If you own a house, car and summer cottage, the desire to defend your country to grow

Talon, A person who owns a summer cottage and a car is more defending their country if they are threatened to attack Finland from abroad.

If a person does not have significant property, there is not as much will of national defense.

A study by Åbo Akademi and the University Security Policy Researcher Albert Weckman as well as researcher at Uppsala University Anton Brännlund.

The material consisted of inquiries that had been compiled by the National Defense Information Committee under the Ministry of Defense in 2012-2015.

The survey respondents were about a thousand Finns aged 15-79 in each survey.

Will National defense is strengthened in geopolitical uncertainty. If you feel that the security situation is impaired, it will affect the will.

Weckman and Brännlund used an example of the occupation of the Russian Crimea in 2014.

With the help of the example, they helped respondents to think about it, says Åbo Akademi’s Bulletin.

“We compared attitudes before and after the Crimean. The Crimean invasion was seen to be concerned. It influenced the will of the Finns, ”says Weckman.

“Such events can significantly influence citizens’ perceptions of how important it is to prepare to defend the country,” Weckman says.

The question was not limited to mere action on the battlefield. That’s how it belonged:

“If you are attacked in Finland, would you be prepared to participate in the different tasks of national defense according to your abilities and skills?”

Weckman And Brännlund measured what kind of property affects the will to defend their own country.

The so -called Most to Lose index was used as the measure.

“That index contained about twenty different assets, from DVD players to houses. It also measured which buildings and objects it would be most difficult for the defendant to give up. ”

“We also compared individuals who are of the same sex and the same generation.”

In the answers of the strongest emotional bond, my own home, own cabin and own car were always produced.

Other property such as a TV, a home computer, a cellphone or cameras got a much lower weight in the answers.

Research It emphasizes that it is important to distinguish potential will states: the will to participate in the battle actively, or to oppose foreign attackers in other ways.

The willingness to defend the attackers covers more than just fighting. It covers acts outside the battlefield.

Many are ready to defend their country by means of their own skills.

What The more person has physical property, the more he / she feels that he could lose something in the attack.

This is because property is often seen as an extension of me, says Weckman.

The fear of losing property is related to the concept of psychological research uses the term loss of loss.

This means that people tend to experience the negative feelings caused by defeat as strong. Such feelings are stronger than the positive feelings that the same profit produces.

Can you say why property is often seen as an extension of me?

“Possible losses are generally seen as distressing. The concept of loss of loss is well documented. It is a scientific skew in people’s data processing. ”

How is the level of education reflected in national defense?

“Education does not seem to have a significant impact on the will of citizens’ national defense. Property is much more important. ”

National Defense Information The design community conducts opinion polls every year.

They evaluate the views of the Finnish civilian population on foreign and security policy issues.

About a thousand people aged 15-79 responded to each annual survey. All answers were emphasized according to the demographic structure.

Weckman’s group research on the will of national defense has been published In the Journal of Peace Research. It focuses on research on peace, conflict and security policy.