The 2012 Outlook Surveys, conducted by GfK Knowledge Networks on behalf of the University of California Irvine, were designed to study political and social attitudes in the United States. The project included two surveys fielded between August and December 2012 using a sample from an Internet panel. A total of 2,294 respondents participated in this study during Wave 1 and 1,601 were interviewed during Wave 2. The target population was comprised of four groups: African American/Black males aged 18 and older, African American/Black females aged 18 and older, White/other race males aged 18 and older, and White/other race females aged 18 older, all non-institutionalized and residing in the United States. The survey considered the ways in which social class, ethnicity, marital status, feminism, religiosity, political orientation, sexual behavior, and cultural beliefs or stereotypes influence opinion and behavior. Participants were asked an array of questions pertaining to voting preference, party identification, respondent perception of opportunity for success, and views on interracial dating. These variables and questions examine political and social attitudes in the United States. Additional questions addressed issues such as common fate, nationalism, equality, discrimination, and relations with law enforcement. Demographic variables include race ethnicity, age, gender, religious involvement, sexual orientation, citizenship, annual income, and education.

This survey of 1,008 adult residents includes questions from earlier Orange County Annual Surveys. It also includes key indicators from the PPIC Statewide Survey for comparisons with the state and regions of California. It also considers racial/ethnic, income, and political differences. The following issues are explored in this Orange County Survey: Orange County Issues, Housing Issues, and State and National Issues. Orange County Issues include such questions as: What are the trends over time in consumer confidence and the public's ratings of the quality of life and the economy in Orange County? Do residents recall the Orange County government bankruptcy in 1994, how do they perceive its impacts today, and have attitudes toward the county government recovered in the past 10 years? How satisfied are residents with their local public services and city governments? What are the most important issues facing the county and how do residents rate the problems in their regions? What are their perceptions of commuting and transportation plans and preferences for local transportation taxes? Housing Issues include such questions as: How satisfied are residents with their homes and neighborhoods and how do they perceive their opportunities for buying a home in Orange County? How many residents feel the financial strain of housing costs, perceive the benefits of rising home values, or are seriously considering moving? What housing and neighborhood options are they willing to consider?Online data analysis & additional documentation in Link below. Methods The Orange County Survey a collaborative effort of the Public Policy Institute of California and the School of Social Ecology at the University of California, Irvine is a special edition of the PPIC Statewide Survey. This is the fourth in an annual series of PPIC surveys of Orange County. Mark Baldassare, director of the PPIC Statewide Survey, is the founder and director of the Orange County Annual Survey at UCI and a former UCI professor. The UCI survey was conducted 19 times from 1982 to 2000; thus, the Orange County Survey collaboration between PPIC and UCI that began in 2001 is an extension of earlier survey efforts. The special survey of Orange County is co-sponsored by UCI with local support received for this four-year series from Deloitte and Touche, Pacific Life Foundation, Disneyland, Los Angeles Times, Orange County Business Council, Orange County Division of League of California Cities, Orange County Register, The Irvine Company, and United Way of Orange County.Orange County is the second most populous county in the state and one of California's fastest growing and changing regions. The county is home to three million residents today, having gained approximately one million residents since 1980. Three in four residents were white and non-Hispanic in 1980; today, nearly half are Latinos and Asians, and more population growth and racial/ethnic change are projected for the next several decades. The county's dynamic economy has become one of the leaders in the high-technology industry. The county is a bellwether county in state and national politics and the site of many important local governance issues, including a county government bankruptcy that occurred 10 years ago in December 1994. There are also housing, transportation, land use, and environmental concerns related to development. Public opinion findings are critical to informing discussions and resolving public debates on key issues. The purpose of this study is to inform policymakers, the media, and the general public by providing timely, accurate, and objective information about policy preferences and economic, social, and political trends.To measure changes over time, this survey of 1,008 adult residents includes questions from earlier Orange County Annual Surveys. It also includes key indicators from the PPIC Statewide Survey for comparisons with the state and regions of California. We also consider racial/ethnic, income, and political differences. The following issues are explored in this Orange County Survey:Orange County Issues What are the trends over time in consumer confidence and the public's ratings of the quality of life and the economy in Orange County? Do residents recall the Orange County government bankruptcy in 1994, how do they perceive its impacts today, and have attitudes toward the county government recovered in the past 10 years? How satisfied are residents with their local public services and city governments? What are the most important issues facing the county and how do residents rate the problems in their regions? What are their perceptions of commuting and transportation plans and preferences for local transportation taxes?Housing Issues How satisfied are residents with their homes and neighborhoods and how do they perceive their opportunities for buying a home in Orange County? How many residents feel the financial strain of housing costs, perceive the benefits of rising home values, or are seriously considering moving? What housing and neighborhood options are they willing to consider?State and National Issues What is the overall outlook for California and U.S. conditions? How do residents rate the job performances of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and President George W. Bush? What are their perceptions of the national election and the second term of the Bush presidency? Has the partisan divide in trust in the federal government increased over time?