Study title

This survey studied the identity, values, attitudes, experiences, and expectations of Finnish higher education students between 18 and 24 years of age. The themes of the survey included, among others, self-esteem, personality traits, and local and global identity. Most of the themes were studied using standardised measures. The survey was carried out as part of the international project "The role of identity horizons in education-to-work transitions - A cross-cultural study of students in higher education in Finland, Japan and Northern America". The project surveyed the identities and values of young people and their significance in the transition from higher education to work life. First, the respondents were asked about their regional identity (for example, whether they identified as Europeans, Finnish citizens, or cosmopolitans). Next, the respondents' identities were examined by charting their experiences and thoughts using the Identity Issues Inventory and Identity Resolution Index by James Côté. The respondents were presented with a set of attitudinal statements concerning, for example, self-confidence, social behaviour and roles, beliefs and values, perception of own skills, and adulthood. The respondents also responded to attitudinal statements from the MAPS20 Self-esteem scale (for example, whether the respondents perceived themselves as fun to be with and popular with persons their own age). The survey also carried a set of attitudinal statements that examined the respondents' identity by using the Identity Horizons Scale to chart, for example, career plans and opinions on additional education, and the Identity Styles Inventory (5th version) to chart beliefs, attitudes and ways of dealing with issues (for example, whether the respondents thought that it is better to have a firm set of beliefs than to be open-minded and whether the respondents waited as long as possible before making a decision). The next set of attitudinal statements surveyed the...