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Scottish Social Attitudes 2012

Scottish Social Attitudes 2012

Jan 2013 |
Topic | Social & Political Attitudes
Researcher | Not available
About this study
The Scottish Social Attitudes(SSA) survey has tracked the views of people in Scotland on a range of social, moral and political issues since 1999. Every year, around 1,200 - 1,500 people are interviewed on a wide range of different topics.
Some initial SSA findings focussing on Scottish independence were released in January - read a summary here.
Latest results
The latest findings show a 9% drop in the number of people who are in favour of Scottish independence to 23% - the lowest since devolution. Fewer people we spoke to said they thought independence would have a positive impact on Scotland's voice on the world stage, national pride and the economy.
Read a short briefing here and findings tables here.
Methods
The 2012 Scottish Social Attitudes Survey interviewed a probability sample of 1,229 adults face to face between July and November 2012. Data are weighted to reflect known patterns of non-response and the age and gender profile of the adult population in Scotland.

About this study

The Scottish Social Attitudes(SSA) survey has tracked the views of people in Scotland on a range of social, moral and political issues since 1999. Every year, around 1,200 - 1,500 people are interviewed on a wide range of different topics.

Latest findings

The option not on the table - attitudes to more devolution

Public attitudes to gaelic in Scotland

Who supports and opposes independence - and why?

Why don't more women support independence?

Public attitudes to Scotland's constitutional future (tables here)

Public attitudes to 'Devo Max'.

Scotland's Constitutional Future: what the public think

Ready for Independence?

More Devolution: An Alternative Road?

 

Questions on the 2012 survey

The 2012 survey was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, Edinburgh University, the Nuffield Foundation and the Electoral Reform Society (Scotland).

 

Topics covered in this year include:

Attitudes to constitutional change

SSA has regularly covered attitudes to the constitution since its inception in 1999. In 2012, as the referendum campaign began in earnest, we asked a wide range of questions about attitudes to independence as well as questions about what people think of how Scotland is currently governed and their views about further devolution.

Attitudes to Gaelic

The Gaelic language has acquired growing prominence in Scotland in recent decades, but there is very little evidence on public attitudes to the language, especially those of the anglophone majority. The research aims to fill this gap in evidence with a module of questions on attitudes to Gaelic in the annual Scottish Social Attitudes Survey of 2012, measuring views about the use of Gaelic in public areas, the place of Gaelic in education, the use of Gaelic in broadcasting, the place of Gaelic in regional, Scottish and British identities, and the future of Gaelic. The research is being conducted by Lindsay Paterson and Fiona O'Hanlon at University of Edinburgh, in collaboration with ScotCen.

Elections and politics

The 2012 survey included questions on voting behaviour in the 2012 Scottish Local Elections. Funded by the Nuffield Foundation, this project focuses on how many and what kinds of voters use the opportunity afforded by the Single Transferable Vote system to do more than cast one vote for one party.

 

 

Methods

The 2012 Scottish Social Attitudes Survey interviewed a probability sample of 1,229 adults face to face between July and November 2012. Data are weighted to reflect known patterns of non-response and the age and gender profile of the adult population in Scotland.

 

 

 

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