Perceived vs. Actual Political Orientation: A Study of Political Self-Awareness Among Bangladeshi University Students

This study investigates the gap between perceived and actual political orientation among Bangladeshi university students using the Political Compass framework. The research aimed to measure how accurately individuals understand their own positions along the economic (left–right) and social (libertarian–authoritarian) axes. A quantitative survey design was employed, collecting responses from 196 university students through a questionnaire that combined self-assessment items with the Political Compass test. Participants’ calculated positions were compared with their self-reported alignments to determine discrepancies. Results revealed that only 1.5% of respondents correctly identified their social orientation, and 2.6% accurately identified their economic orientation. The majority perceived themselves as more liberal or left-leaning than their calculated positions, with an overall mean misrepresentation of 7.07 units. Further independent t-tests also proved that there is a significant difference between the participants’ perceived position and calculated position on the political compass.