Cultural Behaviour of Swedish-Speaking Finns 1992

The main themes of the survey were respondents' cultural behaviour and background, Finland-Swedish identity, and Finland-Swedish language. Respondents belong to the Swedish-speaking minority of Finland. The data were collected as part of the Finlandssvenska kulturindikatorer (Finland-Swedish cultural indicators) project. Swedish-speaking Finns were asked about their cultural behaviour and practices. Questions pertained to media use (television viewing, radio listening and newspaper/magazine reading), literature readership, and visiting/attending libraries, cinema, art galleries, museums, sport events, concerts and other cultural events. Respondents' leisure activities, political participation and religious activities were charted. Many questions focused on the use of Finland-Swedish cultural products and services. Also the familiarity with cultural life in Sweden was examined. Distance from home to a cinema, bookshop, theater etc. was investigated. Respondents were asked whether they have access to a car, holiday cottage, boat or caravan. The survey carried a number of questions covering the Finland-Swedish identity and language. Respondents compared the characteristics of Swedish-speaking and Finnish-speaking Finns and the image they have of each other. Views were probed on which areas can be defined as Finland-Swedish. Respondents evaluated how close they felt to the Swedish-speaking part of the country, Finland, Sweden, Scandinavia and Europe, and how close they felt to certain groups (e.g. Swedish-speaking people in the same area, Finnish-speaking people in the same area, other Finns, Swedes). One question asked how Finland-Swedish respondents felt in certain situations or groups (e.g. with friends or at work). Opinions on the future of the Swedish-speaking minority were surveyed. The survey also carried a set of attitudinal questions pertaining to relations between language groups in Finland, and the status of the Finland-Swedish minority. Background variables included, among others, respondent's age, marital status, household composition, occupation, basic education, municipality of residence in childhood, municipality where respondent has a holiday cottage, length of residence in the current municipality of residence, self-reported language group, language skills in Finnish, use of Finnish and Swedish in different situations, language used at childrens' school, political orientation and self-reported social class.