About us

The SOM Institute is an independent research organization at the University of Gothenburg. Since 1986 the SOM Institute has conducted surveys regarding public opinion in Sweden

The SOM Institute conduct research about Swedish society and public opinion, as well as survey methodology. The SOM Institute also functions as a national research infrastructure where researchers and public organizations alike collaborate to present their survey questions to the Swedish population. Normally, these data collections take place in either of two main survey projects: the annual SOM surveys or the Swedish citizen panel.

Since the founding of the institute in 1986, the general survey focus has been the habits, attitudes, behaviors and trust of the population when it comes to the broad areas of Society, Opinion and Media. Today, the vast amount of surveys and data collected offer unique possibilities when it comes to cross-sectional analysis, following changes in opinion over time or conducting methodological studies. The SOM institute has grown into a national center for researchers with an interest in quantitative studies of public opinion, and the results, reports and book chapters from the SOM surveys in particular are frequently cited in Swedish media.