Sociopolitical values, attitudes and behaviors of Portuguese Economics students

• Published in: Sociologia (Lisbon, Portugal) no. 92; pp. 111 - 132
• Main Authors: Graça, João Carlos, Caiado, Jorge, Correia, Rita Gomes
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lisboa Mundos Sociais 01.01.2020; Centro de Investigação e Estudos de Sociologia
• Subjects: Academic achievement; Academic degrees; Economic research; Economics; Expectations; Group status; Left wing politics; Morality; Peer influence; Peer pressure; Peer relationships; Perceptions; Political attitudes; Politics; Right wing politics; Risk; Role models; Scrutiny; Sensation seeking; Student attitudes; Students; Values; left-right perceptions; interesse pela política; estudantes de economia; variedades de inclinação para o free-riding; perceptions de droite et de gauche; estudiantes de economía; interest for politics; variedades de inclinación para el free-riding; interés por la política; variétés d’inclination vers le free-riding; varieties of free-riding inclinations; intérêt par la politique; perceções de esquerda e direita; étudiants d’économie; economics students; percepciones de izquierda y derecha
• ISSN: 0873-6529; 2182-7907
• DOI: 10.7458/SPP20209213699

Previous research on the Portuguese case confirmed free-riding, free-marketer and right-wing political inclinations among economics students. Further scrutiny was endeavored here, perceiving also a considerably increased interest for politics, notwithstanding the lack of concern for public problems. Various aspects of free-riding proclivity were distinguished and discussed, relating them with youngsters’ risk-loving and sensation-seeking tendencies, but also with a number of other facets specific to economics students, including: prevalence of achievement values, contextual influences on morals, peer pressure, perceived group status and social expectations regarding the economic profession.