Motivation till värnplikt : En enkatstudie bland svenska ungdomar

As Sweden reintroduces compulsory military service (värnplikt) as part of its total defense strategy, questions about young people's willingness and motivation to serve have become increasingly relevant. Previous research has shown that this motivation varies by gender, but few studies have focused on youth prior to conscription. This study aims to explore how motivation to undergo military service differs between young Swedish men and women, using Self-Determination Theory (SDT) as a theoretical framework. A quantitative survey was conducted among 51 Swedish youths eligible for military service, 30 men and 21 women. The questionnaire included 13 statements addressing psychological needs (autonomy, competence, relatedness) and types of motivation (external, introjected, identified and intrinsic). Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the results, with a specific focus on gender differences. The results showed that women reported slightly stronger feelings of autonomy regarding their decision to perform military service, while men felt more influenced by societal expectations. Men generally showed greater confidence in their physical and mental abilities and expressed a stronger belief in forming social bonds during service. In terms of motivation types, men reported higher levels of identified and intrinsic motivation, whereas both groups rated identified motivation relatively high, suggesting that many view military service as personally valuable. Women, on the other hand, more frequently expressed uncertainty, particularly regarding physical ability and social inclusion. The study contributes to the understanding of early defense willingness and highlights the importance of creating supportive environments that meet young people's psychological needs to foster motivation among all conscripts. Further research withbroader samples is recommended to strengthen these findings.