“Perception vs. reality” is a phrase we’ve all heard, and one we’ve certainly all experienced: you convince yourself of one thing, while the truth lies somewhere else. This could be as mundane as a jelly-bean jar guessing game or how long your work commute will take with new construction on your street, but the perception of the bigger stuff can be way more impactful. The country’s perceived reality of a situation can often end up mattering more than the truth, for better or for worse. So, just how perceptive are we? How often do we get it wrong? What do we really care about?
We’re not as Perceptive as We Think
Let’s cut to the chase: Americans often get it wrong. We are not great at estimating the reality of our current situations. In 2022, market research firm YouGov polled 1,000 U.S. adults, asking what percentage of Americans they believed were part of various identified groups. Maybe unsurprisingly, the results show plenty of perception deficits.
From millionaires to minorities: Americans believe many of these identified groups are much larger than they actually are. Less than 0% of Americans have a household income over $1 million, but we perceive 20% do. We think 27% are Muslim, but the reality is closer to 1%.
Even the mundane stuff shares the same pattern, with peoplebelieving 34% of Americans are left-handed compared to the actual 11%. We can’t seem to really grasp exactly how our country’s population is made up, no matter if we’re talking about the most widely publicized factions or groups we never thought of until now.
We overestimate and we underestimate. We are not infallible. Whether it’s due to lack of in person exposure or media diet over-exposure, our perceptions do not align with reality (most of the time).
***
We’re Mostly Worried About Money
“What’s the most important issue facing the U.S. today?” is a question based entirely on perceptions, one we’ve been asking respondents of the Gulf South Index for a few years now. And while some of the results may reflect the reality vs. perception gap, there’s a clear front runner for the biggest issue: money.
41% of the Gulf South and 33% of national respondents say the economy is the most important issue we’re facing. In 2024, these numbers were 38% and 31%. The next most important issue in 2025, immigration, only reaches 15% and 17%. We care most about the economy by far.
Muddied Waters: Some of the other issues on this list may dominate our headlines, like healthcare and crime, but day-to-day, most people are far more concerned with their finances than they are with anything else. Our media diets can confuse us, not only with our perceived populations, but also on the most pressing issues we face.
***
Can You Blame Us for Being Confused?
We are consistently inundated with information from all sides, and it’s not easy to make sense of it all. Sometimes it seems impossible. With so much around, it’s hard to tell what’s true and what’s inflated.
Information Overload: A term we use often here at the Gulf South Index. 67% of the Gulf South and 50% nationally spend 2-5 hours a day on social media. 79% and 73% consider themselves active participants on Facebook, respectively. And 25% and 15% spend six hours a day on their phones. With so much screen time, the line between perception and reality can start to blur.
And it is affecting our decision making too. 41% of Americans second-guess their daily decisions, and 1 in 8 are considered overthinkers, says Talker Research. We’re all having a harder time deciphering our best path forward, whether we’re buying a house or making choices at the grocery store.
“Everybody gets so much information all day long that they lose their common sense.” A quote we use often here, attributed to Gertude Stein in 1946, and yet still endlessly relevant. It’s not easy to make decisions and proper attributions with so much going on all the time.
***
Why do these perceptions matter? If what we think isn’t always what’s true, the consequences aren’t black-and-white, but can and do cause numerous issues, such as rampant misinformation spread, acts of hatred and information fatigue. Even though the noise is never-ending, it’s important to sift through it to find the truth. While our perceptions may never be perfect, we can all do the work to make the overwhelming misconceptions a little more manageable – for ourselves and all those in our communities.
How is America doing?
“Perception vs. reality” is a phrase we’ve all heard, and one we’ve certainly all experienced: you convince yourself of one thing, while the truth lies somewhere else. This could be as mundane as a jelly-bean jar guessing game or how long your work commute will take with new construction on your street, but the perception of the bigger stuff can be way more impactful. The country’s perceived reality of a situation can often end up mattering more than the truth, for better or for worse. So, just how perceptive are we? How often do we get it wrong? What do we really care about?
We’re not as Perceptive as We Think
Let’s cut to the chase: Americans often get it wrong. We are not great at estimating the reality of our current situations. In 2022, market research firm YouGov polled 1,000 U.S. adults, asking what percentage of Americans they believed were part of various identified groups. Maybe unsurprisingly, the results show plenty of perception deficits.
From millionaires to minorities: Americans believe many of these identified groups are much larger than they actually are. Less than 0% of Americans have a household income over $1 million, but we perceive 20% do. We think 27% are Muslim, but the reality is closer to 1%.
Even the mundane stuff shares the same pattern, with peoplebelieving 34% of Americans are left-handed compared to the actual 11%. We can’t seem to really grasp exactly how our country’s population is made up, no matter if we’re talking about the most widely publicized factions or groups we never thought of until now.
We overestimate and we underestimate. We are not infallible. Whether it’s due to lack of in person exposure or media diet over-exposure, our perceptions do not align with reality (most of the time).
***
We’re Mostly Worried About Money
“What’s the most important issue facing the U.S. today?” is a question based entirely on perceptions, one we’ve been asking respondents of the Gulf South Index for a few years now. And while some of the results may reflect the reality vs. perception gap, there’s a clear front runner for the biggest issue: money.
41% of the Gulf South and 33% of national respondents say the economy is the most important issue we’re facing. In 2024, these numbers were 38% and 31%. The next most important issue in 2025, immigration, only reaches 15% and 17%. We care most about the economy by far.
Muddied Waters: Some of the other issues on this list may dominate our headlines, like healthcare and crime, but day-to-day, most people are far more concerned with their finances than they are with anything else. Our media diets can confuse us, not only with our perceived populations, but also on the most pressing issues we face.
***
Can You Blame Us for Being Confused?
We are consistently inundated with information from all sides, and it’s not easy to make sense of it all. Sometimes it seems impossible. With so much around, it’s hard to tell what’s true and what’s inflated.
Information Overload: A term we use often here at the Gulf South Index. 67% of the Gulf South and 50% nationally spend 2-5 hours a day on social media. 79% and 73% consider themselves active participants on Facebook, respectively. And 25% and 15% spend six hours a day on their phones. With so much screen time, the line between perception and reality can start to blur.
And it is affecting our decision making too. 41% of Americans second-guess their daily decisions, and 1 in 8 are considered overthinkers, says Talker Research. We’re all having a harder time deciphering our best path forward, whether we’re buying a house or making choices at the grocery store.
“Everybody gets so much information all day long that they lose their common sense.” A quote we use often here, attributed to Gertude Stein in 1946, and yet still endlessly relevant. It’s not easy to make decisions and proper attributions with so much going on all the time.
***
Why do these perceptions matter? If what we think isn’t always what’s true, the consequences aren’t black-and-white, but can and do cause numerous issues, such as rampant misinformation spread, acts of hatred and information fatigue. Even though the noise is never-ending, it’s important to sift through it to find the truth. While our perceptions may never be perfect, we can all do the work to make the overwhelming misconceptions a little more manageable – for ourselves and all those in our communities.
President
The Ehrhardt Group