Political Violence
The Life in America Survey
In 2022, we launched the Life in America Survey, an annual, nationally representative survey to study political violence as a public health issue. The Life in America Survey is among the first to explore personal willingness to engage in specific political violence scenarios. It asks about motivations or justifications for the use of force or violence; different types of violence ranging from damaging property to threatening, injuring, or killing a person, including with the use of a firearm; and potential targets of violence, including community members, civil servants, and leaders.
Latest Research
PREPRINT: Decreased support for political violence in the United States in mid-2026
Findings from a nationally representative surveyThese findings are clear. Entrapment in a spiral of escalating political violence is not inevitable in the United States. Those who promote political violence…
Approval of the National Rifle Association and political violence
Findings from a nationally representative surveyDespite its recent scandals, the NRA may remain capable of mobilizing large numbers of people who are armed and willing to use violence to advance political…
News media source, political orientation of news, and support for political violence
About the ResearchBRIEF FINDINGSUsing social media, text-based messaging, and right-biased news were each positively associated with support for political…
