Study title

Historical Consciousness in Finland 2009: Survey

Dataset ID Number

FSD2932

Persistent identifiers

https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD2932
https://doi.org/10.60686/t-fsd2932

Data Type

Quantitative

Authors

• Torsti, Pilvi (University of Helsinki. Department of Social Science History)
• Laaksonen, Seppo (University of Helsinki. Department of Social Research)
• van den Berg, Marko (University of Helsinki. Normal Lyceum of Helsinki)
• Wass, Hanna (University of Helsinki. Department of Economics and Political Studies)
• Löfström, Jan (University of Helsinki. Department of Teacher Education)
• Ouakrim-Soivio, Najat (University of Helsinki. Normal Lyceum of Helsinki)

Abstract

The study charted Finnish notions of and views on the past, historical consciousness, historical identity, and knowledge about history. Other topics included history of everyday life, and turning points and notable people in the history of Finland.

First questions surveyed the significance of history in the lives of the respondents, history-related activities done in the previous 12 months (reading historical novels, talking to relatives about events of the past etc.), observance of Finland's Independence Day, trust in different sources on matters related to history and the past, and interest in different areas of history (own family history, European history etc.) and history in general.

Next set of questions studied views on progress and the factors affecting it. The respondents were asked how they viewed the nature of historical progress, how much they thought different things and phenomena had affected the lives of people in the world (scientific progress, literature and art, wars etc.), and how much those things would affect the lives of people in the world in the following 40 years. Further questions charted opinions on the effects of various institutions and phenomena on the development of Finland's future in the following 40 years (e.g. political parties, protection of the environment, regional disparity in Finland). The respondents were asked whether they agreed with a number of statements about Finland's past and future (e.g. "Finns have been hard-working and industrious throughout history").

One theme pertained to the significance of history for the respondents' own generation. Questions charted the importance of different goals, values and behaviour to the respondents (e.g. the environment, economic wealth, world peace, helping the needy) as well as views on the most important events and people in the history of Finland.

Views on historical events were studied by asking to what extent the respondents agreed with various statements about the 1918 war in Finland (Civil War), about the Winter War, Continuation War and Lapland War, and about the decades after the World War II.

Finally, opinions on the Finland and the world of today were charted by presenting the respondents several statements relating to Finland's recent past and the contemporary world, and by asking the extent to which numerous Finnish phenomena and characteristics affected the perceptions of Finland in other countries (e.g. Finnish design, welfare state, low corruption).

Background variables included, among others, the respondent's year of birth, gender, R's and parents' education level, type of neighbourhood, economic activity, employer type, self-perceived social class, completion of military service, party choice in the previous parliamentary elections, and membership of a religious community as well as number of persons in the household, number of books in the household, and gross monthly income of the household.

Keywords

civil war; cultural history; history; knowledge (awareness); political history; progress; world war

Topic Classification

• Humanities (Fields of Science Classification)
• History (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

• Potila, Anna-Kaarina (Statistics Finland)
• Nyberg, Riina (Statistics Finland)

Time Period Covered

1600 – 2049

Collection Dates

2009-10 – 2009-12

Nation

Finland

Geographical Coverage

Finland

Analysis/Observation Unit Type

Individual

Universe

Finnish- and Swedish-speaking people aged 15-79 years living in Finland

Time Method

Cross-section

Sampling Procedure

Probability

The data were collected through a postal survey by Statistics Finland. A sample of 3,420 persons drawn from the population register were sent the cover letter and questionnaire. Three reminder postcards/letters were sent to non-respondents.

Before the first reminder, 800 responses were received. The first and second reminders yielded around 300 and the last reminder around 150 responses. Altogether 1,250 people responded to the survey. The responses of 1,208 respondents were included in the final data.

Collection Mode

Self-administered questionnaire: Paper

Research Instrument

Structured questionnaire

Response Rate

35.3

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.

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

Data Version

2.0

Related Datasets

FSD2867 Historical Consciousness in Finland 2010: Interviews

Weighting

There are two weight variables in the data. The sum of the first weight variable (bv7a) equals the size of the target population, i.e. Finnish and Swedish-speaking people between 15 and 79 years of age living in Finland. The second weight variable (bv7b) is otherwise identical to the first one, but it does not produce the kind of extension the first one does, i.e. the sum of the variable equals the number of cases.

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

Torsti, Pilvi (University of Helsinki) & Laaksonen, Seppo (University of Helsinki) & van den Berg, Marko (University of Helsinki) & Wass, Hanna (University of Helsinki) & Löfström, Jan (University of Helsinki) & Ouakrim-Soivio, Najat (University of Helsinki): Historical Consciousness in Finland 2009: Survey [dataset]. Version 2.0 (2018-07-19). Finnish Social Science Data Archive [distributor]. https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD2932

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.

Related Materials

Historiatietoisuus Suomessa -tutkimuksen verkkosivut http://blogs.helsinki.fi/historiatietoisuus/ [viitattu 23.4.2014]

Related Publications

Torsti, Pilvi (2012). Suomalaiset ja historia. Helsinki: Gaudeamus.

Torsti, Pilvi & Wass, Hanna (2011). Limittyvät sukupolvet ja jaetut näkemykset. Suomalaiset yhteiskunnalliset sukupolvet ja sukupolvittaiset erot poliittisessa käyttäytymisessä. Politiikka 3/2011.

Torsti, Pilvi (2011). Suomalaisten moniulotteiset sotakuvat. Historiallinen aikakauskirja 3/2011. 309-323.

Torsti, Pilvi & Aunesluoma, Juhana (2009). Historian käyttö yhteiskunnassa ja tutkimuksessa. Historiallinen aikakauskirja 3/2009. 276-279.