Is being ignorant a source of happiness?
Psychological researchers from Finland have developed an evaluation tool to gauge an individual’s dedication to social justice principles. Their study yielded some unexpected results regarding the Finnish population, revealing a perplexing link between progressive ideals and happiness levels.
The results of their study, which were published in the Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, indicate that socially conscious individuals in other Western countries may also exhibit similar patterns.
Oskari Lahtinen, a senior researcher at the INVEST Research Flagship Centre at the University of Turku, noted that the concept of being “woke” has now become a part of the Finnish discourse.
According to the researcher, the debate lacked substantial data, making it important to investigate the prevalence of these attitudes. He further explained that there was no previously established tool to accurately measure the extent and prevalence of these attitudes in various populations. As a result, he took it upon himself to develop one.
According to PsyPost, their research journey involved in-depth exploration of intersectional feminism, critical race theory, queer theory, and other pertinent academic fields that contribute to the understanding of critical social justice.
The pilot survey involved 851 adults, most of whom had a connection to the University of Turku. Once the initial scale was adjusted, the study was expanded to a broader sample of 5,000 participants from across the country. These participants were reached through Helsingin Sanomat, Finland’s largest newspaper.
The Critical Social Justice Attitude Scale ultimately identified seven truisms that characterize woke individuals.
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- “If white people have on average a higher level of income than black people, it is because of racism.”
- “University reading lists should include fewer white or European authors.”
- “Microaggressions should be challenged often and actively.”
- “Trans* women who compete with women in sports are not helping women’s rights.” (reverse scored)
- “We don’t need to talk more about the color of people’s skin.”
- “A white person cannot understand how a black person feels equally well as another black person.”
- “A member of a privileged group can adopt features or cultural elements of a less privileged group.” (reverse scored)
Lahtinen expressed her surprise at the gender divide in Finnish attitudes, revealing that while three out of five women have a positive view of ‘woke’ ideas, only one out of seven men share the same perspective.
Women in fields like social sciences, education, and humanities, in particular, experienced this phenomenon. On the other hand, those in STEM disciplines were more inclined to voice their concerns regarding social justice initiatives tied to the concept of being woke.
The study revealed a particularly alarming discovery regarding the correlation between mental health and agreement with the scale. It uncovered a significant prevalence of anxiety and depression among individuals who hold the belief that “If white people have on average a higher income than black people, it is because of racism.” Moreover, the researchers found that those who identified as left-wing were more likely to report lower levels of mental well-being.
Lahtinen cautions against jumping to conclusions and applying their findings to a global audience, especially in Western countries.
According to Lahtinen, the studies conducted on this topic were extensive, involving a sample size of over 5,000 participants and demonstrating strong psychometric properties. However, in order to fully understand the manifestation of these attitudes in North America, it would be necessary to validate the scale using samples from this region. Lahtinen urges colleagues in the United States to investigate the prevalence of these attitudes within their own country of origin.
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