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- THE GALLUP POLL FOR RELEASE: Thursday, March 12, 1987Only One-Third of Public Deny Existence of UFOs, Extraterrestri
- al LifePrinceton, NJ-- For millions of American adults a "Close Encounter of the Third Kind" is a distinct possibility, with only about one
- in three flatly denying the existence of either unidentified flying objects (UFOs) or extraterrestrial life. In a new Gallup survey, 50%
- express the belief that there are "people somewhat like ourselves living on other planets in the universe", while 34% are skeptical and 16%
- are unsure. The current figures are virtually unchanged from those recorded in a 1978 survey, but considerably more now than in either 1973
- or 1966 believe in extraterrestrial life. Similarly, 49% of those who have heard or read about UFOs think they are real, while 30% are do
- ubtful and 21% uncertain. Belief in UFOs is down slightly from its peak in 1978, when 57% thought they were real. 9% Report Sighting UFO
- In the new survey, one person in 11 (9%) reports actually having seen something he or she thought was a UFO, statistically similar to the
- findings of earlier polls. Belief Higher Among College-Educated Belief in the existence of life on other planets and in UFOs is subst
- antially higher among persons who attended college than among those whose formal education ended at or before graduation from high school.
- Men are more likely than women to believe in extraterrestrail life, 62% and 40%, respectively, but men and women share the same opinions a
- bout UFOs. As a rule, people 50 and older are less convinced than their juniors that either phenomenon has a basis in fact, but more olde
- r than younger adults are undecided. Westerners are most apt to be believers; Southerners, least so. Following are the questions, the tre
- nds and the latest findings among key demographic groups: Respondents were first asked: HAVE YOU HEARD OR READ ABOUT UFOS (UNIDENTIFIE
- D FLYING OBJECTS)? Those answering affirmatively (88% of the total) were then asked: HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ANYTHING YOU THOUGHT WAS A UFO
- ?Sighting of UFO (based on aware groups)1987 9%1978 91973 111966 5 IN YOUR OPINION
- , ARE UFOS SOMETHING REAL OR JUST PEOPLE'S IMAGINATION?Existence of UFOs(based on aware groups) Real Imaginary
- Not Sure1987 49 30 211978 57 27 161973 54 3
- 0 161966 46 29 25Existence of UFOs(based on aware groups) Real I
- maginary Not SureNATIONAL 49 30 21Men 50 31 19Women
- 49 28 23Attended College 56 26 18No College 44 33 23
- 18-29 Years 53 32 1530-49 Years 57 21 2250 & Older 36 39
- 25East 52 30 18Midwest 48 27 25South 39
- 39 22West 62 19 19All persons in the survey were asked the following question:
- DO YOU THINK THERE ARE PEOPLE SOMEWHAT LIKE OURSELVES LIVING ON OTHER PLANETS IN THE UNIVERSE, OR NOT?Extraterrestrial Life
- Yes No Not Sure1987 50 34 161978 51 33 161973 46
- 38 161966 34 46 20Extraterrestrial Life Yes No Not SureNATIONAL
- 50 34 16Men 62 30 8Women 40 28 32Attended College 57 33 1
- 0 No College 46 35 1918-29 Years 52 36 1230-49 Years 56 35 950 & Older
- 42 33 25 East 55 29 16Midwest 49 34 17South 38 48
- 14West 63 21 16 The latest findings are based on telephone interviews with 527 adults, 18 and older, conducte
- d in scientifically selected localities across the nation during the period Feb 2-18. For results based on samples of this size, one can say
- with 95% confidence that the error attributable to sampling and other random effects could be 6 percentage points in either direction. I
- n addition to sampling error, the reader should bear in mind that question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can intr
- oduce error or bias into the findings of opinion polls. These statements conform to the standards of disclosure of the National Council on P
- ublic Polls.
