November 29, 2023
Americans' Interest in Engaging Across Difference
More in Common US
Summary: More in Common’s latest research on social connection reveals that the majority of Americans are interested in engaging across socioeconomic, racial, religious, and political lines of difference, but many lack the opportunity to do so. Sign up for our webinar on December 15 from 12 – 1 pm EST with special guests Linda Tropp, PhD, and Melissa Carter, Senior Manager with the Walmart Foundation, to learn more.
As recently highlighted in the US Surgeon General’s Advisory on loneliness, the United States is facing a crisis: a lack of social connection, a critical driver of both individual and community health. At the same time, the US is both increasingly segregated and polarized, making it even more challenging for fellow Americans to engage with one another, especially across lines of difference.
To help address this crisis, More in Common is conducting research to answer the question: Who is interested in engaging across difference in the US, and why? Through this work, we aim to provide insights that can guide community leaders to engage new audiences and strengthen social cohesion at the local level.
Our initial findings are promising: most Americans are interested in connecting across lines of difference, but many aren’t because they lack opportunity to do so.
Check out more highlights from our preliminary study below.
Americans’ Interest in Connecting Across Difference
An overwhelming majority (72%) of Americans agree that we have a responsibility to engage with people who are different from us. Furthermore, many express interest in joining activities that build connection across different groups.
“…People should not be afraid to learn about other cultures and religions, because this diversity is what makes our country great.”
💬 Aaron, Millennial, White Male, Traditional Conservative, California
“I live in a dominant Black neighborhood. I would love for White, or Hispanic people to move to my neighborhood. I’m not prejudice or racist. I love everybody. And love diversity.”
💬 Barbara, Baby Boomer, Black Female, Passive Liberal, Ohio
The Power of Norms and Belonging
Notably, the more people think others in their community are connecting across lines of difference, the more interested they are in connecting as well. This relationship also holds for Americans who have a strong sense of belonging at the local level: the more belonging people feel in their communities, the more interested they are in connecting across lines of difference.
Barriers to Connection
Yet, despite Americans’ professed interest in engaging with others across difference, only four in ten frequently do so. When asked what makes interacting challenging, the most-cited reason for not connecting across racial, religious, and socioeconomic differences is “lack of opportunity.” Conversely, a feeling of exhaustion (or “lack of energy”) emerges as the primary reason Americans say they are not interacting across political divides.
“There are very few natural / organic opportunities to [connect]. I spend my time at work with people in a similar economic situation as myself, then my free time with people I’ve met from hobbies and clubs- all which mean I am usually surrounded by people in a similar socio-economic background.”
💬Pauline, Gen Z, White Female, Traditional Liberal, Indiana
“It might become difficult because some people who have differing political viewpoints like to start yelling and arguing with people who believe differently than them.”
💬Lucas, Gen X, Hispanic Male, Moderate, California
Next Steps
These insights just touch the surface of what we can learn about Americans’ interest in connecting across difference. In the coming months, we are going to be digging further by fielding a large national survey (N~6,000+ US adults) as well as conducting regional research in Houston, Kansas City, and Pittsburgh to better understand these dynamics at the local level. Some additional questions we’ll be asking include:
- What other types of cross-group activities draw public interest? 
- What do Americans mean when they say that they “lack the opportunity” to connect?
- Outside of home and work, where are people connecting across difference in their communities?
In the meantime, we hope these initial findings spark new ideas for how community leaders can think about building social connection in their work, such as: How can community leaders leverage the power of norms to increase willingness to engage? If many Americans are interested in connecting but lack the opportunity to do so, how can community leaders create more spaces for these types of connections to occur?
👉 If you want to stay up to date about future insights and/or have connections in Houston, Kansas City, or Pittsburgh that might be interested in our work, we’d love to connect! Reach out here.
👉 Learn more at our webinar on December 15 from 12 – 1 pm EST with special guests Linda Tropp, Professor of Social Psychology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and expert on intergroup contact theory, and Melissa Carter, Senior Manager with the Walmart Foundation.
This research is made possible through funding by the Walmart Foundation. The findings, conclusions and recommendations presented are those of More in Common alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Walmart Foundation.
Join our Webinar
Learn more about our social connection project at our upcoming Q&A webinar with researchers and experts on December 15, 2023 at 12 p.m. EST.
Missed Giving Tuesday? It’s not too late to donate to MIC! Click the button below and support our work of promoting a more united, inclusive and resilient country in which people believe that what they have in common is stronger than what divides them.
Methodology: More in Common partnered with international polling company YouGov to conduct online survey interviews with N=1,000 US adults from August 4-15th, 2023. The data was weighted to be representative of the US adult population using propensity scores, with score functions including gender, age, race, education, and region. The weights were then post-stratified on 2020 Presidential vote choice, and a four-way stratification of gender, age (6-category), race (5-category), and education (4-category). The margin of error (adjusted for weighting) is +/- 3.099% for the US average and higher for subgroups.