Table 3 Means, standard deviations, alpha coefficients for each construct, and the standardized factor loading for each item of the EALS- SF

Political Activity

To what degree are you political?

To what degree do your political views influence your daily life?

To what degree do your political views influence your decisions?

Religious Activity

To what degree are you religious?

To what degree does religion impact your daily life?

To what degree does your religion influence your decisions?

Religion is especially important to me because it answers many of my questions about the meaning of life. ^A

Conservative Self Identity

To what degree are you conservative?

In general, how do you self identify politically? ^B

In general how liberal/conservative are you on Economic issues (welfare, taxation, free market policies, etc)? ^C

Attitudes Toward Life ^D

Life begins at conception.

After conception, a developing human is only a cluster of cells, and it makes no sense to discuss its moral condition. (R)

All stages of human life- embryo, fetus, child, adult- should have the same legal protections.

Intelligent Design Fallacies

There is scientific evidence that humans were created by a supreme being or intelligent designer.

There is no evidence that humans evolved from other animals.

There are no transitional fossils (remains of life forms that illustrate an evolutionary transition).

Complex biological systems cannot come about by slight successive modifications (i.e., they are irreducibly complex).

Evolution is a theory in crisis.

Natural selection cannot create complex structures; It is like a tornado blowing through a junkyard and creating a 747.

Young Earth Creationist Beliefs

I read the bible literally.

The Earth isn’t old enough for evolution to have taken place.

There was a time when humans and dinosaurs lived on earth together.

Present animal diversity can be explained by the Great Flood.

Adam and Eve of Genesis are our universal ancestors of the entire human race.

All modern species of land vertebrates are descended from those original animals on the ark.

Moral Objections

People who accept evolution as fact are immoral.

If you accept evolution, you really can’t believe in God.

Darwinism strips meaning from our lives.

Social Objections

The theory of evolution has contributed to racism.

The theory of evolution has contributed to sexism.

The theory of evolution has contributed to genocide (the deliberate killing of a group based on nationality, race, politics, or culture).

Distrust of the Scientific Enterprise

Contemporary methods of determining the age of fossils and rocks are untrustworthy. ^E

The data used to support evolution is untrustworthy.

The available data are ambiguous as to whether evolution actually occurs. ^F

Relevance of Evolutionary Theory

Evolutionary theory is highly relevant for biology.

The theory of evolution helps us understand human origins.

Evolutionary theory is highly relevant for the social sciences (e.g., anthropology, psychology, sociology).

Evolutionary theory is highly relevant for the humanities (e.g., history, literature, philosophy).

Evolutionary theory is relevant to our everyday lives.

Genetic Literacy

Humans share a majority of their genes with chimpanzees. ^D

Humans share more than half of their genes with mice.^D

Humans have somewhat less than half of the DNA in common with chimpanzees. ^D(R)

Mutations are never beneficial. ^D(R)

Evolutionary Knowledge

In most populations, more offspring are born than can survive.

Mutations can be passed down to the next generation.

Increased genetic variability makes a population more resistant to extinction.

The more recently species share a common ancestor, the more closely related they are.

Mutations occur all the time.

Misconceptions about Evolution

Characteristics acquired during the lifetime of an organism are passed down to that individual’s offspring.

Evolution means progression towards perfection.

Evolution is a linear progression from primitive to advanced species.

Knowledge about the Scientific Enterprise

For scientific evidence to be deemed adequate, it must be reproducible by others.

Scientific ideas can be tested and supported by feelings and beliefs. (R)

Scientific explanations can be supernatural. (R)

Good theories give rise to testable predictions.

Self Exposure to Evolution

I’ve watched evolution related videos on the web (e.g., Ted.com, YouTube).

I read science magazines featuring evolution (e.g., Discover, National Geographic, Nature).

I’ve watched nature shows that discussed evolution (e.g., PBS/Nova, Discovery, National Geographic)

Youth Exposure to Evolution

I have visited natural history museums on field trips or with family.

As a child, I attended science and nature camps (e.g., Outdoor Ed Lab, local nature centers or zoos).

How much training in evolution did you receive in high school?