Spitting, biting nails and swearing all top the list of habits which Russians hate, according to new research. Perhaps surprisingly, smoking and heavy drinking are not in the top four.

According to the latest VCIOM research, Russians judge bad habits as biting nails (79%), spitting on the floor (78%), using bad words (73%), biting pencils and pens (69%). Only 70% of respondents included smoking on the blacklistand just 35% condemned love for hard drinks.

Attitude to bad habits appear to be rapidly changing in Russia.

Last year Profi Online Research found that Russians called bad habits such things as smoking, drugs, alcohol and computer games addiction as well as using bad language. Russians didn’t include in the list swinging their legs while sitting and long talks on the phone which they considered the ‘sins’ of the Western society.

So why have attitudes changed dramatically within a year?

Psychologists say it can be easily explained: Russians have begun to think of what habits hamper their career and are harmful in terms of communication. The more they want to find a better job and achieve success in life, the more faults they find with themselves and try to purge.

Specialists also say that constant stress also adds to the growing list of bad habits.