The analysis of attitudes to community relations contained in the volume points to a discernible shift towards greater tolerance and mutual understanding between 1989 and 1996. However, the survey does confirm an optimism amongst people in Northern Ireland. Data on housing tenure indicates that home ownership is by far the preferred tenure in Northern Ireland. This is attributed in part to the success of the 'Right to Buy' policy during the 1980s. The survey shows that the most powerful incentive for buying a home is economic.
People strongly believe that over time buying a home works out cheaper than renting.
Of course, the additional attraction of home ownership in Northern Ireland is lower house prices which have remained relatively stable. Previous Northern Ireland Social Attitudes surveys have pointed to a lower level of concern for the countryside among the Northern Irish population as compared to people living in Britain. However, data from this survey suggests that protectionist attitudes in relation to the countryside in Northern Ireland are increasing and that in most respects the gap between Northern Ireland and Britain is slowly but surely being closed. The biggest difference in attitudes between Northern Ireland and Britain relates to the provision of new roads and the building of new housing in country areas with respondents in Northern Ireland being more in favour of these forms of countryside development. Given Northern Ireland's reputation for political passion and intransigence it is perhaps ironic that men and women in Northern Ireland express low levels of interest in politics compared to people in Britain.