Seven in 10 Americans believe the nation's values have declined since 1940, according to The Atlantic/Aspen Institute American Values Survey, conducted by research firm Penn Schoen Berland and in partnership with global public relations and strategic communications firm Burson-Marsteller.

The study also showed that young people are still uneasy about business and with the distribution of wealth in the United States. More than half of Americans think the economic system is unfair to middle and working class Americans. Only 35 percent of those age 18 to 29 believed that what is good for business is good for America, compared with 45 percent of those age 45 to 64 and 61 percent of senior respondents over age 65.