HKU POP SITE releases the latest findings of people's ethnic identityBack
| Press Release on December 16, 2008 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abstract | Latest Figures | Opinion Daily | Commentary | News about POP | | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Abstract The Public Opinion Programme at the University of Hong Kong interviewed 1,016 Hong Kong people in December 9-12, 2008 by means of a random telephone survey conducted by real interviewers. The survey finds that although the strength of "Hong Kong citizens" is highest among Hong Kong people, "Chinese citizens" has the highest importance score. Combining the two factors, people feel most strongly being "Chinese citizens", followed by "members of the Chinese race", "Hong Kong citizens", "Asians", "Citizens of PRC", and finally, "global citizens". Director of POP Robert Chung explains, when the 'identity index' is high for a certain individual on a certain identity, theoretically, one should have a strong feeling towards that identity. A score of 0 means no feeling, 100 means full feeling, while 50 means half and half. The purpose of constantly expanding the scope of our identity studies is to enhance our discussion of ethnic identity beyond the simple dichotomy of "Hong Kong citizens" versus "Chinese citizens". The sampling error of all percentages is between +/-3 percentage points at 95% confidence level, while sampling error of rating figures needs another calculation. The response rate of the survey is 69%. Points to note: * The address of the "HKU POP SITE" is http://hkupop.pori.hk, journalists can check out the details of the survey there. * The sample size of this survey is 1,016 successful interviews, not 1,016 x 69.3% response rate. In the past, many media made this mistake. * The maximum sampling error of all percentages is +/-3 percentage points at 95% confidence level, while the sampling error of rating figures needs another calculation. "95% confidence level" means that if we were to repeat a certain survey 100 times, using the same questions each time but with different random samples, we would expect 95 times getting a figure within the error margins specified. When quoting these figures, journalists can state "sampling error of various ratings not more than +/-0.24 and sampling error of percentages not more than +/-3% at 95% confidence level". * When quoting percentages of this survey, journalists should refrain from reporting decimal places, in order to match the precision level of the figures. * The data of this survey is collected by means of random telephone interviews conducted by real interviewers, not by any interactive voice system (IVS). If a research organization uses "computerized random telephone survey" to camouflage its IVS operation, it should be considered unprofessional. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Latest Figures POP today releases on schedule via the POP Site the latest findings of people's opinions towards ethnic identity. As a general practice, all figures have been weighted according to provisional figures obtained from the Census and Statistics Department regarding the gender-age distribution of the Hong Kong population in mid-2008. Herewith the contact information for the latest survey:
Recent figures on Hong Kong people's sense of ethnic identity are summarized as follows:
** This means the percentage of "Chinese Hong Kong Citizen" plus "Hong Kong Chinese Citizen". # Such changes have gone beyond the sampling errors at the 95% confidence level, meaning that they are statistically significant prima facie. However, whether numerical differences are statistically significant or not is not the same as whether they are practically useful or meaningful. When asked to make a choice among 4 given identities, namely, "Hong Kong Citizen", "Chinese Hong Kong Citizen", "Chinese Citizen" and "Hong Kong Chinese Citizen", 22% of the respondents identified themselves as "Hong Kong Citizens", 34% as "Chinese Citizens", 30% as "Chinese Hong Kong Citizens", while 13% identified themselves as "Hong Kong Chinese Citizens". In other words, 51% of the respondents identified themselves as "Hong Kong People" in the broader sense (i.e. either as "Hong Kong Citizens" or "Chinese Hong Kong Citizens"), whereas 47% identified themselves as "Chinese People" in the broader sense (i.e. either as "Chinese Citizens" or "Hong Kong Chinese Citizens"), 43% chose a mixed identity of "Hong Kong Citizen plus Chinese Citizen" (i.e. either as "Chinese Hong Kong Citizens" or "Hong Kong Chinese Citizens"). Because the concepts of "Hong Kong Citizen", "Chinese Hong Kong Citizen", "Chinese Citizen" and "Hong Kong Chinese Citizen" may overlap with each other, and making a one-in-four choice may not reflect the actual strengths of one's ethnic identities, POP has right from the beginning conducted parallel tests on the strengths of people's separate identities as "Hong Kong Citizens" and "Chinese Citizens" using a scale of 0-10. In June 2007, POP expanded its study to include four new identities for strength rating, namely, "citizens of PRC", "members of the Chinese race", "Asians" and "global citizens". In December 2008, the study was further expanded by including separate importance ratings for different identities, and the compilation of a separate index for each identity using geometric means. Herewith the latest results:
** Since December 2008, the sub-sample size of these questions is controlled at slightly over 500 cases. # Such changes have gone beyond the sampling errors at the 95% confidence level, meaning that they are statistically significant prima facie. However, whether numerical differences are statistically significant or not is not the same as whether they are practically useful or meaningful. ^ New items since December 2008. "Identity index" is calculated for each identity of a respondent by taking the geometric mean of the strength and importance ratings of a certain identity, multiply by 10. If either the strength or importance rating of a respondent is missing, it is substituted by the sample mean of that identity. Latest findings showed that the identity ratings for "Hong Kong citizens", "members of the Chinese race" and "Chinese citizens" were 7.99, 7.84 and 7.79 marks respectively. Using the same rating method, the strength of people's identity as "Asians", "Citizens of PRC" and "global citizens" were 7.68, 6.88 and 6.75 marks respectively. As for the importance ratings, "Chinese citizens", "members of the Chinese race" and "Hong Kong citizens" scored 7.56, 7.50 and 7.32 marks respectively, while those for "Asians", "Citizens of PRC" and "global citizens" were 6.98, 6.78 and 6.44 marks respectively. With respect to ethnicity indices, the order for each identity was "Chinese citizens", "members of the Chinese race", "Hong Kong citizens", "Asians", "Citizens of PRC" and "global citizens". Their respective scores were 76.1, 75.9, 75.3, 72.0, 67.4 and 64.7 marks. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opinion Daily In January 2007, POP opened a feature page called "Opinion Daily" at the "POP Site", to record significant events and selected polling figures on a day-to-day basis. Our purpose is to provide readers with accurate information so that they can judge by themselves the reasons for the ups and downs of different opinion figures. When "Opinion Daily" began to operate on January 17, 2007, it only contained significant events and popularity figures of the Chief Executive over the past few months. As of today, it contains a chronology of events and many poll figures registered since January 1, 2006. Readers can now check on the results of 9 different polling items compiled by POP, including the popularity of the Chief Executive, the HKSAR government, and the Secretaries of Departments under the accountability system. In near future, the content of "Opinion Daily" will continue to expand, in order to promote the science of opinion polling. In July 2007, POP collaborated with Wisers Information Limited whereby Wisers supplies to POP since July 24 each day a record of significant events of that day, according to the research method designed by POP. These daily entries would be uploaded to the "Opinion Daily" feature page as soon as they are verified by POP, in order to provide readers with swifter and more accurate information. In August 2007, POP began to include in its regular press releases a list of significant events which happened in between two surveys, so that readers can make their own judgment on whether these events have any effect on the ups and downs of the polling figures. This press release is no exception. For the polling items covered in this press release, using the previous survey as a reference point for comparison, our "Opinion Daily" for this release starts on June 12, 2008, because the previous survey of some items was conducted from June 11 to 13, 2008 while this survey was conducted from December 9 to 12, 2008. During this period, herewith the significant events selected from counting newspaper headlines and commentaries on a daily basis and covered by at least 25% of the local newspaper articles. Readers can make their own judgment if these significant events have any impacts to different polling figures.
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| Commentary Robert Chung, Director of Public Opinion Programme, observed, "A year and a half ago, on top of 'Hong Kong citizens' and 'Chinese citizens', POP began to study the strength of Hong Kong people's identification with a wide range of identities, including 'members of the Chinese race', 'Citizens of PRC', 'Asians' and 'global citizens'. We now add the dimension of importance rating to each of them, in order to compile their 'identity index'. Theoretically, when the 'identity index' is high for a certain individual on a certain identity, one should have a strong feeling towards that identity. A score of 0 means no feeling, 100 means full feeling, while 50 means half and half. For example, in our latest findings, although the strength of 'Hong Kong citizens' is highest among Hong Kong people, 'Chinese citizens' has the highest importance score. Combining the two factors, people feel most strongly being 'Chinese citizens', followed by 'members of the Chinese race', 'Hong Kong citizens', 'Asians', 'Citizens of PRC', and finally, 'global citizens'. The purpose of constantly expanding the scope of our identity studies is to enhance our discussion of ethnic identity beyond the simple dichotomy of 'Hong Kong citizens' versus 'Chinese citizens'. As for the ups and downs of different figures, we will leave it to our readers to form their own judgment using the detailed records displayed in our 'Opinion Daily'." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| News about POP POP's normal practice is to release the results of our regular surveys every Tuesday afternoon via our POP Site, except during public holidays, each time with a forecast of the items to be released in the next 7 days. According to schedule, our next release of regular survey findings will be December 18, 2008, Thursday, between 1pm and 2 pm, when the latest findings of people's opinions towards Taiwan and Tibet issues will be released. Then, on 23 December, 2008, Tuesday, between 1pm and 2pm, when the latest popularity figures of CE Donald Tsang and the HKSAR Government will be released. POP will also follow the rhythm of the WorldPublicOpinion.org (WPO) to globally release the Chinese versions of WPO's press releases regularly, via our "World Public Opinion Platform" accessible through our POP Site and the "Hong Kong People's Opinion Platform" at http://www.hkpop.hk. Our general practice is to answer all questions on the research design of the surveys published in the POP Site as soon as we receive them, but we will not further comment on the findings. We welcome questions for follow-up purpose, please email them to us at <[email protected]>. We will keep such an arrangement under constant review, suggestions most welcome. Please note that everything carried in the POP Site does not represent the stand of the University of Hong Kong. Dr Robert Ting-Yiu Chung, Director of POP, is responsible for everything posted herewith, except for column articles which represent the stand of their authors. Starting from January 2006, we have included in our press release a small educational section for the purpose of general civic education, the content of which is usually based on previous questions and comments we have received from the public. The subject of our education section today is "About HKUPOP". | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| About HKUPOP Mapping people's opinions towards ethnic identity Be it under British colonial rule or under "one country, two systems", Hong Kong has always been part of China. It thus seems natural for HKUPOP to survey people's opinion on various national and ethnical issues, if we can squeeze some resources. Moreover, the study of ethnic identity has always been one important element of all societal studies. Therefore, immediately after Hong Kong's handover, we embarked on conducting regular surveys on people's ethnic identity. The survey comprises two series. The first series deals with people's categorical ethnic identity, and the strength of Hong Kong or Chinese citizen identity, while the second series asks about people's citizenship and their desired ethnicity. We have explained the survey development in our press releases of December 21, 2006, June 26, December 27, 2007 as well as June 17, 2008. Today we release it again, so that readers can refresh such development.
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| | Abstract | Latest Figures | Opinion Daily | Commentary | News about POP | | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
