Study title

EVA Survey on Finnish Values and Attitudes 2017

Dataset ID Number

FSD3157

Persistent identifiers

https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD3157
https://doi.org/10.60686/t-fsd3157

Data Type

Quantitative

Authors

• Finnish Business and Policy Forum (EVA)

Abstract

The survey charted the values and attitudes of Finnish people. The main themes of the 2017 survey included the Finnish basic education system, municipal services and how they are provided, economic differences between population groups, the Finnish political system, social security, democracy, globalisation, Finnish foreign policy, and the EU and eurozone.

First, the respondents were asked to what extent they agreed with a large number of statements relating to, for instance, political parties and the political system, globalisation, education, employment, economic growth and markets, municipalities, taxation, changes in society, immigration and refugees, social security, the EU, and NATO membership.

The respondents' opinions on municipalities' duties were charted by asking which services should be provided by the public sector, which services should be provided by the private sector or in cooperation with the private sector. These services included day care, education, and street and road maintenance, among other things. Opinions on municipal tax and its effect on services provided by the municipality were also investigated. Views on basic education were probed by asking which things schools should teach and what subjects could be taught less. Views on immigration were charted in light of the current refugee crisis.

The respondents' opinions on democracy and different political systems were investigated by asking how important they felt it was to live in a democratic country, and by asking them to evaluate different political systems. Furthermore, the respondents were presented made-up political parties with extreme views, and asked how likely they were to vote for the party in the next parliamentary elections if such party existed. The potential future developments of the EU and the EMU that the respondents hoped to see happen in the following 10 years were surveyed (e.g. Brexit being cancelled, dissolution of the EU, Finland quitting the euro, the development of the EU into a federation).

Further questions relating to the European Union were asked, charting opinions on Finland's EU membership and the currency change to the euro. The respondents were also asked whether the EMU membership and the euro were advantageous or disadvantageous to Finland in the economic situation at the time of the survey, and whether the respondents would have voted for or against Finland's EU membership if a referendum had been held at the time of responding. The respondents were also asked about the impacts they felt Donald Trump would have as the president of the USA. Lastly, the respondents were presented with a list of influencers of current society and asked whether they thought these influencers had too much, enough, or not enough power in Finland.

Background variables included the respondent's gender, year of birth, region of residence (NUTS3), basic and vocational education, economic activity and occupational status, household size and composition, household gross income, working time, industry of employment, political party choice if parliamentary elections were held at the time of survey, membership in a trade union, self-perceived social class, and number of inhabitants in the municipality of residence.

Keywords

European Union; European integration; decision making; democracy; foreign policy; globalization; immigration; local government services; occupational life; parliamentary elections; political systems; political systems; primary education; refugees

Topic Classification

• Social sciences (Fields of Science Classification)
• Social behaviour and attitudes (CESSDA Topic Classification)
• Political behaviour and attitudes (CESSDA Topic Classification)
• Economic systems and development (CESSDA Topic Classification)
• Equality, inequality and social exclusion (CESSDA Topic Classification)

Series

EVA Surveys on Finnish Values and Attitudes

Distributor

Finnish Social Science Data Archive

Access

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

Data Collector

• Taloustutkimus

Time Period Covered

2017

Collection Dates

2017-01-11 – 2017-01-23

Nation

Finland

Geographical Coverage

Finland

Analysis/Observation Unit Type

Individual

Universe

People aged between 18 and 70 living in Finland (excluding the Åland Islands)

Time Method

Longitudinal: Trend/Repeated cross-section

Sampling Procedure

Probability: Multistage

The sample for this study was drawn from among the Taloustutkimus panel members, to be representative of the 18-70-year-old Finnish population (excluding the Åland Islands) in terms of age, gender, region of residence, education, and economic activity and occupational status. Reminder e-mails were sent four times to non-respondents and to persons who had completed only a part of the questionnaire. During data analysis at Taloustutkimus, the data were weighted to represent the Finnish population aged 18-70 in terms of age, gender, region of residence, education, economic activity and occupational status, industry of employment, and political party allegiance (which party would vote for in parliamentary elections)

The Internet panel of Taloustutkimus, randomly drawn from Finland's population register, consists of citizens aged 15-79 who have entered their demographic and sociographic information when registering to the panel and have given their consent to Taloustutkimus to invite them to participate in various surveys. Answering any survey is voluntary and participants can leave the panel any time they want.

Collection Mode

Self-administered questionnaire: Web-based (CAWI)

Research Instrument

Structured questionnaire

Response Rate

19.4

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: English and Finnish.

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

Number of Cases and Variables

172 variables and 2040 cases.

Data Version

2.0

Completeness of Data and Restrictions

Frequencies of variables q3a_1 - q3b_6 describe how the respondents' rated the importance of the issue on a scale from 1 to 6, for example common knowledge was ranked first x times, and ranked second y times etc.

Weighting

The data contain a weight variable that can be used to weight the data to represent the Finnish population aged 18-70 in terms of age, gender, region of residence, education, economic activity and occupational status, industry of employment, and political party allegiance (which party would vote for in parliamentary elections)

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

Finnish Business and Policy Forum (EVA): EVA Survey on Finnish Values and Attitudes 2017 [dataset]. Version 2.0 (2018-01-12). Finnish Social Science Data Archive [distributor]. https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD3157

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 Publications

Iskanius, Annika (2017). EVA Attitude and Value survey 2017. Finns worry about Russia, Trump and Brexit. Summary of Key Findings [online]. Helsinki: Finnish Business and Policy Forum EVA. http://www.eva.fi/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/summary.pdf [cited 11.5.2017].

Apunen, Matti & Haavisto, Ilkka & Iskanius, Annika & Toivonen, Sarianna (2017). Kumous kunnissa. EVAn Arvo- ja asennetutkimus 2017. EVA Raportti 1/2017. Helsinki: Taloustieto Oy.

Erola, Marko & Haavisto, Ilkka & Hokkanen, Eveliina & Kauhanen, Antti & Koskinen, Seppo & Malm Lindberg, Henrik & Makkula, Janne & Vihriälä, Vesa (2018). Työn uudet ehdot raportti. Miten avaamme työmarkkinoiden umpisolmut? [verkkodokumentti]. Helsinki: Elinkeinoelämän valtuuskunta. EVA Raportti. https://www.eva.fi/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/eva_raportti_tyon_uudet_ehdot.pdf [viitattu 29.6.2018].

Haavisto, Ilkka (2018). Kansa suosii perinteistä sosiaaliturvaa. Helsinki: Elinkeinoelämän valtuuskunta. https://www.eva.fi/blog/2018/09/27/kansa-suosii-perinteista-sosiaaliturvaa/ [viitattu 19.12.2018].

Haavisto, Ilkka & Heikkinen, Janne (2017): Työ ensin. Suomalaiset torjuvat anteliaan perustulon. Helsinki: Elinkeinoelämän valtuuskunta. EVA Analyysi No. 10. https://www.eva.fi/blog/2017/07/27/eva-arvio-suomalaiset-torjuvat-anteliaan-perustulon/ [viitattu 19.12.2018].

Valaranta, Iida (2020). Suomalaisten asennoituminen kunnallisten palveluiden markkinoistumiseen. Tampere: Tampereen yliopisto. Sosiaalipolitiikan pro gradu -tutkielma.URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202001151314

Alpimaa, Markku (2020) Talouspoliittiset asennemuutokset Suomessa vuosina 1984-2020 EVA:n arvo- ja asennetutkimusten valossa. Turku: Turun yliopisto. Sosiologian pro gradu -tutkielma. http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe20201223102803

Metelinen, Sami (2024). Suomalaiset tyytyväisiä euroon - poliitikot halutaan pitää loitolla rahapolitiikasta [verkkodokumentti]. Helsinki: Elinkeinoelämän valtuuskunta. EVA Artikkeli 4.6.2024. https://www.eva.fi/blog/2024/06/04/suomalaiset-tyytyvaisia-euroon-poliitikot-halutaan-pitaa-loitolla-rahapolitiikasta/ [viitattu 3.9.2024].

Kujanpää, Emmiliina (2024). Suomalaiset eivät lämpene veronkiristyksille, mutta pakkoraossa valitsevat mieluummin kulutusverot kuin palkkaverot [verkkodokumentti]. Helsinki: Elinkeinoelämän valtuuskunta. EVA Artikkeli 16.4.2024. https://www.eva.fi/blog/2024/04/16/suomalaiset-eivat-lampene-veronkiristyksille-mutta-pakkoraossa-valitsevat-mieluummin-kulutusverot-kuin-palkkaverot/ [viitattu 3.9.2024].