Americans Underestimate National Levels of Concern for Future Generations: Evidence Across Collective, Governmental and Moral Considerations

Concern for future generations is fundamental to multigenerational ethical decision-making and policymaking; yet people may underestimate how widely it’s shared––a misperception that could weaken mobilization towards collective action. Across two nationally representative U.S. samples (N = 1,000), we examined actual versus perceived intergenerational concern within the circle of moral regard, as well as in prescriptions for collective and governmental decision-making contexts. Participants significantly underestimated how many future generations their fellow Americans morally consider and believe should be accounted for in collective and governmental decisions. This pattern aligns with pluralistic ignorance––where individuals assume their attitudes are uncommon despite broad consensus. Our findings suggest that intergenerational concern is widespread in the U.S. but remains a potentially underleveraged driver of long-term policy support. Correcting misperceptions about the prevalence of concern for future generations may enhance collective action and foster policies that better account for the needs of those yet to come.