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Most Russians believe survey results — pollster

According to VCIOM Director General Valery Fyodorov, 83% of respondents think public opinion polls are fairly necessary

MOSCOW, November 14. /TASS/. Nearly 70% of Russians surveyed believe that sociological polling data reflect the true opinion of citizens, Valery Fyodorov, Director General of the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM), said during an expert discussion at TASS in honor of the Sociologist's Day, celebrated on November 14.

According to Fyodorov, 83% of respondents think public opinion polls are fairly necessary. Meanwhile, a majority believe that the polls reflect genuine public opinion. "This share ranges from 64% to 76%, covering about two-thirds of respondents in less favorable years. In the best years, three-quarters of Russians surveyed believe polls accurately reflect public opinion. This year isn’t the peak, but the figure is solid, with 69% in November’s data believing the polls," he said.

Expanding sociology

Alexey Firsov, founder of the Platform Center for Sociology, believes that expanding the boundaries of this science is a crucial area of focus. "We are reducing sociology to mere surveys, which is a troubling technologization and harmful to sociology. The more technologized sociology becomes, the more distrust will grow. It seems to me that instead of just increasing trust in data, we should focus on reconstructing the very concept of sociology," he added.

Larisa Pautova, Managing Director of the Public Opinion Foundation (FOM), believes that the evolving landscape requires new sociologists to work directly with people. "A sociologist is no longer just a science-based, abstractly thinking social thinker. They are not only focused on social reform, social projects, and change. A sociologist today is one who is not centered on the individual, but on helping. The best projects at both VCIOM and FOM are those that helped people solve their problems. They were not merely tools for conveying information to authorities and businesses; they provided real feedback. They were not just a means of delivering information to government and business. They gave a real feedback. Therefore, on Sociologist's Day, I would like to emphasize that everyone should move in this direction. A sociologist is not a mentor, not an interlocutor, but a person who conducts research first of all for people, because they feel bad," she said.

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