Survey shows Norwegians most trusting
NSD is situated in the city center of Bergen. Photo: www.nsd.uib.no
Among European nations, Norwegians are found to the most trusting, according to the European Social Survey (ESS), – followed by the other Nordic countries, Denmark, Finland and Sweden.
In the survey four out of five Norwegians say they trust people entirely. Only ten per cent say they are sceptical.
“If it is right to call people (Norwegians) naive, or if people here are actually trustful, may be a point of discussion,” says researcher Kristine Kolsrud at Norwegian Social Science Data Services (NSD), which cooperates on the survey with EES.
“We are a well organized homogeneous society with minor differences. We feel to a large extent equally treated,” says professor Anders Todal Jensen at Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). He points out that the survey is part of serious European research.
The ESS is an academically-driven social survey designed to chart and explain the interaction between Europe’s changing institutions and the attitudes, beliefs and behaviour patterns of its diverse populations. Now in its fourth round, the survey covers over 30 nations and employs the most rigorous methodologies. A repeat cross-sectional survey, it has been funded through the European Commission’s Framework Programmes, the European Science Foundation and national funding bodies in each country.
A copy of the ESS information brochure is available here. In addition there is a recently produced booklet of key findings from the first three rounds of the survey. This can be downloaded here.
