Zoltán Kmetty

This time it’s different? Effects of the Eurovision Debate on young citizens and its consequence for EU democracy – evidence from a quasi-experiment in 24 countries

ABSTRACT For the very first time in EU history, the 2014 EP elections provided citizens with the opportunity to influence the nomination of the Commission President by casting a vote for the main Europarties’ ‘lead candidates’. By subjecting the position of the Commission President to an open political contest, many experts have formulated the expectation that heightened political competition would strengthen the weak electoral connection between EU citizens and EU legislators, which some consider a root cause for the EU’s lack of public support. In particular, this contest was on display in the so-called ‘Eurovision Debate’, a televised debate between the main contenders for the Commission President broadcasted live across Europe. Drawing on a quasi-experimental study conducted in 24 EU countries, we find that debate exposure led to increased cognitive and political involvement and EU support among young citizens. Unfortunately, the debate has only reached a very small audience.

The Birthday Blues A Study of a Large Hungarian Sample (1970–2002)

The present study analyzed a large sample of 133,421 suicides in Hungary (for the period 1970–2002) for the birthday blues phenomenon. The number of suicides taking place on the individuals’ birthdays was compared with the number expected using chi-square tests. More suicides occurred on birthdays for men of all ages and for women over the age of 60. The birthday blues phenomenon was found for urban and rural suicides, for all marital statuses and for both violent and nonviolent methods for suicide. Possible explanations for these results were discussed.

Moon/sun – suicide

Abstract Introduction: Findings concerning the effects of moon phases and sun activity on suicide are mixed in the international literature. Aim: Our aim was to examine the hypothesised effects according to gender and age on Hungarian data covering more than 30 years. Methods: Time series ARIMA models and dynamic regression models were applied in our analysis. Results: Among women aged 20–49 years, a significant increase in the risk of suicide has been observed during proton solar events. At the same time, among women aged 50–59 years a slight but significant decrease has been identified in the risk of suicide during magnetic storms and full moons. Conclusion: Proton solar events, geomagnetic storms and moon phases caused changes in the risk of suicide in certain age groups in the case of women only.

Mapping the Post-communist Class Structure: Findings from a New Multidimensional Hungarian Class Survey

In this article, we define a schema for the class structure of Hungary, in which we consider a case for an Eastern-European capitalist system emerging from post-communist societies. Our schema is based on the findings of the Hungarian Class Survey, 2014. Using six measures of Bourdieusian economic, cultural, and social capital and applying the methodology of latent class analysis (LCA), we have constructed a model of eight LCA-based classes: upper class, cultural middle class, affluent middle class, young urban consumers, network-embedded rural workers, young drifters, middle-aged deprived, and the precariat. Hungarian society seems to be quite hierarchical but is also fragmented within the upper and lower strata. Status inconsistency in terms of possessing economic, cultural, and social capital is strongly present even for the middle classes. There is a clear divide in our class model between the upper four and the lower four classes, in terms of vertical and nonvertical aspects of social stratification. We also compare our new multidimensional class typology to the traditional occupation-based one and demonstrate its added value for class analysis in Hungary.

Mapping social milieus and cohesion patterns between 1997 and 2014. Exploiting the potential of the occupational position generator

Abstract The study joins the stream of the social network approach attempting to look beyond micro-level association patterns towards macro-structural modeling. Utilizing the versatility of the occupational position generator technique for measuring network resources generally related to hierarchical aspects, an attempt is made to apply the tool for horizontal targets. Furthermore, with some conceptual transfer, the paper applies the distinction between omnivorous and univorous patterns of symbolic selectivity to nexus choice as well. The comparative investigation relies on data from four Hungarian national surveys from the 1990s on, using 19 items of the position generator to measure network resources. Exploratory and confirmative factor analyses reveal four dimensions of occupational milieus; Goodman RC modeling outlines two organizing axes behind them interpreted in network terms as status and betweenness centrality. Latent class analysis results in a five-element typology with both vertical and horizontal features. The findings point to the stability, in some respects to the increase of gaps between various segments along the social ladder. As concerns the cultural aspect, returns on relational selectivity indicate some fading or even reversal of the omnivorous trend in contemporary Hungary; both tendencies suggesting some growth of distances between milieus with the related problems of social cohesion.

Core Ties Homophily and Sociocultural Divides in Hungary from 1987 to 2015

In this article, we focus on the changes of network structures in Hungary, making use of a series of surveys covering a period of nearly 30 years from 1987 to 2015. Using the name-generator network technique, our main focus is on patterns of homophily and social distance with regard to some sociodemographic and resource-type variables. Two methods have been applied: a standard methodology based on crosstab analysis and a more complex approach based on a special case-control procedure. Contrary to some expectations, our results indicate a tendency of robust homophily and its consolidation over the examined period. Associations by age and education present quite stable patterns with a high, even somewhat growing, level of homophily. The analyses covering several decades suggest that stability and change are both present with lasting, and in certain respects increasing, intergroup distances with regard to the core tie traits of social life in Hungary.

Diverging Patterns of Satisfaction across Europe

Building on a decade-long comparative database of the European Social Survey the present study targets general aspects of satisfaction across larger regions of Europe with special regard to the socioeconomic changes in the recent decades. Conventionally cultivated measures like central tendency are supplemented by structural parameters of distribution based on a conceptual scheme distinguishing consensus and tightness of opinions. Dispersion-like indicators point to a stronger polarization of public mood under worse off contexts and, to a certain degree, conditions of vulnerability to economic downturn. A more rigid juncture of various mood components is also observable under less favourable circumstances. Disparities of income position in the first place, but features of cultural and ideological-political differentiation as well are intertwined with satisfaction polarization in a kind of stress syndrome exhibiting substantial divergences in both the East/West and the North/South regards.

Nap, Hold, csillagok. A holdciklusok, napkitörések és mágneses viharok hatása az öngyilkosságokra

Elmeleti hatter Az ongyilkossag-kutatasok nagyon szeles bazison vizsgaljak a lehetseges rizikofaktorokat. Mar az 1960-as evekben megjelentek olyan kutatasok, amelyek a holdciklus ongyilkossagra gyakorolt lehetseges hatasat probaltak meg feltarni. Az ezzel foglalkozo eddigi munkak felemas eredmenyt hoztak, de inkabb arra mutattak, hogy a vizsgalatok kozeppontjaba allitott teliholdnak nincsen osszefuggese a vizsgalt kerdessel. A kulonboző naptevekenysegek (napkitores) es ezek foldi hatasa (magneses vihar) mar kevesbe kutatott tema az ongyilkossag szempontjabol. Az eddig eredmenyek viszont arra mutattak, hogy lehet osszefugges a jelensegek kozott, bar a csatolasi mechanizmust mar nem erintettek ezek a munkak. Cel A tanulmany celja megvizsgalni a holdciklus a napkitoresek es a magneses viharok egyutt jarasat az ongyilkossagi gyakorisagokkal. A tanulmanyunkban felhasznalt tobb mint 30 evnyi napi magyar ongyilkossagi idősor lehetőseget teremt szamunkra, hogy mas munkakhoz kepest sokkal reszletesebben tudjuk kor...