Americans Are Measurably Exceptional in Some Ways

The graph is from an interesting report by the Pew Research Center showing several ways in which the people of the United States are culturally unusual. Notable, there tends to be a relationship between affluence (as measured by per capita GDP) and adherence to formal religions and participation in religious activities; the richer the country, the more secular it seems to be. The United States stands out since its citizens report that religion is important in their lives at rates comparable to much less affluent country residents, and to a greater extent than do British, Australians, Canadians, French, Japanese and Israelis. Check the report for some other examples of ways in which Americans respond differently than might be expected on survey questions.