Study title

Finnish 2006 Presidential Election Survey: Candidate Choice and Profiles

Dataset ID Number

FSD2122

Persistent identifiers

https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD2122
https://doi.org/10.60686/t-fsd2122

Data Type

Quantitative

Authors

• TNS Gallup Finland
• Helsingin Sanomat

Abstract

The data, which were collected just before the 2006 presidential elections, charted how much goals and personal qualities influence candidate selection and what kind of images respondents had of the candidates. The respondents were asked to evaluate, for example, which candidates promoted the consolidation of the welfare state, defended human rights and social equality, were against joining Nato, had too positive a view on globalisation or the European Union military alliance, had too cautious or audacious a stance on foreign policy or were forging closer ties with the United States and Russia. The respondents rated the candidates' leadership qualities, such as expertise in foreign policy, humanity, ability as a public performer, broadmindedness, reliability, justness, ability to function under pressure, far-sightedness, and strength. The respondents were also asked how important it was in choosing a candidate that the president defends human rights and social equality in Finland and on a global scale, approves or disapproves of Nato membership, takes a critical or an open attitude to globalisation, wants to reduce presidential powers, supports the enlargement of the EU, aims to increase the resources of Finnish national defence, and meets ordinary Finnish citizens often. The respondents assessed how much candidates' characteristics affected their voting decision. The characteristics included gender, expertise, humanity, party allegiance, elegance, patriotism, determination, tolerance, reliability, irreproachability, justness, and Christian beliefs.

Background variables included the respondent's year of birth, gender, basic and vocational education, occupational group, occupational group of household head, industry of employment, trade union membership, voting behaviour, left-right political self-placement, municipality type, and province and county of residence.

Keywords

elections; leadership; personality; personality traits; political leaders; presidential candidates; presidential elections; tolerance; voting; voting behaviour

Topic Classification

• Social sciences (Fields of Science Classification)
• Political behaviour and attitudes (CESSDA Topic Classification)
• Elections (CESSDA Topic Classification)

Series

Individual datasets

Distributor

Finnish Social Science Data Archive

Access

The dataset is (B) available for research, teaching and study.

Data Collector

• TNS Gallup Finland

Data Producers

• TNS Gallup Finland

Time Period Covered

2005

Collection Dates

2005-10-14 – 2005-10-26

Nation

Finland

Geographical Coverage

Finland

Analysis/Observation Unit Type

Individual

Universe

People aged between 18 and 74 living in Finland (excluding the Åland Islands)

Time Method

Cross-section

Sampling Procedure

Probability: Multistage

Multistage stratified sampling resulting in a fixed sample. The data have been collected with the help of GallupChannel telepanel (PCs and Internet terminals in respondent households).

Collection Mode

Face-to-face interview: Computer-assisted (CAPI/CAMI)

Research Instrument

Structured questionnaire

Data File Language

Downloaded data package may contain different language versions of the same files.

The data files of this dataset are available in the following languages: Finnish and English.

FSD translates quantitative data into English on request, free of charge. More information on ordering data translation.

Number of Cases and Variables

323 variables and 1232 cases.

Data Version

2.0

Completeness of Data and Restrictions

The data were collected in two parts in consecutive weeks. Questions relating to important goals in presidential work and important characteristics in choosing a president (variables beginning with q3 and q4) and respondents' voting preferences (variables beginning with q5) were asked between 14 and 19 October 2005. Qualities and characteristics of the candidates (variables beginning with q1 and q2) were surveyed between 21 and 26 October 2005.

Weighting

The data contains a weight designed by TNS Gallup Finland.

Citation Requirement

The data and its creators shall be cited in all publications and presentations for which the data have been used. The bibliographic citation may be in the form suggested by the archive or in the form required by the publication.

Bibliographical Citation

TNS Gallup Finland & Helsingin Sanomat: Finnish 2006 Presidential Election Survey: Candidate Choice and Profiles [dataset]. Data version 2.0 (2018-07-19). Finnish Social Science Data Archive [distributor]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.60686/t-fsd2122; URN: https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD2122

Deposit Requirement

Notify FSD of all publications where you have used the data by sending the citation information to user-services.fsd@tuni.fi.

Disclaimer

The original data creators and the archive bear no responsibility for any results or interpretations arising from the reuse of the data.

Other Material

See downloadable files at the top of the page.

Description of GallupChannel

Related Materials

Helsingin Sanomat 5.11.2005 & 18.11.2005

Related Publications

Suhonen, Pertti (2007). Mielipidetutkimukset presidentinvaaleissa. Teoksessa: Presidentinvaalit 2006 (toim. Pekka Isotalus & Sami Borg), 56-76. Helsinki: WSOY.