Entry:

Davis, James A., "Background Variables and Opinions in the 1972-1977 NORC General Social Surveys: Ten Generalizations About Age, Education, Occupational Prestige, Race, Region, Religion, and Sex, and Forty-Nine Opinion Items," GSS Topical Report No. 2, August, 1979.


Abstract:

The relationships between background variables and attitude items are investigated and reveal that after controlling for interrelations between predictors, persistent but not consistent associations exist for education and opinion responses. However, age is a persistent and consistent correlate of attitudes while religion and sex are associated with opinion for about half of all variables. Race and region are powerful predictors of attitudes. These two items along with religion, form systems of suppressor v

GSS Years:

1972-78

Other Data Sets:

ANES 1952-73 (10); Gallup 1953-73 (20)

GSS Codebook Variables referenced by document:

Variable Name

Variable Label

 
 
AGE

AGE OF RESPONDENT

EDUC

HIGHEST YEAR OF SCHOOL COMPLETED

PRESTIGE

RS OCCUPATIONAL PRESTIGE SCORE (1970)

RACE

RACE OF RESPONDENT

REGION

REGION OF INTERVIEW

RELIG

RS RELIGIOUS PREFERENCE

SEX

RESPONDENTS SEX

MARITAL

MARITAL STATUS

NATAID

FOREIGN AID

NATARMS

"MILITARY

NATCITY

SOLVING PROBLEMS OF BIG CITIES

NATCRIME

HALTING RISING CRIME RATE

NATDRUG

DEALING WITH DRUG ADDICTION

NATEDUC

IMPROVING NATIONS EDUCATION SYSTEM

NATENVIR

IMPROVING & PROTECTING ENVIRONMENT

NATFARE

WELFARE

NATHEAL

IMPROVING & PROTECTING NATIONS HEALTH

NATRACE

IMPROVING THE CONDITIONS OF BLACKS

NATSPAC

SPACE EXPLORATION PROGRAM

JOBHOUR

SHORT WORKING HOURS

JOBINC

HIGH INCOME

JOBMEANS

WORK IMPORTANT AND FEEL ACCOMPLISHMENT

JOBPROMO

CHANCES FOR ADVANCEMENT

JOBSEC

NO DANGER OF BEING FIRED

CONSIDER

CONSIDERATE OF OTHERS

HONEST

HONEST

MANNERS

GOOD MANNERS

OBEYS

OBEYS PARENTS WELL

ROLE

ACTS LIKE BOY-ACTS LIKE GIRL

STUDIOUS

GOOD STUDENT

ANOMIA7

OFFICIALS NOT INTERESTED IN AVERAGE MAN

GETAHEAD

OPINION OF HOW PEOPLE GET AHEAD

TRUST

CAN PEOPLE BE TRUSTED

RICHWORK

"IF RICH

FEHOME

WOMEN TAKE CARE OF HOME NOT COUNTRY

FEWORK

SHOULD WOMEN WORK

FEPRES

VOTE FOR WOMAN PRESIDENT

PREMARSX

SEX BEFORE MARRIAGE

XMARSEX

SEX WITH PERSON OTHER THAN SPOUSE

HOMOSEX

HOMOSEXUAL SEX RELATIONS

ABNOMORE

MARRIED--WANTS NO MORE CHILDREN

ABSINGLE

NOT MARRIED

DIVLAW

DIVORCE LAWS

CHLDIDEL

IDEAL NUMBER OF CHILDREN

AGED

SHOULD AGED LIVE WITH THEIR CHILDREN

SPKATH

ALLOW ANTI-RELIGIONIST TO SPEAK

SPKCOM

ALLOW COMMUNIST TO SPEAK

SPKMIL

ALLOW MILITARIST TO SPEAK

SPKRAC

ALLOW RACIST TO SPEAK

PORNLAW

FEELINGS ABOUT PORNOGRAPHY LAWS

GRASS

SHOULD MARIJUANA BE MADE LEGAL

COMMUN

FEELINGS ABOUT COMMUNISM

CAPPUN

FAVOR OR OPPOSE DEATH PENALTY FOR MURDER

CAPPUN2

DOES R FAVOR CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

RACMAR

FAVOR LAW AGAINST RACIAL INTERMARRIAGE

RACOPEN

VOTE ON OPEN HOUSING LAW

RACPRES

WOULD VOTE FOR BLACK PRESIDENT

RACDIN

OBJECT TO OPP. RACE HOME FOR DINNER

PARTYID

POLITICAL PARTY AFFILIATION

CLASS

SUBJECTIVE CLASS IDENTIFICATION