Tekijät

• Kestilä-Kekkonen, Elina (Tampere University)
• Sipinen, Josefina (Tampere University)
• Tiihonen, Aino (Tampere University)
• Borg, Sami (The Foundation for Municipal Development sr)
• Hannuksela, Venla (Tampere University)
• Kestilä, Laura (Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare)
• Kekkonen, Maria (Tampere University)
• Korventausta, Miikka (University of Turku & Tampere University)
• Porkkala, Silja (University of Turku & Tampere University)
• Söderlund, Peter (Åbo Akademi University)
• Vadén, Salla (Tampere University)

Asiasanat

adolescents, attitudes, civic education, lower secondary schools, participation, political attitudes, political behaviour, political participation, politics, social attitudes, social influence, social systems

Sisällön kuvaus

The data is a follow-up study consisting of two different questionnaires designed to find out how family, friends and the school environment influence young people's social attitudes and participation. The data was collected as part of the project "Education, Political Efficacy and Informed Citizenship (EPIC)", funded by the Academy of Finland and The Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland.

The first wave of the survey asked, for example, respondents' opinions and thoughts about their schools, classes and teachers, and the teaching methods used in civic education classes. In addition, respondents were asked about their sense of belonging to different groups of people. They were then asked to assess their own skills in different social and political areas and to rate the skills they had acquired in civic education classes in these areas. Interest in and understanding of politics was also asked, as well as their own perceived level of influence.

This was followed by a series of questions relating to the respondent's own life and social issues, and questions about participation in various groups or organizations and other efforts to influence social issues were asked. Further questions were asked about the things respondents see as important to do as an adult and about future voting activity after the age of 18. The question also asked where respondents get information on political and social issues and asked about their thoughts on climate change. Finally, respondents were asked to assess the political views of their own caregivers and the extent to which their perceptions of politics and society have been influenced by different parties.

The second wave was collected two years after the first wave to see how respondents' attitudes had evolved over the two years. The second wave survey consisted of similar questions and statements as the first wave survey. The questionnaire asked, among other things, about respondents' thoughts and opinions on various social and political statements, thoughts about school and teachers, statements about respondents' carers and friends, the extent to which respondents' perceptions of politics and society were influenced by different parties and also about their attempts to influence social issues.

Background variables included, among others, gender, year of birth (categorized), language used at home, how long they have lived in Finland, type of place of residence, parents' education, membership of a church or other religious community, parents' occupation (categorized by ISCO), and degree studied.