Poll Hub

On this week’s Poll Hub:

We unpack how Americans’ confidence in higher education is shifting and what’s behind the change. Long viewed as a reliable path to success, a college degree is now being reassessed as concerns about cost, student debt, and real-world outcomes grow. We explore how attitudes differ across generations, political groups, and socioeconomic lines.

We also tackle the latest trends in remote and hybrid work, exploring how the workplace continues to evolve in a post-pandemic world. From flexibility and work-life balance to productivity and collaboration, we examine what Americans are gaining — and what they may be losing — as traditional office norms give way to new models. Plus, we look at what Americans might be able to sacrifice for their preferred setting.

Plus, our fun fact of the week explores birthdays, specifically, which birthdays people think are actually worth celebrating. From milestone moments to the debate over whether every year deserves a party, we look at how Americans approach marking another trip around the sun.

maristpoll.com/podcast

On this week’s Poll Hub:

After a historically long State of the Union this week, we're asking if President Trump helped himself as new polling captures how lousy Americans are feeling about Trump’s priorities and the direction of his administration. Disapproval remains a key part of the story, but the data goes deeper, highlighting where the public sees alignment, where there’s frustration, and how these views differ across political and demographic groups.

In the second segment, we turn to an issue that helps drive those gloomy polls: grocery prices. Even as grocery inflation has calmed a bit, price increases since 2000 are still shaping how people shop and spend. From cutting back on certain items to seeking out deals and changing routines, Americans are making adjustments in real time. We explore what the latest data says about these behaviors and what they signal about consumer confidence and economic outlook.

And, for our fun fact... would you dine in the dark? Americans don't seem inclined to dabble in this type of restaurant experience.

Listen to the full episode: maristpoll.com/podcast

On this week’s episode of Poll Hub, Peter Enns, professor at Cornell University and co-founder of Verasight, joins to explore how polling is evolving beyond traditional approval ratings. Rather than focusing solely on top-line numbers, Enns discusses how researchers are digging deeper into public opinion to better understand nuance, intensity, and underlying motivations.

As a lead researcher on The Breakthrough polling project, Enns is helping redefine how we measure public opinion by incorporating open-ended responses, topic modeling, and sentiment analysis. These tools allow researchers to capture, not just what people think, but how they think — revealing patterns in language, emotion, and reasoning that often get lost in standard survey questions.

Then, we turn to dreams. We examine how factors like stress, anxiety, sleep patterns, and lifestyle habits shape the likelihood of experiencing nightmares, and what the data reveals about who is most affected. We also share some of our own dream experiences and dive into what may influence recurring dreams or why some people remember their dreams more vividly than others. From stress levels and major life changes to sleep quality and personality traits, we explore how both psychological and environmental factors can shape not just what we dream about, but whether those dreams stick with us after we wake up.

And, for this week’s fun fact, we take a look back at marijuana use in the 1960s and compare it to today. What was once associated with counterculture movements has become far more mainstream, with usage patterns shifting dramatically over time. It’s a fascinating snapshot of how attitudes, and behaviors, evolve across generations.

On this week’s Poll Hub:

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, we take a closer look at how politics is shaping modern dating. From abortion to transgender rights, recent polling shows a growing share of singles say a potential partner’s political views factor into whether they’d pursue a relationship at all, highlighting how deeply political identity has become woven into personal life. At the same time, the data points to widening divides by age and ideology, with younger adults and women especially likely to say mismatched views are a deal-breaker.

Plus, do Americans feel they’re given enough time to grieve after losing a loved one? We break down public opinion on bereavement leave, workplace support, and whether current policies reflect how people actually experience loss. The findings reveal broad concern that time off isn’t sufficient for meaningful recovery, raising questions about how workplaces can better support employees during moments of grief.

On this week’s Poll Hub:

GLP-1 weight loss drugs are everywhere: in ads, on social media, and, increasingly, in medicine cabinets. But, beyond the hype, what do Americans actually think about them?

Recent polling shows use of GLP-1s has more than doubled in the past year. At the same time, most Americans say willpower alone isn’t enough to manage weight long-term, reflecting a growing shift towards viewing obesity as a medical issue rather than a lifestyle choice.

Plus, our latest national poll takes a deeper look at how Americans currently view the Trump Administration and the direction of the country more broadly. We unpack new data on foreign policy, immigration enforcement & ICE, and the state of the economy, three issues that continue to shape public opinion and drive intense reactions across the political spectrum. The findings reveal sharp divides, not just between parties, but across age, education, and region, highlighting how different groups are experiencing and interpreting recent developments. We explore what’s fueling shifts in sentiment, where frustration and support are most pronounced, and what these attitudes could signal for the broader political climate moving forward.

maristpoll.com/podcast

A surge of federal immigration enforcement in Minneapolis and surrounding communities has pushed questions of public safety, federal power, and civil liberties into the national spotlight. After two fatal shootings involving immigration officers, national polling shows growing concern about ICE tactics and increasing support for oversight and reform. We break down how Americans across party lines are reacting, and whether these events represent a broader shift in public opinion on immigration enforcement.

Then, we turn to sleep deprivation in America, a widespread but often overlooked public health issue. New polling shows that a majority of adults say they would feel better if they got more sleep, even as long-term trends reveal declining sleep duration and uneven sleep quality across age, gender, income, and education. We examine how sleep shortages shape daily life, health, and well-being—and why so many Americans struggle to get the rest they say they need.

We close with a very arty fun fact!

Endometriosis remains one of the most under-recognized conditions in women’s health, with patients frequently facing years of pain before proper diagnosis. Dr. Jessica Shepherd, Chief Medical Officer at Hers and a board-certified OB/GYN, helps unpack why awareness and education gaps persist and what steps can improve care, understanding, and patient experiences.

Next, we examine IVF and fertility access with Dr. Aimee Eyvazzadeh, a reproductive endocrinologist known as The Egg Whisperer. While more people are seeking fertility treatments, financial and systemic barriers continue to shape who can build families through medical care.

Finally, we consider the bigger picture of women’s healthcare through advocacy and visual storytelling. Amy Finkel, Assistant Professor of Photography at Marist, shares her project Getaway, which combines photography, historical research, and personal narratives to expose gender bias in medicine and honor the experiences and resilience of women across the U.S.

The CDC’s recent shift away from universal childhood vaccine recommendations marks a significant change in U.S. health policy. Moving toward a shared decision-making model between clinicians and parents, this change aligns the U.S. more closely with some European countries but has sparked debate among public health experts and parents alike. We unpack how Americans view this new approach, including strong overall support for routine vaccines and school mandates but also notable variations in confidence around vaccine safety, testing, and scheduling by political affiliation, age, and education.

Then, we turn to Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a widely respected holiday that offers a moment for national reflection on civil rights and racial justice. While nearly all Americans hold Dr. King in high regard, actual participation in community service and civic activities remains limited and uneven across different groups. We examine how these patterns reveal both shared values and ongoing challenges in civic engagement and social equality.

Finally, we lighten things up with a fun fact from polling, highlighting a question that asked Americans which modern presidential election they think would have most surprised the Founding Fathers.

The U.S. detention of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has sparked a new political crisis abroad and a divided reaction at home. But, unlike many past U.S. actions, especially in this hemisphere, Americans don't seem to be rallying around the flag so much this time. We walk through what’s known about the operation, how Americans feel about the use of military force, and what polling shows about who the public believes should shape Venezuela’s future.

Then, we dig into why confidence in the news media continues to erode. As more Americans obtain information from platforms, creators, and algorithmic feeds rather than traditional outlets, we examine the consequences for shared facts, democratic engagement, and the ways pollsters measure public opinion in a fractured media landscape. And, what about the growing number of Americans who don't seem to be paying attention to news at all?

Finally, we close with a fun fact from polling that changes pace a bit, looking at how many Americans have driven a car with a manual transmission.

Most Americans are giving gifts this year but how much are they spending? We're looking at the latest data about how the critical-to-retailers holiday shopping season will shape up.

It's a big question because, as we found in our new poll with NPR and PBS News out this week, Americans are bummed about the economy, whether about prices or jobs. Will this mean a blue Christmas?

Finally, we share a fun fact from past polling that looks at whether Americans ever give “rain check” gifts during the holidays -- plus a brand new result from our latest poll -- how many gifts do you want?