A majority of Americans wrongly believe the country is in a recession, a new survey shows.
A Harris poll, performed for The GuardianResearch found that nearly three in five respondents say the U.S. is in a recession, even though experts say there hasn't been a recession since 2020.
A recession is defined as a period of negative economic growth for two consecutive quarters or longer, although the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) calls for when a recession occurs.
The NBER said the most recent recession coincided with the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the U.S. has not entered a recession since.
The survey found that 55 percent of respondents believe the economy is shrinking, and 56 percent say the U.S. is experiencing a recession despite the country's gross domestic product growth.
Forty-nine percent of respondents say unemployment is at a 50-year high, although at less than 4 percent, unemployment is actually close to a 50-year low.
A majority of Americans blame President Biden for the state of the economy. Fifty-eight percent of respondents said the economy is worsening as a result of his mismanagement, The Guardian reported.
The economy, and especially inflation, is a serious problem for Biden as he fights for re-election. Voters consistently give him low marks on this issue.
67 percent of Republicans in the survey say the U.S. is in a recession, while 53 percent of independent voters and 49 percent of Democrats say the same.
The survey was conducted from May 10 to 12 among 2,119 adults.
