Entry:
Caplow, Theodore, "Decades of Public Opinion: Comparing NORC and Middletown Data," Public Opinion, 5 (October/November, 1982), 25-36.
Abstract:
Both the GSS and Middletown studies show that: (1) Americans distinguish sharply between their personal situations, which please them most of the time, and the state of the nation, which often displeases them, (2) the attitudes and values that regulate personal choices are relatively stable, compared to opinions on public issues, which are quite volatile, and (3) most of the changes in opinion distributions on public issues are attributable to propaganda or persuasion, not spontaneous drift.
GSS Years:ACT: Both the GSS and Middletown studies show that: (1) Americans distinguish sharply between their personal situations, which please them most of the time, and the state of the nation, which often displeases them, (2) the attitudes and values that regulate personal choices are relatively stable, compared to opinions on public issues, which are quite volatile, and (3) most of the changes in opinion distributions on public issues are attributable to propaganda or persuasion, not spontaneous drift.
Other Data Sets:
Caplow, et al. 1976-82; Lynd and Lynd 1924-25, 1935; Dem Institute of Paris 1977
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GSS Codebook Variables referenced by document: |
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Variable Name |
Variable Label |
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| SATJOB |
JOB OR HOUSEWORK |
| HAPPY |
GENERAL HAPPINESS |
| LIFE |
IS LIFE EXCITING OR DULL |
| GETAHEAD |
OPINION OF HOW PEOPLE GET AHEAD |
| ANOMIA5 |
LOT OF THE AVERAGE MAN GETTING WORSE |
| ANOMIA6 |
NOT FAIR TO BRING CHILD INTO WORLD |
| SATFIN |
SATISFACTION WITH FINANCIAL SITUATION |
| FINALTER |
CHANGE IN FINANCIAL SITUATION |
| CHLDIDEL |
IDEAL NUMBER OF CHILDREN |
| CHLDMORE |
EXPECT MORE CHILDREN |
| HAPMAR |
HAPPINESS OF MARRIAGE |
| DIVLAW |
DIVORCE LAWS |
| IMPFAM |
FAMILY AND CHILDREN |
| IMPKIN |
RELATIVES |
| IMPFREND |
FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES |
| IMPWORK |
CAREER AND WORK |
| IMPRELAX |
FREE TIME AND RELAXATION |
| IMPCHURH |
RELIGION AND CHURCH |
| IMPPOL |
POLITICS AND PUBLIC LIFE |
| NATEDUC |
IMPROVING NATIONS EDUCATION SYSTEM |
| BUSING |
ATTITUDE TOWARD RACIAL BUSING |
| RACSCHOL |
SHOULD WHITES & BLACKS GO TO SAME SCHOOL |
| POLVIEWS |
THINK OF SELF AS LIBERAL OR CONSERVATIVE |
| ANOMIA7 |
OFFICIALS NOT INTERESTED IN AVERAGE MAN |
| CIVIC |
DOES R FOLLOW PUBLIC AFFAIRS? |
| USINTL |
TAKE ACTIVE PART IN WORLD AFFAIRS |
| NATARMS |
"MILITARY |
| NATAID |
FOREIGN AID |
| RUSSIA |
LIKING FOR RUSSIA |
| ENGLAND |
LIKING FOR ENGLAND |
| COMMUN |
FEELINGS ABOUT COMMUNISM |
| FEPRES |
VOTE FOR WOMAN PRESIDENT |
| FEPOL |
WOMEN NOT SUITED FOR POLITICS |
| FEHOME |
WOMEN TAKE CARE OF HOME NOT COUNTRY |
| FEWORK |
SHOULD WOMEN WORK |
| ABHLTH |
WOMANS HEALTH SERIOUSLY ENDANGERED |
| ABRAPE |
PREGNANT AS RESULT OF RAPE |
| ABDEFECT |
STRONG CHANCE OF SERIOUS DEFECT |
| ABPOOR |
LOW INCOME--CANT AFFORD MORE CHILDREN |
| ABNOMORE |
MARRIED--WANTS NO MORE CHILDREN |
| ABSINGLE |
NOT MARRIED |
| PREMARSX |
SEX BEFORE MARRIAGE |
| XMARSEX |
SEX WITH PERSON OTHER THAN SPOUSE |
| HOMOSEX |
HOMOSEXUAL SEX RELATIONS |
| RACDIN |
OBJECT TO OPP. RACE HOME FOR DINNER |
| RACSEG |
WHITES HAVE RIGHT TO SEG. NEIGHBORHOOD |
| RACPRES |
WOULD VOTE FOR BLACK PRESIDENT |
| SPKATH |
ALLOW ANTI-RELIGIONIST TO SPEAK |
| COLATH |
ALLOW ANTI-RELIGIONIST TO TEACH |
| LIBATH |
ALLOW ANTI-RELIGIOUS BOOK IN LIBRARY |
| SPKRAC |
ALLOW RACIST TO SPEAK |
| COLRAC |
ALLOW RACIST TO TEACH |
| LIBRAC |
ALLOW RACISTS BOOK IN LIBRARY |
| SPKCOM |
ALLOW COMMUNIST TO SPEAK |
| COLCOM |
SHOULD COMMUNIST TEACHER BE FIRED |
| LIBCOM |
ALLOW COMMUNISTS BOOK IN LIBRARY |
| SPKHOMO |
ALLOW HOMOSEXUAL TO SPEAK |
| COLHOMO |
ALLOW HOMOSEXUAL TO TEACH |
| LIBHOMO |
ALLOW HOMOSEXUALS BOOK IN LIBRARY |
| FEAR |
AFRAID TO WALK AT NIGHT IN NEIGHBORHOOD |
| FEARHOME |
DOES R FEEL SAFE AND SECURE AT HOME |
| GUNLAW |
FAVOR OR OPPOSE GUN PERMITS |
| OWNGUN |
HAVE GUN IN HOME |
| CAPPUN |
FAVOR OR OPPOSE DEATH PENALTY FOR MURDER |
| COURTS |
COURTS DEALING WITH CRIMINALS |