Civic Language Perceptions

How do Americans perceive key civic terms?

Explore how 5,393 registered voters perceive civic concepts across measures of positivity, ownership, and togetherness.

Explore the Data

Civic Language Terms

How Americans perceive 21 civic concepts

Democracy Terms

Phrases that describe American government

Free and Fair Democracy

Constitutional Democracy

Representative Democracy

American Democracy

Responsive Democracy

Civic Influences

Experiences that shaped civic understanding

Conversations with family or friends about news, politics, or community issues

Voting or helping with an election (e.g., poll worker, campaign volunteer)

Community service or volunteering (not religious activities)

Religious or faith-based activities that encouraged action or reflection on social issues

Following or taking part in news or social media discussions about current events

Civic Activities

Participation in civic and political activities

Voted in a local election

Donated money to my place of worship

Shared political content on social media

None of the above

Donated money to an advocacy group or political organization

Barriers to Participation

Why people don't engage more civically

I don't have enough time

I don't have the money to participate

I'm not sure it would make a difference

I lack opportunities to get involved

I'm afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing

Authoritarian Concepts

What comes to mind when hearing "authoritarian"

Authoritarianism

I don't know what any of these words mean.

About This Research

The Civic Language Perceptions study explores how Americans understand and feel about key terms related to democracy, civic engagement, and equity. This research examines how factors like political ideology, age, education, and geographic location influence perceptions of terms such as "freedom," "democracy," "patriotism," and "unity."

Data was collected by More in Common US on behalf of Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement (PACE) in November 2025.

Civic Terms Measures

Positivity

How positively or negatively do people view each term?

Ownership

Does each term feel "meant for me" or "meant for someone else"?

Togetherness

Does each term bring people together or drive them apart?

About

Learn more about this research and the organizations behind it.

Methodology

How the survey was designed, conducted, and analyzed.

Data

Access information about the dataset and citation guidelines.

Dashboard Developed By

National Conference on Citizenship

Building a stronger civic life in America

National Conference on Citizenship