Results of our studies

IN BRIEF

A self-portrait of young Russian youth and the way older generations view the youth are quite similar. The main difference is that young people have a higher opinion of their activities than older generations.

MOSCOW, August 12, 2020 Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the findings of a survey devoted to Youth Day.

What is the modern Russian youth like? First of all, young people tend to be sociable (72%), not reserved (19%). Those who share this viewpoint are mainly young people themselves (77% among the 18-35-year-olds).

Russians tend to consider that young people are friendly (51%), rather than aggressive (34%); over the recent year this stance has become more common (43% vs. 41% in 2019). Young Russians are open and friendly (52%, + 5 p.p.) rather than lofty (35%). They often show compassion rather than indifference (47% vs. 42%); this opinion is often shared by young Russians themselves (50%).

The number of those who view youth as cynical people has decreased (44%, −7p.p.); Russians consider young people to be more sincere (41%, +6 p.p.), although young people view themselves as cynical (48%). Young Russians are active (48%; 56% of young people themselves) and not passive (39%; mainly persons aged 35 think so - 42%). They are ready to help others (49%) and do not think only of themselves (39%). Young people are often viewed as honest rather than hypocritical (46% vs. 38%); this stance has been more common over a year (+7 p.p.). Young people are brave, according to 49% of Russians (+5 p.p.); just 27% consider them coward.There is no big difference in assessments between younger and older generations.

Russians are divided in their opinions as to whether modern young people are cultured or uncultured (45% vs. 42%), although young people themselves are inclined to share the former stance (49%). What is for sure is that young people tend to be polite (53%; 57% of the 18-35-year-olds) rather than harsh (35%). More than half of Russians believe that young people are keen on sports (65%), take care of their health (48%) and have a neat appearance  (71%; mainly young people — 76%).

Russians also have ambiguous opinions on whether young people are hard working or lazy (43% vs. 45%), regardless of respondent’s age. However, more than half of Russians consider that young people are oriented towards material values (77%) rather than spiritual values (14%), and profit-seeking rather than self-denying (44% vs. 36%). Only 34% consider young people thrifty; every second respondent considers them spendthrift (51%); they are predominantly young people themselves (56%).

Almost half of Russians think that young adults tend to adopt other people’s beliefs (45%) or behavior (45%); however almost the same number of respondents believe that young people have a self-sufficient way of thinking (43%) and actions (44%).

Russians do not have a common perception of young people as patriots or as people who are indifferent to their country (43% vs. 45%). The majority considers that young adults have no interest in politics (60%), however they tend to show respect for the rule of law (45%); those who think so are mainly young people themselves — 50%. Forty percent of Russians think young people respect common rules, but 44% say they break the rules (48% of young Russians).

Russian VCIOM-Sputnik survey was conducted on August 9, 2020. Results are based on telephone interviews with 1,600 Russians aged 18 and older. A stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of Russian landline and mobile phone number was used. 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 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes to the wording of questions and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.

In your opinion, what traits do modern Russians young people possess? Choose the most suitable trait in each pair (closed-ended question, one answer per each pair of statements, %)

 

2014

2017

2019

2020

Aggressiveness

44

45

41

34

Friendliness

47

46

43

51

Don’t know

9

9

16

15

 

 

 

 

 

Cynicism

48

51

51

44

Sincerity

40

39

35

41

Don’t know

12

10

14

15

 

 

 

 

 

Active

58

54

48

48

Passive, inactive

34

39

41

39

Don’t know

8

7

11

13

 

 

 

 

 

Patriotism

42

54

42

43

Indifference towards the home country

44

36

44

45

Don’t know

14

10

14

12

 

 

 

 

 

Selfishness

49

38

43

39

Readiness to help others

42

49

42

49

Don’t know

9

13

15

12

 

 

 

 

 

Self-forgetfulness

34

41

33

36

Greediness

45

43

45

44

Don’t know

21

16

22

20

 

 

 

 

 

Hardwork

32

44

34

43

Laziness

57

48

54

45

Don’t know

11

8

12

12

 

 

 

 

 

Honesty

43

54

39

46

Hypocrisy

40

34

43

38

Don’t know

17

12

18

16

 

 

 

 

 

Sociability

72

80

67

72

Restraint

20

15

24

19

Don’t know

8

5

9

9

 

 

 

 

 

Orientation towards spiritual values

16

17

10

14

Orientation towards material values

75

76

82

77

Don’t know

9

7

8

9

 

 

 

 

 

Spendthrift

57

51

54

51

Thrift

28

38

29

34

Don’t know

15

11

17

15

 

 

 

 

 

Culturedness

-

-

-

45

Lack of culture

-

-

-

42

Don’t know

-

-

-

13

 

 

 

 

 

Politeness

-

-

-

53

Rudeness

-

-

-

35

Don’t know

-

-

-

12

 

 

 

 

 

Cowardice

25

21

30

27

Bravery

49

59

44

49

Don’t know

26

20

26

24

 

 

 

 

 

Taking care of personal health

33

45

38

48

Lack of attention to personal health

54

48

52

43

Don’t know

13

7

10

9

 

 

 

 

 

Indifference

44

36

47

42

Compassion

42

54

41

47

Don’t know

14

10

12

11

 

 

 

 

 

Arrogant manner

37

32

38

35

Openness, friendly manner

48

57

47

52

Don’t know

15

11

15

13

 

 

 

 

 

Self-neglect, untidiness

-

-

-

17

Neatness

-

-

-

71

Don’t know

-

-

-

12

 

 

 

 

 

Enthusiasm for sport

54

66

60

65

Lack of interest in sport

33

23

27

24

Don’t know

13

11

13

11

 

 

 

 

 

Religiosity

28

39

31

29

Atheism, godlessness

47

44

50

52

Don’t know

25

17

19

19

 

 

 

 

 

Interest in politics

-

-

-

30

Lack of interest in politics

-

-

-

60

Don’t know

-

-

-

10

 

 

 

 

 

Independent beliefs 

-

-

-

43

Susceptibility to suggestion,

inclination to adopt someone else’s opinion

-

-

-

45

Don’t know

-

-

-

12

 

 

 

 

 

Self-sufficiency

-

-

-

44

Inclination to copy others  

-

-

-

45

Don’t know

-

-

-

11

 

 

 

 

 

Disrespect to laws  

-

-

-

37

Respect for the rule of  law

-

-

-

45

Don’t know

-

-

-

18

 

 

 

 

 

Ignoring common rules       

-

-

-

44

Respecting common rules

-

-

-

40

Don’t know

-

-

-

16

In your opinion, what traits do modern Russians young people possess? Choose the most suitable trait in each pair (closed-ended question, one answer per each pair of statements, %)

 

Total respondents

Aged 18-35

35 and older

Aggressiveness

34

38

34

Friendliness

51

53

49

Don’t know

15

9

17

 

 

 

 

Cynicism

44

48

44

Sincerity

41

43

39

Don’t know

15

9

17

 

 

 

 

Active

48

56

44

Passive, inactive

39

35

42

Don’t know

13

9

14

 

 

 

 

Patriotism

43

39

45

Indifference towards the home country

45

52

41

Don’t know

12

9

14

 

 

 

 

Selfishnesss

39

41

38

Readiness to help others

49

50

49

Don’t know

12

9

13

 

 

 

 

Self-forgetfulness

36

37

34

Greediness

44

47

44

Don’t know

20

16

22

 

 

 

 

Hardwork

43

45

41

Laziness

45

46

45

Don’t know

12

9

14

 

 

 

 

Honesty

46

48

44

Hypocrisy

38

43

35

Don’t know

16

9

21

 

 

 

 

Sociability

72

77

71

Restraint

19

17

19

Don’t know

9

6

10

 

 

 

 

Orientation towards spiritual values

14

16

12

Orientation towards material values

77

77

78

Don’t know

9

7

10

 

 

 

 

Spendthrift

51

56

48

Thrift

34

35

35

Don’t know

15

9

17

 

 

 

 

Culturedness

45

49

42

Lack of culture

42

41

43

Don’t know

13

10

15

 

 

 

 

Politeness

53

57

50

Rudeness

35

36

34

Don’t know

12

7

16

 

 

 

 

Cowardice

27

33

23

Bravery

49

53

46

Don’t know

24

14

31

 

 

 

 

Taking care of personal health

48

47

47

Lack of attention to personal health

43

45

43

Don’t know

9

8

10

 

 

 

 

Indifference

42

42

41

Compassion

47

50

46

Don’t know

11

8

13

 

 

 

 

Arrogant manner

35

39

33

Openness, friendly manner

52

55

51

Don’t know

13

6

16

 

 

 

 

Self-neglect, untidiness

17

17

17

Neatness

71

76

68

Don’t know

12

7

15

 

 

 

 

Enthusiasm for sport

65

69

62

Lack of interest in sport

24

25

24

Don’t know

11

6

14

 

 

 

 

Religiosity

29

31

28

Atheism, godlessness

52

57

50

Don’t know

19

12

22

 

 

 

 

Interest in politics

30

35

30

Lack of interest in politics

60

58

57

Don’t know

10

7

13

 

 

 

 

Independent beliefs 

43

45

43

Susceptibility to suggestion,

 inclination to adopt someone else’s opinion

45

48

43

Don’t know

12

7

14

 

 

 

 

Self-sufficiency in actions

44

48

43

Inclination to copy others 

45

45

44

Don’t know

11

7

13

 

 

 

 

Disrespect to laws 

37

37

36

Respect for the rule of  law

45

50

42

Don’t know

18

13

22

 

 

 

 

Ignoring common rules       

44

48

44

Respecting common rules

40

43

37

Don’t know

16

9

19

 

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