The ideal family implies mutual understanding, sharing common interests between wife and husband and independence in solving problems. The disputable issue is whether there should be equality in the family.
MOSCOW, July 5, 2012. In anticipation of the Day of Family, Love and Fidelity the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data describing what Russians think about ideal family.
The ideal family for Russians is a family where there is mutual understanding, support and respect despite financial problems (81%), a family where general interests are more important than the interests of any single member (78%), where wife and husband have shared interests and spend their free time always together (77%). Besides, the majority of respondents say the ideal family is a family where all the questions are solved independently, without any interference of other people (65%).
The most disputable question is the question of equality in the family: 45% believe that the ideal family is the one where wife and husband equally share all the duties; 53% say that the head of the family should take all the responsibility for any member of the family.
The views of single Russians and married Russians about ideal family are similar. However, opinions are divided on what is more important for the family – financial well-being or good relationship: married Russians more often mention that mutual understanding is the core of ideal family (83% versus 78% of single Russians).
The views about ideal family are different among those who were married once and those who married multiple times. Those who were married once more often than those who were married many times say that they appreciate mutual understanding rather than financial well-being (83% versus 72% of those who were married several times); they say that relationship should be based on equality (47% versus 39, respectively), that wife and husband should have common interests (81% versus 74, respectively).
The initiative Russian opinion polls were conducted June 30 - July 1, 2012. 1600 respondents were interviewed at 138 sampling points in 46 regions of Russia. The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.
The ideal family for you is…(close-ended question, one answer per each position) | ||||
| Total respondents | Single | Married (including de facto relationship) | |
1. | … a family where no one (especially children) is in need even if the relationships between its members are not perfect | 17 | 19 | 15 |
… a family where there is mutual understanding, support and respect even if there are financial problems | 81 | 78 | 83 | |
Hard to tell | 2 | 3 | 2 | |
2. | … a family where everyone is equal. All the duties and rights are equally shared between wife and husband | 45 | 46 | 45 |
…a family where there is the head of the family who takes all the responsibility within a family, someone who the family members can rely on | 53 | 52 | 53 | |
Hard to tell | 2 | 3 | 2 | |
3. | …a family where relatives of husband and wife help them morally ad financially, give them advices et cet. | 32 | 33 | 31 |
…a family where wife and husband live independently; they overcome difficulties on their own and do not allow others to interfere in their affairs | 65 | 63 | 66 | |
Hard to tell | 3 | 4 | 3 | |
4. | …a family where each individual has a right to act as he/she wants even if his/her interests run counter to the interests of other members | 17 | 17 | 17 |
…a family where interests of family are more important that the interests of any single member | 78 | 78 | 78 | |
Hard to tell | 5 | 5 | 4 | |
5. | …a family where husband and wife allow each other having private life: for example, meeting friends separately, going for vacations, flirting and et cet. | 20 | 21 | 19 |
…a family where husband and wife have common interests and spend their free time only together | 77 | 75 | 78 | |
Hard to tell | 3 | 5 | 3 | |
The ideal family for you is… (close-ended question, one answer per each position) | |||||
| Total respodnents | Married once | Married two times or more | Never married | |
1. | … a family where no one (especially children) is in need even if the relationships between its members are not perfect | 17 | 15 | 24 | 12 |
… a family where there is mutual understanding, support and respect even if there are financial problems | 81 | 83 | 72 | 84 | |
Hard to tell | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
2. | … a family where everyone is equal. All the duties and rights are equally shared between wife and husband | 45 | 47 | 39 | 37 |
…a family where there is the head of the family who takes all the responsibility within a family, someone who the family members can rely on | 53 | 51 | 58 | 60 | |
Hard to tell | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | |
3. | …a family where relatives of husband and wife help them morally ad financially, give them advices et cet. | 32 | 33 | 28 | 32 |
…a family where wife and husband live independently; they overcome difficulties on their own and do not allow others to interfere in their affairs | 65 | 64 | 70 | 65 | |
Hard to tell | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | |
4. | …a family where each individual has a right to act as he/she wants even if his/her interests run counter to the interests of other members | 17 | 16 | 18 | 18 |
…a family where interests of family are more important that the interests of any single member | 78 | 80 | 77 | 77 | |
Hard to tell | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | |
5. | …a family where husband and wife allow each other having private life: for example, meeting friends separately, going for vacations, flirting and et cet. | 20 | 16 | 24 | 25 |
…a family where husband and wife have common interests and spend their free time only together | 77 | 81 | 74 | 69 | |
Hard to tell | 3 | 3 | 2 | 6 | |
The ideal family for you is… (close-ended question, one answer per each position) | ||||
| Total respondents | Men | Women | |
1. | … a family where no one (especially children) is in need even if the relationships between its members are not perfect | 17 | 20 | 14 |
… a family where there is mutual understanding, support and respect even if there are financial problems | 81 | 77 | 84 | |
Hard to tell | 2 | 3 | 2 | |
2. | … a family where everyone is equal. All the duties and rights are equally shared between wife and husband | 45 | 43 | 47 |
…a family where there is the head of the family who takes all the responsibility within a family, someone who the family members can rely on | 53 | 55 | 51 | |
Hard to tell | 2 | 3 | 2 | |
3. | …a family where relatives of husband and wife help them morally ad financially, give them advices et cet. | 32 | 32 | 32 |
…a family where wife and husband live independently; they overcome difficulties on their own and do not allow others to interfere in their affairs | 65 | 65 | 65 | |
Hard to tell | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
4. | …a family where each individual has a right to act as he/she wants even if his/her interests run counter to the interests of other members | 17 | 19 | 16 |
…a family where interests of family are more important that the interests of any single member | 78 | 76 | 80 | |
Hard to tell | 5 | 5 | 4 | |
5. | …a family where husband and wife allow each other having private life: for example, meeting friends separately, going for vacations, flirting and et cet. | 20 | 22 | 18 |
…a family where husband and wife have common interests and spend their free time only together | 77 | 75 | 79 | |
Hard to tell | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!