Watch CBS News

AP-Times Square Alliance Poll: Mass Shootings, Terror Attacks Gave Americans Bleak Outlook On 2015

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Was 2015 worse for the world than last year?

A new Associated Press-Times Square Alliance poll mass shootings and terror attacks weighed heavily on the minds of Americans in 2015, revealing that most polled believe this year was worse than 2014.

According to the poll, the most important events to Americans in the past year were the shootings in San Bernardino, California, as well as shootings in South Carolina, Oregon and Tennessee.

Close behind came the Paris attacks and atrocities perpetrated by the Islamic State extremist group.

Web Extra: NYC's Top 15 News Stories Of 2015

Americans are also much less likely than they were a year ago to believe that the current year was better for the United States -- only 17 percent compared with 30 percent in 2014.

The poll of 1,020 adults was conducted online between Dec. 11 and Dec. 13, with a 3 percentage point margin of sampling error.

(TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.