Bathing, either in shower or tub, moved from fifth place to fourth between 1978 and 1983 in the Roper poll.

The new study also found that: *Detailed knowledge of the Holocaust had shown a modest overall gain, compared with the 1992 Roper poll.

In 1939 a Roper poll found that only thirty-nine percent of Americans felt that Jews should be treated like other people.

A Roper poll last July found that 22 percent of the general population ranked education as one of their top three concerns.

And in a Roper poll this year, only 5 percent blamed Israel for the Iran-Contra affair.

A recent Roper poll showed that 52 percent of consumers said they will pay more for a socially responsible product.

Ms. Diserio cites Roper polls indicating one-quarter of Americans admit they use astrology to help make decisions.

In a 2005 Roper poll, more than 75 percent of respondents said that a female leader would be better or no different on foreign policy, homeland security and the economy.

A new Roper poll has been conducted, he said, but the data has not yet been fully analyzed.

Veterans of this annual meeting say the leaders also more closely resemble the people whom Roper polls than they did a decade ago.