Turkish citizens feeling increasingly insecure and ‘nostalgic’: IPSOS survey
Banu Tuna - ISTANBUL
The number of people in Turkey who say they feel insecure and “nostalgic” about the past is increasing, according to a biannual survey carried out by the IPSOS research company titled “Guide to Understanding Turkey.”
Some 68 percent of those surveyed said they perceived the outside world as “cruel” and “unpredictable,” so they feel the need to protect themselves and “prefer to stay behind the walls of their homes.”
The study also showed that three out of four people say they are “nostalgic” about the past. The number of respondents who think people were happier in the past increased to 76 percent from 74 percent in the previous survey, while 74 percent believe people were more virtuous, ethical and polite in the past compared to 70 percent in the previous survey.
According to the study, 72 percent spend spare time in shopping malls, with people spending three hours on average per week in malls. Some 35 percent never read books, 44 percent never go to the cinema, and 64 percent have never gone to a concert, an opera or a theater performance.
Some 83 percent watch TV every day, 87 percent use the Internet, 61 percent watch news programs, and 58 percent watch dramas on TV.
Only 16 percent of respondents said they hold a passport, 35 percent never go on a holiday, and 45 percent say they travel domestically for vacations once a year.
The survey also shows that people have become more environmentally conscious over the past four years, while also growing “more concerned about the future” compared to previous surveys.
“Our observations show that youths in particular are environmentally conscious. But the survey also suggests that people from other age groups also share this awareness regarding the environment,” said Bahçeşehir University Professor Nilufer Narlı, one of the researchers of the report.
“Because of the fast developing construction sector we have ever fewer green spaces. That perhaps explains the growing awareness regarding environmental issues,” Narlı added.
The latest IPSOS study was conducted with 15,918 people in 34 provinces across Turkey. The survey, which aims to map the country’s lifestyles, consumption patterns, beliefs, and physical features, has been conducted since 2004.
“Regarding nostalgia, we frequently observe nostalgia for the past in social media, People share old pictures of cities and neighborhoods where they were born … The IPSOS survey results back up the sense of widespread nostalgia for the past,” Narlı said.
Physical features
The IPSOS survey found that 70 percent of respondents have brown-dark eyes, 17 percent have hazel eyes, 9 percent have green eyes and 4 percent have blue eyes.
The average weight of Turkish men is 77 kilograms and their average height is 173 centimeters, while the corresponding figures for Turkish women are 64 kilograms and 162 centimeters.
Some 46 percent of women have wavy hair while 45 percent have straight hair. Some 72 percent of women have shoulder-length hair, 8 percent have short hair, and another 8 percent have waist-length hair.
Some 26 percent of Turkish men have wavy hair, 62 percent have straight hair, and 6 percent are bald.
According to the research, the homeownership rate in Turkey is 63 percent, while 24 percent of those surveyed are tenants.
Some 27 percent of the homes have traditional squatting toilets, 30 percent have European-style toilets, and 43 percent have both.
Some 44 percent of those surveyed said they have a calendar hanging on the walls of their homes, 48 percent have paintings, 80 percent have clocks, and 23 percent have pictures of family elders.