Hyvin toimeentuleva, terve ja suvaitsematon – Suomalaisten nuorten poliittiset ideologiat asenneprofiileina tarkasteltuna
Keywords:
political attitudes, attitudinal profiles, person-oriented approachAbstract
Individuals do not hold random sets of social attitudes but instead they conform to particular combinations of attitudes – political ideologies, held by social groups they identify with. For instance, pro- or anti-immigration views are accompanied by other specific views on social and economic issues as part of a package. However, a conventional variable-oriented approach to attitudes does not capture these simultaneous configurations of linear and non-linear associations between attitudes. In this study (N=744, ikä 18-29, M = 24,65) we examined political attitudes from a person-oriented approach, that is, what latent groups (profiles) are identified based on attitudes regarding immigration, social benefits, income-gaps, the environment and the strength of the army. Four profiles emerged: (1) the red-greens, (2) the market liberals, (3) populists and (4) right-wing conservatists, all varying uniquely in their attitudinal dispositions. As expected, gender varied significantly between the groups. Contrary to expectations, however, the wealthiest, healthiest and fairly highly educated respondents (i.e. right-wing conservatists) were strongest opposed to immigration. A nine-month follow-up of the profiles revealed only a few non-significant transitions between the profiles. The results question common public perceptions about the majority being moderate in their views on immigration, the supporters of the True Finns party being on the side of the weak and poor as well as the assumed link between marginalization and anti-immigration views.
