Half of the respondents do not know what will happen to them even in the coming months. The horizon of planning the future has increased slightly compared to the previous measurement. At the same time, against the background of last year’s consolidation of public opinion, the positive attitude with which people look into their own future and the future of the country has noticeably increased. In general, the attitudes are similar to those observed in 2015-16.
By December 2022, the respondents’ own future planning horizon had increased slightly compared to the previous measurement. Nevertheless, half of the respondents say that they do not know what “will happen to them even in the coming months” (in December 2021 there were 56% of such people). Another 29% answered that they plan the future for a year or two ahead (30% in December 2021). 11% and 7% noted that they can plan for the next five to six years or many years ahead (8% and 3%, respectively, in 2021).
The smallest horizon for planning their own future is typical for respondents 55 years and older, those who do not have enough for food, and rural residents. The respondents aged 18-24, those who can afford durable goods, plan their future the furthest.
More than half of the respondents noted that they look at their own future “rather calmly, with confidence” – compared to the end of 2021, their share increased by 12 percentage points. 44% of respondents look at their personal future “Rather with concern, apprehension” (58% in December 2021). For the first time in several years, a positive attitude began to prevail over a negative one.
Respondents aged 18-24, the richest respondents and residents of cities with a population of up to 100 thousand and up to 500 thousand people look more confidently at their own future. Respondents aged 40-54 and 55 and older, those who barely have enough for food, are more prone to have a negative attitude towards the future.
Similar changes affected respondents’ feelings about the future of Russia. If at the end of 2021 anxiety and fears prevailed among the respondents, then in December 2022 the shares of “pessimists” and “optimists” were equal.
The distribution of feelings about the future of Russia by groups repeats the nature of the distribution of feelings about the personal future.
METHODOLOGY
The survey by the Levada Center was conducted December 15 – 21 2022, among a representative sample of all Russian urban and rural residents. The sample was comprised of 1611 people aged 18 or older in 137 municipalities of 50 regions of the Russian Federation. The survey was conducted as a personal interview in respondents’ homes. The distribution of responses is given as a percentage of the total number of respondents.
The statistical error of these studies for a sample of 1600 people (with a probability of 0.95) does not exceed:
3.4% for indicators around 50%
2.9% for indicators around 25%/75%
2.0% for indicators around 10%/90%
1.5% for indicators around 5%/95%
The ANO Levada Center is included in the registry of non-commercial organizations acting as foreign agents.