The process of using surveys has always been simple. People could walk in a booth and express their opinion on a topic and walk out with no questions asked. But as time progressed surveys began taking a new direction with the way they were being given to the people. Surveys began to be used as a way to get a percentage from a target group of people, such as African Americans or Hispanic people. But one thing that has been learned throughout the years is that not everyone expresses the same opinion. People tend to have different views on things because of the fact that they feel differently on a particular subject. Ethnicity and race are not the only factors that contribute to an opinion. Gender, religion, and culture also are defining factors in what makes a person think the way they do and feel the way they do. Opinions vary due to many factors and that fact alone is something that everyone ignores. Feelings about abortion can be used as an example. Issues with abortion has become one of the biggest social issue in this generation. So when being surveyed about abortion, the main question is always, are you pro-life or pro-choice? 

Plenty of surveys have been conducted asking people how they feel about this social issue and there is never a clear cut number of people who feel such a way about the topic. Looking at the chart above, you can see how the opinions vary and that’s without looking at them from a boy/girl perspective. Other studies have been conducted about abortion and a survey was taken from social work students. Social work students were chosen because it is in the job description of a social worker to advise their clients about abortion. They provide the information and resources that can help a person make a life changing decision. The article; Religiosity and Personal Beliefs Regarding Abortion: Results from a Survey of Social Work Students in the United States, states, “Survey data were collected from 504 social work students, who were asked about their practice and education experiences and their personally held beliefs about abortion. Linear regressions showed that higher religiosity was significantly associated with greater endorsement of anti-abortion attitudes.” In religion, it is against the customs to partake in certain activities and abortion is one of them. So even religion begins to play a part in the direction a survey can take and abortion is just an example of how a survey can draw out different opinions. But in the end that’s what a survey is searching for. So believe me when I tell you that no one has the same opinions on a topic. We can agree with another person or share similar views but our opinions on a topic will most likely never be the same. For example, the way I see abortion is that I have no issue with a woman going to get one. If that is what she feels she needs to do then by all means, do what you must. But I would feel differently if a woman wanted to have an abortion with my child. I know I would not be okay with that. So it can be said that I am pro-choice in general but pro-life when I am involved. That is something I am sure that not too many people share the same opinion as me but would agree with me. So with that being said, I do expect that people will not share the same opinions as me but factors such as gender, race, and social class will impact the world and will be reflected in surveys. 

Bird, Melissa, Stephanie Begun, and Kimberly McKay. “Religiosity and Personal Beliefs 

Regarding Abortion: Results from a Survey of Social Work Students in the United States.” Women’s Reproductive Health 5, no. 2 (April 2018): 117–31. doi:10.1080/23293691.2018.1463742.

Frazee, Gretchen. “New Abortion Laws Are Too Extreme for Most Americans, Poll Shows.” 

PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 7 June 2019, 

www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/new-abortion-laws-are-too-extreme-for-most-americans-poll-shows.