The National SOM Survey 2008

Since 1986 the SOM-institute has been carrying out an annual nation-wide survey - the National SOM - in order to identify the Swedish public's habits and attitudes on the topics of society, politics and media. National SOM 2008 is accordingly the twenty-third survey in this series. The SOM-institute is a collaboration between three departments/institutes at Göteborg University: the Institute for Journalism and Mass Communication, the Department of Political Science, and the Center for Public Sector Research (CEFOS). A number of research projects are involved in the National SOM - most from one of these three institutions, but also external projects are involved. Since 1998 the survey includes two nation representative samples and uses two different mail questionnaires. One of the questionnaires mainly deals with questions on politics, economy and working life, while the other mainly deals with media, culture and life style. The data collection is carried out in parallel and under identical conditions. In 2008 one fourth of the questions asked in the two questionnaires are common for both samples, for example questions about media habits, political attitudes, leisure activities, and social background. The questionnaire on politics includes ten different subject fields: news and media; politics, society and democracy; radio and televisiont; Sweden's relations to the surrounding world; society and public service; environment and energy; knowledge and society; activities, interests, and values; work life; and background questions. The media questionnaire is divided into eight subject fields: news and papers; politics, society and democracy; radio and television; media technology, internet and mobile telephony; culture, society and media; interests, activities and values; work life; and background questions. Purpose: The main purpose is to establish time series that enable researchers to analyse how various changes in society affect people's attitudes and behaviour.