50 Unsettling Facts To Think About When You Won't Be Able To Fall Asleep At 3 A.M.

Over the past decade, three researchers from Chapman University have explored the psyche of America, uncovering the top fears that haunt the nation. In 2024, the biggest ones were:

1. Corrupt Government Officials (65.2% very afraid or afraid)
2. People I Love Becoming Seriously Ill (58.4%)
3. Cyberterrorism (58.3%)
4. People I Love Dying (57.8%)
5. Russia Using Nuclear Weapons (55.8%)
6. Not Having Enough Money for the Future (55.7%)
7. U.S. Becoming Involved in Another World War (55.0%, tied)
8. North Korea Using Nuclear Weapons (55.0%, tied)
9. Terrorist Attack (52.7%)
10. Biological Warfare (52.5%)

According to the researchers on the Chapman University Survey of American Fears, the nation's number one fear in 2024 was corrupt government officials, but this isn't anything new: it's topped the study every year since 2015.

"Fear of corrupt government officials, that's always up there," says Christopher Bader, professor of sociology and the lead investigator on the project. "We think that is reflecting an overall sense amongst people, regardless of political affiliation, that the government is just not working, it is corrupt."

While people are perennially concerned about not having enough money, the fear of economic collapse—last year's number two fear—has dropped out of the top 10 list. However, fear of cyberterrorism has grown by 9%, moving it into third position in the rankings.

While the study demonstrates how American fears rise and fall due to current events, it sometimes shows the opposite—that what people fear doesn't always reflect reality.

This disparity is glaringly obvious when it comes to crime.

"The vast majority of our respondents said that crime rates are rising dramatically, and they're just wrong,” says Bader.

This phenomenon is well documented. For example, FBI data has shown the nation's crime rate declined over the past three decades, but over half of Americans have said they believe there is more crime than the year before in nearly every Gallup survey conducted since 1993. 

One of the reasons for this misperception is an increased dependence on social media and news sites that rely on page views and engagement for revenue. Articles with attention-grabbing headlines are more likely to be shared, and a flood of dire warnings keeps readers glued to their phones doomscrolling.