Russians think that conducting public opinion surveys is helpful in solving social problems and promoting scientific knowledge.
MOSCOW, November 13, 2014. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the information concerning the attitudes of Russians toward conducting social studies: do we need them? what are they used for? should the results of opinion polls be presented in mass media?).
According to Russians, those who are interested in social surveys are politicians (46%) and sociologists themselves (41%). Every fourth (26%) thinks that mass media use them. One-fifth of respondents (22%) are confident that any citizen is curious to know the results of the opinion polls. Over the recent four years the share of Russians who say that NGOs are interested in conducting social surveys has substantially increased (from 12% in 2010 to 19% in 2014); business community is less interested according to Russians (decrease from 24% to 17%, respectively). Only 8% believe that public opinion studies are useless.
Half of Russians (55%) consider that publication of the results of public opinion polls is needed to inform the society about the state of affairs (61% of respondents who graduated from universities vs 46%). Only 9% say that the results of the surveys should not be made public because it may affect public attitudes. Every fourth (24%) sees neither harm, nor benefits because no one pays attention to public opinion surveys.
Seventy-seven percent of Russians are confident that social surveys help the authorities to better know the attitudes and perceptions of ordinary people; however the number of such respondents is smaller than it was ten years ago (84% in 2005). More than half of respondents (58%) believe that politicians and entrepreneurs use this data to make their activity more effective. Two-thirds of Russians (66%) believe that surveys are conducted for self-interest (to get information about someone’s personal life or property). Most of respondents (60%) mention scientific purposes (67% in 2005). Forty-five percent of Russians say that companies that carry out public opinion surveys are commercial; they are opposed by 37% of Russians. Finally, 41% think that public opinion surveys are currently trendy; 42% do no share this stance.
The VCIOM opinion poll was conducted on November 1-2, 2014. 1600 respondents were interviewed in 130 communities in 42 regions of Russia. Data are weighted by gender, age, education, working status and type of settlement. The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.
In your opinion, who is interested in public opinion surveys? (closed-ended question, not more than three answers) | ||
| 2010 | 2014 |
Politicians, authorities | 49 | 46 |
Sociologists; scientific purposes | 34 | 41 |
Mass media | 25 | 26 |
Everyone who wants to know public attitudes | 23 | 22 |
Public associations, charitable organizations | 12 | 19 |
Business community, companies | 24 | 17 |
Other | - | 1 |
No one | 7 | 8 |
Don`t know | 7 | 6 |
There are different opinions concerning the publication of the results of public opinion polls in mass media. Which of these statements is closer to yours? (closed-ended question, one answer) | ||
| 2010 | 2014 |
Social surveys and public opinion polls are useful and helpful in studying public moods and social problems; their publications let everyone including authorities be acquainted with their results | 50 | 55 |
Publication of social surveys and public opinion polls are useless and even harmful; they are used not to raise awareness but to manipulate people and influence their views | 6 | 9 |
Publication of social surveys and public opinion polls are neither harmful not useful because no one pays attention to them | 26 | 24 |
I do not agree with any of these statements | 5 | 5 |
It is hard to choose only one point of view because each f them is right | 12 | 7 |
Which of the following statements concerning the activity of the organizations conducting social surveys and public opinion studies do you most agree with? (closed-ended question, one answer per each line) | ||||
| Rather agree | Rather disagree | Don`t know | |
Conducting public opinion surveys helps studying the attitudes of ordinary citizens about their city, region, country; so the authorities can know public views and take them into consideration when solving problems | 2014 | 77 | 16 | 7 |
2008 | 76 | 8 | 15 | |
2005 | 84 | 10 | 6 | |
Most of surveys are carried out to get information concerning people`s personal life, property to use this information further for one`s own profit | 2014 | 22 | 66 | 13 |
2008 | 16 | 56 | 28 | |
2005 | 16 | 74 | 10 | |
Social surveys are conducted by researchers to get scientific knowledge | 2014 | 60 | 25 | 15 |
2008 | 51 | 21 | 28 | |
2005 | 67 | 18 | 16 | |
Most of organizations conducting social surveys gain money; they fulfill an order; it is nothing but commercial activity | 2014 | 45 | 37 | 18 |
2008 | 44 | 27 | 29 | |
2005 | 40 | 45 | 15 | |
The results of social surveys are used by authorities, politicians, entrepreneurs to increase the effectiveness of their activity | 2014 | 58 | 25 | 17 |
2008 | 56 | 17 | 27 | |
2005 | 59 | 26 | 15 | |
Social surveys and other social research neither do harm, nor good; no one pays attention to them; they are just trendy | 2014 | 41 | 42 | 18 |
2008 | 32 | 38 | 29 | |
2005 | 35 | 51 | 15 | |
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!