The impact of public opinion on the social well-being of citizens (based on social research in Penza region)

The study discusses the aspects of forming public opinion, the information influencing factors in relation to public opinion and social well-being of citizens. The authors focus on the nature of public opinion as a social phenomenon. The research notes the modern features of shaping public opinion resulting from the technological advancement. The latter radically changed the traditional views on information transmission and contributed to the development of alternative information channels such as e-media and social networking (Vkontakte, Facebook, Instagram) that provided a powerful tool for influencing the human consciousness. The paper lists the main factors influencing the formation of public opinion, correlates public opinion with the level of well-being of citizens and describes provincial social background in general. Based on a survey of 3,127 respondents, the authors assess the social well-being of the population depending on various factors (the levels of certainty, confidence in the future, financial satisfaction, professional activities and education). It is concluded that public opinion has a great impact on the social well-being of citizens.