These are some of the main conclusions drawn from the Study on Critical Thinking*. carried out in Spain by the IO Research Institute for Cervezas 1906. This is an interesting social experiment which aims to uncover the true behaviour of society today, and to convey the importance and necessity of independent and critical thinking.
"The aim of this study is to focus on an issue that affects us all and that we are not always aware of. The current context in which we live makes us realise that as a society we do not work enough on critical thinking, but we have been surprised to see the forcefulness with which Spaniards do not behave as they would like to, just because they do not stand out and feel rejected".he says Santiago Miguelez, Marketing Director Iberia of Cervezas 1906.
Andalusians: defending their ideals
Among the many data in the study are some that state that Andalusians are those who defend their ideas to the death. when they think differently from the majority (13% vs. the national average of 11%), and are the least moderate in expressing their opinions (76% vs. 78%).
At the national level, there is a figure in the study that shows that 30% of Spaniards would have sex with different people, which indicates that Spaniards have sex with different people. Spaniards are in the mood to let off steam, but they do not do so in order to follow the established canons. In fact, 21% would like to stop pretending and show themselves as they are..
To put it in Andalusian terms, "There is some very curious data, such as, in addition to confessing to being the ones who look at their partner's mobile phone the most, they are the ones who say they get married out of inertia more than the Spanish average (12.96% vs 11%) and continue with their partner because they do not want to disappoint others (25.4%)." comments David Martín de la Morena, Research Director of the Instituto IO Investigación.
In fact, this has led to almost 40% confessing to having had toxic relationships. On the other hand, have no problem talking to their friends about their partnershipThe average is almost three points higher than the national average (69.31 Tbp3T vs. 66.61 Tbp3T).
When it comes to talking about sexAndalusians have the least problem doing so, either with their work colleagues and friends (+2% than in Spain) or family (+3.8 percentage points).
Many Spaniards claim that it is the family that has held back their critical thinking, but in the case of the Andalusians point the finger at themselves and their partner, more than the national average and, on the contrary, although the family has been their main barrier, as is the case at the national level, it is to a lesser extent ( - 1 percentage point).
Internet and social networks, drivers of the postureo era
When it comes to defending our ideas, whatever they may be, just over half of the participants in the Critical Thinking Survey for 1906 (57%) are independent, and the reality is that the 69% of Spaniards believe they are influenced by the Internet, be it the media, journalists, influencers or social networks.. In relation to the latter, 31% of Andalusians confess to having them because others have them.
José Carlos Ruíz, philosopher and lecturer at the University of Cordobawho has collaborated in the analysis of the study's results, comments that " social networks nowadays carry a lot of weight. The narrative that we find in the networks is being incorporated into each person, so that, without realising it, the remote or external is internalised as a criterion for taking action.".
Posturing on social networks is a mirror of how Spanish society has accepted lies as a defence mechanism to prevent individuals from feeling rejected.
Asked by Andalusians about what they would like to do more of if he did not have the social pressure, he stresses his wish to be more honest (a 46.3%), less grooming and change the sector in which they work. Also noteworthy is its desire to have same-sex relationships to a greater extent than the national average (+1.3 percentage points) and they would have said no to many things they did by inertia (+3.4 points), nor would they have followed the established route ( +2.8 percentage points).
Spain: a society with herd behaviour
That is the 95% feeling of the Spanish people. Moreover, in times of uncertainty such as the present, following the majority is synonymous with safety for 77% of respondents.
At the national level, the study highlights that the 80% prefers to follow the majority, even if he disagrees, for fear of being ostracised or attracting attention. However, when asked at the individual level on their decision making, Spaniards have a it is difficult to recognise that they are part of this herd society and most believe (61%) that they make their decisions individually..
At the same time, only 22% recognises that showing up differently is good.. That is to say, Spaniards are afraid of being different because of the repercussions it might have on their lives.Despite being aware (the 90%) that collective thinking is detrimental to their decision-making as individuals, as it makes them more dependent on the mass.
*Study carried out by the IO Research Institute (https://ioinvestigacion.com) on a sample of 2,023 people aged 18 to 65 years representative of the Spanish population, through purposive sampling by quotas of sex, age group and Autonomous Communities at national level.
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