
Accept 8 47
Reject 18 480
n: 553
p: 0.0063
r: 0.12
Propositions: acts Yes No
Accept 12 51
Reject 40 592
n: 695
p: 0.0023
r: 0.11
Propositions: acts Yes No
Accept 13 42
Reject 37 461
n: 553
p: 0.0069
r: 0.11
Propositions: sets Yes No
Accept 9 46
Reject 16 452
n: 523
p: 0.0091
r: 0.11
Propositions: simple entities Yes No
Accept 7 47
Reject 48 606
n: 708
p: 0.0036
r: 0.11
Propositions: acts Yes No
Accept 10 55
Reject 95 547
n: 707
p: 0.0039
r: 0.11
Propositions: simple entities Yes No
Accept 6 38
Reject 17 493
n: 554
p: 0.0113
r: 0.11
Propositions: acts Yes No
Accept 12 53
Reject 37 605
n: 707
p: 0.0045
r: 0.11
Propositions: nonexistent Yes No
Accept 9 114
Reject 13 570
n: 706
p: 0.0048
r: 0.11
Propositions: nonexistent Yes No
Accept 20 79
Reject 44 409
n: 552
p: 0.0134
r: 0.1
Propositions: acts Yes No
Accept 17 38
Reject 84 414
n: 553
p: 0.0149
r: -0.1
Propositions: structured entities Yes No
Accept 14 219
Reject 30 291
n: 554
p: 0.0171
r: 0.1
Propositions: simple entities Yes No
Accept 5 39
Reject 21 489
n: 554
p: 0.0182
r: 0.1
Propositions: nonexistent Yes No
Accept 6 93
Reject 14 439
n: 552
p: 0.019
r: -0.1
Propositions: structured entities Yes No
Accept 28 278
Reject 59 343
n: 708
p: 0.009
r: 0.1
Propositions: sets Yes No
Accept 8 59
Reject 59 581
n: 707
p: 0.0093
r: 0.1
Propositions: structured entities Yes No
Accept 83 223
Reject 75 327
n: 708
p: 0.0114
r: -0.09
Propositions: structured entities Yes No
Accept 9 297
Reject 20 382
n: 708
p: 0.0125
r: 0.09
Propositions: simple entities Yes No
Accept 51 1
Reject 570 74
n: 696
p: 0.0134
r: 0.09
Propositions: structured entities Yes No
Accept 31 202
Reject 22 299
n: 554
p: 0.0283
r: 0.09
Propositions: sets Yes No
Accept 10 57
Reject 95 545
n: 707
p: 0.0142
r: 0.09
Propositions: structured entities Yes No
Accept 16 217
Reject 9 312
n: 554
p: 0.0308
r: 0.09
Propositions: structured entities Yes No
Accept 275 25
Reject 347 49
n: 696
p: 0.0168
r: 0.09
Propositions: simple entities Yes No
Accept 37 19
Reject 359 296
n: 711
p: 0.0163
r: 0.09
Propositions: acts Yes No
Accept 8 54
Reject 39 576
n: 677
p: 0.0198
r: 0.09
Propositions: acts Yes No
Accept 12 53
Reject 83 559
n: 707
p: 0.021
r: -0.09
Propositions: structured entities Yes No
Accept 5 301
Reject 18 384
n: 708
p: 0.0217
r: 0.09
Propositions: acts Yes No
Accept 7 58
Reject 21 621
n: 707
p: 0.0224
r: -0.08
Propositions: sets Yes No
Accept 20 47
Reject 200 440
n: 707
p: 0.0245
r: 0.08
Propositions: structured entities Yes No
Accept 21 212
Reject 16 305
n: 554
p: 0.0469
r: 0.08
Propositions: simple entities Yes No
Accept 10 34
Reject 92 418
n: 554
p: 0.048
r: -0.08
Propositions: structured entities Yes No
Accept 6 300
Reject 19 383
n: 708
p: 0.0272
r: -0.08
Propositions: structured entities Yes No
Accept 12 294
Reject 27 375
n: 708
p: 0.029
r: 0.08
Propositions: nonexistent Yes No
Accept 5 118
Reject 10 573
n: 706
p: 0.0308
r: -0.08
Propositions: acts Yes No
Accept 8 57
Reject 84 558
n: 707
p: 0.0307
r: -0.08
Propositions: nonexistent Yes No
Accept 35 88
Reject 185 398
n: 706
p: 0.0312
r: -0.08
Propositions: acts Yes No
Accept 16 49
Reject 162 480
n: 707
p: 0.0334
r: 0.08
Propositions: structured entities Yes No
Accept 23 284
Reject 18 386
n: 711
p: 0.0335
r: 0.08
Propositions: nonexistent Yes No
Accept 10 113
Reject 15 568
n: 706
p: 0.035
r: 0.08
Propositions: structured entities Yes No
Accept 49 257
Reject 47 355
n: 708
p: 0.0393
r: 0.08
Propositions: simple entities Yes No
Accept 5 51
Reject 30 625
n: 711
p: 0.0417
r: 0.08
Propositions: nonexistent Yes No
Accept 5 118
Reject 8 575
n: 706
p: 0.0447
r: 0.07
Propositions: acts Yes No
Accept 5 60
Reject 38 604
n: 707
p: 0.0499