Americans have become less likely to view a range of social behaviors as morally acceptable, according to a new Gallup poll.
Released on Tuesday, the survey found the sharpest year-on-year declines in acceptance of having a child outside marriage, birth control, gambling, sex between teenagers, including animal or human cloning.
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Birth control remained the most widely accepted behavior tracked by Gallup, with 83% of respondents saying it was morally acceptable.
However, support fell seven percentage points from 2025, reaching its lowest level since the question was first included in the survey in 2012.
Acceptance of having a baby outside marriage fell nine percentage points to 58%, while support for gambling dropped six points to 57%.
The share of Americans who view sex between teenagers as morally acceptable stood at 35%, while acceptance of animal cloning declined to a record low of 27%.
Despite the declines, majorities of respondents still considered several behaviors morally acceptable, including divorce (74%), sex between unmarried adults (65%), gay or lesbian relations (62%), embryonic stem-cell research (59%), buying and wearing animal fur (57%), and the death penalty (52%).
Opinions on abortion remained divided, with 49% of respondents describing it as morally acceptable and 41% as morally wrong. Americans were also closely split on doctor-assisted suicide and medical testing on animals.
The poll also highlighted sharp partisan divides, with Democrats far more likely than Republicans to view abortion, gender transition, and gay or lesbian relations as morally acceptable, while Republicans were more supportive of the death penalty.
According to Gallup, Americans remain more accepting of most of the behaviors it tracks than they were two decades ago.
However, the polling firm said the findings suggest that a decades-long shift toward greater moral permissiveness has largely leveled off and, in some cases, may be beginning to reverse.
The survey was conducted among 1,001 adults nationwide between May 1 and May 17, 2026.
RT. com / ABC Flash Point News 2026.
It has to be recognised that the American psychic/National Identity ) hasn’t really changed .its a waste of time decrying it it wont change . 50 % of the nation are on either psychiatric drugs from prescription or take illegal drugs due to the stressful way of life this has been exported to the UK along with Woke and PC and an acceptance of all sorts of sexual social dogma . Its developed along political lines of the two parties the “for,s and those “agin ” . Its just part of the schizophrenic mentality , each country has its built… Read more »
Unfortunately many US soldiers die in foreign occupied territories, but most are dying at home committing suicide after serving the LAND OF THE FREE abroad.
Records show that every year about 6.000 US veterans commit suicide at home
People who think vs people who «feel». Thinking people consider the consequences of morally questionable actions, Consider having a child out of wedlock: How does this affect the child? Is the child’s quality of life equal to a child with two parents in a stable marriage? Or does it even matter? Or abortion. If a child can be killed before birth, why not in the first year? What’s really the difference? Does a child, born or unborn have a right to life? Or does it matter? It comes down to responsibility. Many people will not act responsibly if they don’t… Read more »
But they can be taught LS and that’s down to their government , if the said government wont spend the money like the UK where Group Therapy has been discontinued due to cost crime rises. Of the two you quote “Thinking People ” who have no feelings are the more dangerous as they don’t have any emotions about their effect on others. Thats why the USA and other countries employ them as “killers ” in other countries they are at war with called Mercenaries , just look at the cold blooded killers of the 1930,s . America is a “mental… Read more »
When you read THAT TO 62% of Americans homosexuality is morally acceptable, you can see that de nation has been morally destroyed. IN WHAT PART OF THE WORLD IT IS HOMOSEXUALITY A FORM OF MORALITY???… in the US of A!!
You are right in your behavior (being heterosexual) you are wrong in your opinion (thinking it is the same as homosexual ) – The first is consistent with the design of the human body (sex organ in a female one) the other is not (sex organ in an excrete one). It is a perversion (not merely because I and/or every major religion says so but because reason says this). The greater problem is that it is strongly correlated with child molestation and it is a causative correlation. Example suppose they legalized sex with animals the only people that would hump… Read more »
But GC has a valid point AM Woke started in the USA who, like they always do, export those non values to foreign countries thereby instilling their social values on others . They have no moral right to do so its just a form of brainwashing on a whole countries citizens just as bad as bombing them but more subtle . Its caused suicide on the young and extreme mental problems which arose precisely at the same time as they were incorporated now 25 % of the UK,s youth need mental help -that’s not right and cant be justified .… Read more »