Results of our studies

IN BRIEF

VCIOM-SPUTNIK daily omnibus survey data suggest that the most beautiful women are close women (mothers, sisters, wives, and girlfriends). To bring joy to them on the Women’s Day men will give them flowers, cosmetics and jewelry first.

MOSCOW, March 7, 2017.  In anticipation of the International Women’s Day, the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the results of a survey devoted to Russian women.

One will definitely never find an ugly woman. But who is the prettiest one? The national rating of the most beautiful women who have ever lived in Russia is headed by those women who are close (mothers, sisters, girlfriends, women); they were mentioned by 5% of respondents. The second position is held by Elina Bystritskaya, People's Artist of the USSR, (3%). Oxana Fedorova, Valentina Tereshkova, Sofia Rotaru, Valentina Matvienko and Alina Kabaeva obtained 2% of votes (each).

Asked to name the smartest Russian woman, 7% of respondents mention Valentina Tereshkova, 6% - Valentina Matvienko; a further 6% cite female acquaintances. Remarkably, a historic figure, Empress Catherine II (the Great) is considered to be the smartest Russian woman.  

Half of Russians (52%) will give flowers as a gift (65% of men); 41% of women). The most popular presents also include perfumery, cosmetics (31% of respondents; 37% of women vs 25% of men), sweets, spirits and delicatessen (23% of respondents; 29% vs 16, respectively), and souvenirs (15%; 22% of women and 7% of men), concert tickets (11%), money (11%; 15% of men vs. 8% or women).

A considerable deviation from the sample mean is marked across gift options such as jewelry (9%; 18% of men and 2% of women), mobile phones (5%; 9% of men, 3% of women). Only 9% of male respondents report not to plan to give anything for the International Women’s Day.

The most popular way for men to select a gift is “guessing” (thinking over what to give) (29%) and “finding out” (direct question) (25%). Interestingly, over the recent five years the share of men who give money letting the woman buy what she wants has almost doubled  (10% in 2012; 19% in 2017).

The Sputnik omnibus survey was conducted on March 2-3, 2017, using stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of landline and mobile phone numbers operating in Russia, and involved 1200 respondents. Russians aged 18 and over took part in the survey.  The data were weighted according to selection probability and social and demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 3.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes in question wording and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.

 In 2011-2012 household surveys were carried out.

Which of the following Russian women do you consider to be the most beautiful? This woman should not necessarily be contemporary; the most important thing is that she should live in Russia.(open-ended question, one answer, answers provided by at least 1% of respondents in one of the years)  

 

2012

2017

My wife/girlfriend/mother/sister  

2

5

Bystritskaya

2

3

Fedorova

5

2

Tereshkova

0

2

Rotaru

3

2

Matvienko

1

2

Kabaeva

0

2

Valeriya

2

1

Jeanna Friske

2

1

Pugacheva

2

1

Alferova Irina

2

1

Tolkunova

1

1

Allegrova

1

1

Ani Lorak

1

1

Sharapova

0

1

Catherine II (the Great)  

0

1

Gagarina

0

1

They all are beautiful

1

1

Brezhneva Vera

2

0

Piekha

1

0

Semenovich

1

0

Boyarskaya

1

0

Volochkova

1

0

Gurchenko

1

0

Zykina

1

0

Alsu

1

0

Kandelaki

1

0

Orlova

1

0

Kasatkina

1

0

Andreeva

1

0

Zavorotnyuk

1

0

Kudryavtseva

1

0

Lolita

1

0

Navka

1

0

Sobchak

1

0

Alentova

1

0

Guseva

1

0

Others

15

18

Don’t know

40

53

Which of the following well-known Russian women do you consider to be the smartest one? This woman should not necessarily be contemporary; the most important thing is that she should live in Russia (open-ended question, one answer, answers provided by at least 1% of respondents in one of the years)

 

2012

2017

Tereshkova

2

7

Matvienko

9

6

My wife/girlfriend/mother/sister 

1

6

Catherine II (the Great)

5

5

Zakharova

0

3

Khakamada

6

2

Pugacheva

3

1

Dr. Liza (Glinka)

0

1

Yarovaya

0

1

Ranevskaya

0

1

Putina

0

1

Poklonskaya

0

1

Kandelaki

3

1

Sobchak

2

1

Nabiullina

0

1

Akhmatova

0

1

Guzeeva

0

1

Kovalevskaya

2

0

Golikova

1

0

Gorbacheva

1

0

Malysheva

1

0

Dashkova

1

0

Krupskaya

1

0

Furtseva

1

0

Others

16

8

Don’t know

45

52

What are you going to give to your close women for the International Women’s Day? You can cite up to four gifts.

 (closed-ended question, not more than four answers, %)

 

Total respondents

Men

Women

Flowers

52

65

41

Perfumery, cosmetics, bijouterie

31

25

37

Sweets, spirits, delicatessen

23

16

29

Souvenirs (pens, notebooks, purses, et cet.)

15

7

22

Concert/theatre tickets, restaurant dinner

11

15

8

Money

11

13

9

Jewelry

9

18

2

Domestic appliances (tea-kettle, iron, coffeemaker)

9

7

11

Mobile phone

5

9

3

Toys

5

4

6

Clothes, shoes

4

4

4

Travel package

3

6

1

Photo/video camera, TV set ,sound system

1

1

1

Personal computer

1

1

0,2

Car

1

1

0

CD, DVDs

0,4

0,5

0,4

I will not give anyone anything

9

6

11

Other

8

8

9

Don’t know

2

2

3

How do you choose what to buy a woman for the International Women’s Day?

 (closed-ended question, not more than three answers, % of men)

 

2011

2017

I think over what she would like to have

32

29

I ask directly about what she wants to have

28

25

I give her money to let her buy what she wants

10

19

I buy what I have enough money for  

20

17

I give a standard set made of flowers, sweets and perfumery

20

17

I ask advice from her friends and relatives

8

10

I give what I have or what I was given before  

1

1

Usually I do not give any gifts for the International Women’s Day

8

4

Don’t know

3

4

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!

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