A new Pew-Knight Initiative study groups Americans into four civic engagement profiles. The research highlights differences in political, social, and news participation. Age and party lines influence these patterns.
Media and publishing professionals tracking audience behavior now have new data on how Americans engage with civic life. The Pew-Knight Initiative has released a report that categorizes U.S. adults into four distinct groups based on their participation in activities such as voting, volunteering, religious attendance, and news consumption. This approach offers a holistic view of civic engagement, moving beyond the traditional method of analyzing these behaviors in isolation.
The research, conducted through surveys between July and December 2025, identifies four main profiles: Mobilizers, Connectors, Spectators, and Outsiders. Mobilizers, representing about 10% of the population, are the most active across all forms of civic and political participation, including campaign volunteering and contacting elected officials. Connectors, who make up 28%, are highly involved in volunteering and charitable giving but less engaged in politics.
Spectators account for 31% of Americans. While they are less likely to participate in civic or political activities, they follow the news at rates similar to Mobilizers and Connectors. Outsiders, also at 31%, are the least engaged overall, though 41% of this group reported voting in 2024, indicating some level of participation.
The study also finds that younger Americans are more likely to be Spectators, while older adults tend to be Connectors. Both age groups have similar proportions in the most and least engaged categories. Younger respondents are more likely to share or discuss news privately on social media or messaging apps, but public sharing rates are consistent across ages.
Political affiliation shows subtle differences: Mobilizers are slightly more likely to lean Democrat, while Connectors tend to lean Republican. Spectators and Outsiders are more often politically moderate. The most engaged groups report more negative feelings about the country's direction but are also more positive about their local communities. Connectors are less likely than Mobilizers to express anger or fear about national or local issues.
Trust in news organizations is lowest among Outsiders, but skepticism about fairness in news coverage is widespread across all groups. Most Americans, regardless of engagement level, believe news outlets favor one side in political and social reporting. Additionally, Connectors and Outsiders are less likely to trust information from social media compared to Mobilizers and Spectators.
For those interested in how civic engagement intersects with audience development and news consumption, related research on strategies for connecting with readers-especially younger generations-can be found in this analysis of nonprofit news audience engagement.
