Edited 11/09/04.
The General Social Survey (GSS) is a large, national probability sample of adults in the United States. Many questions are asked on each survey, while other questions are rotated from survey to survey. This sample survey contains a selection of approximately 100 of the more then 800 variables on the survey. The questions have been modified from the original face to face interview format to a wording that is understandable on a self administered survey. If you are adventurious and curious about other areas covered you check out the Cumulative Datafile GSS Data file.
| Variable Name [Description of Variable] The question used in the interview |
ABANY
[Abortion if woman wants for any reason]
_______Please tell me whether or not you think it should be possible for a pregnant woman to obtain a legal abortion if: the woman wants it for any reason?
1. Yes
2. No
3. Don't know
ABDEFECT
[Abortion if strong chance of serious defect]
_______Please tell me whether or not you think it should be possible for a pregnant woman to obtain a legal abortion if: there is a strong chance of a serious defect in the baby?
1. Yes
2. No
3. Don't know
ABHLTH
[Abortion if woman's health seriously endangered]
_______Please tell me whether or not you think it should be possible for a pregnant woman to obtain a legal abortion if: the woman's own health is seriously endangered by the pregnancy
1. Yes
2. No
3. Don't know
ABNOMORE
[Abortion if married and wants no more children]
_______Please tell me whether or not you think it should be possible for a pregnant woman to obtain a legal abortion if: she is married and does not want any more children?
1. Yes
2. No
3. Don't know
ABPOOR
[Abortion if low income and can't afford more children]
Please tell me whether or not you think it should be possible for a pregnant woman to obtain a legal abortion if: the family has a very low income and cannot afford any more children?
1. Yes
2. No
3. Don't know
ABRAPE
[Abortion if pregnant as result of rape]
_______Please tell me whether or not you think it should be possible for a pregnant woman to obtain a legal abortion if: she became pregnant as a result of rape?
1. Yes
2. No
3. Don't know
ABSINGLE
[Abortion if not married]
_______Please tell me whether or not you think it should be possible for a pregnant woman to obtain a legal abortion if: she is not married and does not want to marry the man?
1. Yes
2. No
8. Don't Know
AFFRMACT
Do you favor preferences in hiring blacks?
1 STRONGLY SUPPORT PREF
2 SUPPORT PREF
3 OPPOSE PREF
4 STRONGLY OPPOSE PREF
8 DK
AGE
[Age of respondent]
_______What is your date of birth?
AGED
[Should aged live with their children]
_______As you know, many older people share a home with their grown children. Do you think this is generally a good idea or a bad idea?
1. A good idea
2. A bad idea
3. Depends
4. Don't know
AGEKDBRN
[Respondent's age when first child born]
_______How old were you when your first child was born (please use 99 if you have no children)
ATTEND
[How often respondent attends religious services]
_______How often do you attend religious services?
0. NEVER
1. LESS THEN ONCE A YEAR
2. ONCE A YEAR
3. SEVRL TIMES A YR
4. ONCE A MONTH
5 2-3 TIMES A MONTH
6 NEARLY EVERY WEEK
7 EVERY WEEK
8 MORE THEN ONCE A WEEK
9 DK,NA
BIBLE
[Feelings about the bible]
_______Which of these statements comes closest to describing your feelings about the Bible?
- The Bible is the actual word of God and is to be taken literally.
- The Bible is the inspired word of God but not everything in it should be taken literally, word for word.
- The Bible is an ancient book of fables, legends, history, and moral precepts recorded by men.
1 WORD OF GOD
2 INSPIRED WORD
3 BOOK OF FABLES
4 OTHER
5. DON'T KNOW
BLKSIMP
Have conditiond for blacks improved?
1 IMPROVED
2 GOTTEN WORSE
3 ABOUT THE SAME
8 DK
BUSING
In general, do you favor or oppose the busing of (Negro/Black) and white school children from one school district to another?
1 FAVOR
2 OPPOSE
8 DON'T KNOW
CAPPUN
[Favor or oppose death penalty for murder]
_______Do you favor or oppose the death penalty for persons convicted of murder?
1 FAVOR
2 OPPOSE
8 DON'T KNOW
CHILDS
[Number of children]
_______ How many children have you ever had? Please count all that were born alive at any time (including any you had from a previous marriage).
CLASS
[Subjective class identification]
_______If you were asked to use one of four names for your social class, which would you say you belong in: the lower class, the working class, the middle class, orthe upper class?
1 LOWER CLASS
2 WORKING CLASS
3 MIDDLE CLASS
4 UPPER CLASS
5 NO CLASS
8 DK
COLATH
[Allow anti-religionist to teach]
_______There are always some people whose ideas are considered bad or dangerous by other people. For instance, somebody who is agianst all churches and religion... Should such a person be allowed to teach in a college or university, or not?
4 ALLOWED
5 NOT ALLOWED
8 DK
COLCOM
[Should communist teacher be fired] _______Suppose a communist is teaching in a college. Should he be fired, or not?
4 FIRED
5 NOT FIRED
8 DK
COLHOMO
[Allow homosexual to teach] _______Should a homosexual be allowed to teach in a college or university, or not?
4 ALLOWED
5 NOT ALLOWED
8 DK
COLMIL
[Allow militarist to teach]
_______Should a militarist be allowed to teach in a college or university, or not?
4 ALLOWED
5 NOT ALLOWED
8 DK
COLRAC
[Allow racist to teach]
_______Should a racist be allowed to teach in a college or university, or not?
4 ALLOWED
5 NOT ALLOWED
8 DK
DEGREE
[Respondent's highest degree]
_______What is the highest degree you have earned?
0 LESS THAN HIGH SCHOOL
1 HIGH SCHOOL
2 JUNIOR COLLEGE
3 BACHELOR
4 GRADUATE
8 DK
EDUC
[Highest year of school completed]
_______What is the highest grade in elementary school or high school that you finished and got credit for?
FAIR
[People fair or try to take advantage]
_______Do you think most people would try to take advantage of you if they got a chance, or would they try to be fair?
1 TAKE ADVANTAGE
2 FAIR
3 DEPENDS
8 DK
FEAR
[Afraid to walk at night in neighborhood]
_______Is there any area right around here—that is, within a mile—where you would be afraid to walk alone?
1. YES
2. NO
8. DON'T KNOW
GRASS
[Should marijuana be made legal]
_______Do you think the use of marijuana should be made legal or not?
1 LEGAL
2 NOT LEGAL
8 DK
GUNLAW
[Favor or oppose gun permits]
_______Would you favor or oppose a law which would require a person to obtain a police permit before he or she could buy a gun?
1 FAVOR
2 OPPOSE
8 DK
HAPMAR
[Happiness of marriage]
_______IF CURRENTLY MARRIED: Taking things all together, how would you describe your marriage? Would you say that your marriage is very happy, pretty happy, or not too happy?
1 VERY HAPPY
2 PRETTY HAPPY
3 NOT TOO HAPPY
8 DK
HAPPY
[General happiness]
_______Taken all together, how would you say things are these days—would you say that you are very happy, pretty happy, or not too happy?
1 VERY HAPPY
2 PRETTY HAPPY
3 NOT TOO HAPPY
8 DK
INCOME
[Total family income]
_______In which of these groups did your total family income, from all sources, fall last year before taxes, that is?
1 LT $1000
2 $1000 TO $2999
3 $3000 TO $3999
4 $4000 TO $4999
5 $5000 TO $5999
6 $6000 TO $6999
7 $7000 TO $7999
8 $8000 TO $9999
9 $10000 TO $14999
10 $15000 TO $19999
11 $20000 TO $24999
12 $25000 OR MORE
13 REFUSED
98 DK
LIBATH
[Allow anti-religious book in library]
_______If some people in your community suggested that a book he wrote against churches and religion should be taken out of your public library, would you favor removing this book, or not?
1 REMOVE
2 NOT REMOVE
8 DK
LIBCOM
[Allow communist's book in library]
_______Suppose he wrote a book which is in your public library. Somebody in your community suggests that the book should be removed from the library. Would you favor removing it, or not?
1 REMOVE
2 NOT REMOVE
8 DK
LIBHOMO
[Allow homosexual's book in library]
_______If some people in your community suggested that a book he wrote in favor of homosexuality should be taken out of your public library, would you favor removing this book, or not?
1 REMOVE
2 NOT REMOVE 8 DK
LIBMIL
[Allow militarist's book in library]
_______Suppose he wrote a book advocating doing away with elections and letting the military run the country.Somebody in your community suggests that the book be removed from the public library. Would you favor removing it, or not?
1 REMOVE
2 NOT REMOVE 8 DK
LIBRAC
[Allow racist's book in library]
_______If some people in your community suggested a book he wrote which said that Blacks are inferior should be taken out of your public library, would you favor removing this book, or not?
1 REMOVE
2 NOT REMOVE 8 DK
LIFE
[IS LIFE EXCITING OR DULL]
_______In general, do you find life:
1. Exciting
2. Pretty routine
3. Dull
8. Don't know
MADEG
[Mother's highest degree]
_______What is the highest degree your mother earned?
0 LESS THAN HIGH SCHOOL
1 HIGH SCHOOL
2 JUNIOR COLLEGE
3 BACHELOR
4 GRADUATE
8 DK
MAEDUC
[Highest year school completed, mother]
_______ What is the highest grade in elementary school or high school that your mother finished and got credit for?
MARITAL
[Marital status]
_______Are you currently—married, widowed, divorced, separated, or have you never been married?
1 MARRIED
2 WIDOWED
3 DIVORCED
4 SEPARATED
5 NEVER MARRIED
PADEG
[Father's highest degree]
_______What is the highest degree your father earned?
0 LESS THAN HIGH SCHOOL
1 HIGH SCHOOL
2 JUNIOR COLLEGE
3 BACHELOR
4 GRADUATE
8 DK
PAEDUC
[Highest year school completed, father]
_______ What is the highest grade in elementary school or high school that your father finished and got credit for?
POLVIEWS
[Think of self as liberal or conservative (recoded)]
_______We hear a lot of talk these days about liberals and conservatives. I'm going to show you a seven-point scale on which the political views that people might hold are arranged from
1 extremely liberal <---------------------->to extremely conservative 7
Where would you place yourself on this scale?
1 EXTREMELY LIBERAL
2 LIBERAL
3 SLIGHTLY LIBERAL
4 MODERATE
5 SLGHTLY CONSERVATIVE
6 CONSERVATIVE
7 EXTRMLY CONSERVATIVE
8 DK
POSTLIFE
[Belief in life after death] _______ Do you believe there is a life after death?
1. YES
2. NO
8. DON'T KNOW
PRAY
[How often does respondent pray]
_______About how often do you pray?
1 SEVERAL TIMES A DAY
2 ONCE A DAY
3 SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK
4 ONCE A WEEK
5 LESS THEN ONCE A WEEK
6 NEVER
PRAYER
[Support Supreme Court Decision on prayer in public schools]
_______The United States Supreme Court has ruled that no state or local government may require the reading of the Lord's prayer or Bible verses in public schools. What are your views on this—do you approve or disapprove of the court ruling?
1 APPROVE
2 DISAPPROVE
8 DK
PRES92
[Vote for Clinton, Bush, Perot] _______IF YOU VOTED 1992: Did you vote for Clinton, Bush, or Perot?
1 CLINTON
2 BUSH
3 PEROT
4 OTHER
6 NO PRES. VOTE
8 DK
RACE
[Race of respondent] _______What race do you consider yourself?
1 BLACK
2 WHITE
3 OTHER
RACDIF1
On the average (Negroes/Blacks) have worse jobs, income, and housing than white people. Do you think
these differences are: A. Mainly due to discrimination?
1 YES
2 NO
8 DK
9 NA
RACDIF2
On the average (Negroes/Blacks) have worse jobs, income, and housing than white people. Do you think these differences are B. Because most (Negroes/Blacks) have less in-born ability to learn?
1 YES
2 NO
8 DK
9 NA
RACDIF3
On the average (Negroes/Blacks) have worse jobs, income, and housing than white people. Do you think these differences are C. Because most (Negroes/Blacks) don't have the chance for education that it takes to rise out of poverty?
1 YES
2 NO
8 DK
9 NA
RACDIF4
On the average (Negroes/Blacks) have worse jobs, income, and housing than white people. Do you think these differences are D. Because most (Negroes/Blacks) just don't have the motivation or will power to pull themselves up out of poverty?
1 YES
2 NO
8 DK
9 NA
RACPRES
If your party nominated a (Negro/Black) for President, would you vote for him if he were qualified for the job?
1 YES
2 NO
8 DK
9 NA
RELIG
[Respondent's religious preference]
_______What is your religious preference? Is it Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, some other religion, or no religion?
1 PROTESTANT
2 CATHOLIC
3 JEWISH
4 NONE
5 OTHER
8 DK
RELITEN
[Strength of affiliation] _______If you choose a religion in the previous question, would you call yourself :
1 STRONG
2 NOT VERY STRONG
3 SOMEWHAT STRONG
4 NO RELIGION
8 DK
SEX
[Respondent's sex] _______What is your sex
1 MALE
2 FEMALE
SIBS
[Number of brothers and sisters]
_______ How many brothers and sisters did you have? Please count those born alive, but no longer living, as well as those alive now. Also include stepbrothers and stepsisters, and children adopted by your parents.
SPDEG
[Spouse's highest degree]
_______What is the highest degree your spouse [husband or wife] recieved? Choose highest degree earned.
0 LESS THAN HIGH SCHOOL
1 HIGH SCHOOL
2 JUNIOR COLLEGE
3 BACHELOR
4 GRADUATE
8 DK
SPEDUC
[Highest year school completed, spouse]
_______ What is the highest grade in elementary school or high school that your [husband/wife] finished and got credit for?
SPKATH
[Allow anti-religionist to speak] There are always some people whose ideas are considered bad or dangerous by other people. For instance, somebody who is agianst all churches and religion... If such a person wanted to make a speech in your (city/town/community) against churches and religion, should he be allowed to speak, or not?
1 ALLOWED
2 NOT ALLOWED
8 DK
SPKCOM
[Allow communist to speak]
Now, I should like to ask you some questions about a man who admits he is a Communist. Suppose this admitted Communist wanted to make a speech in your community. Should he be allowed to speak, or not?
1 ALLOWED
2 NOT ALLOWED
8 DK
SPKHOMO
[Allow homosexual to speak]
What about a man who admits that he is a homosexual. Suppose this admitted homosexual wanted to make a speech in your community. Should he be allowed to speak, or not?
1 ALLOWED
2 NOT ALLOWED
8 DK
SPKMIL
[Allow militarist to speak]
Consider a person who advocates doing away with elections and letting the military run the country. If such a person wanted to make a speech in your community, should he be allowed to speak, or not?
1 ALLOWED
2 NOT ALLOWED
8 DK
SPKRAC
[Allow racist to speak]
Or consider a person who believes that Blacks are genetically inferior. If such a person wanted to make a speech in you community claiming that Blacks are inferior, should he be allowed to speak, or not?
1 ALLOWED
2 NOT ALLOWED
8 DK
TRUST
[Can people be trusted]
Generally speaking, would you say that most people can be trusted or that you can't be too careful in dealing with people?
1 CAN TRUST
2 CANNOT TRUST
3 DEPENDS
8 DK
TVHOURS
[Hours per day watching television]
_______ On the average day, about how many hours do you personally watch television?
ZODIAC
[Respondent's astrological sign] What is your astrological sign?
1 ARIES
2 TAURUS
3 GEMINI
4 CANCER
5 LEO
6 VIRGO
7 LIBRA
8 SCORPIO
9 SAGITTARIUS
10 CAPRICORN
11 AQUARIUS
12 PISCES
