Altruism: A Data-Driven Learning Guide

Dataset

General Social Survey, 1972-2006 (Cumulative File)

This exercise will use the General Social Survey, 1972-2006 (Cumulative File).

The General Social Survey (GSS) is one of the longest running surveys of social, political and cultural conditions in American society. Since its inception in 1972 it has been monitoring social change and tracking trends in attitudes, behaviors and attributes of the United States adult population. A nationally representative personal interview survey of the United States adult population, it collects data on a wide range of topics: behavioral items such as group membership and participation; personal psychological evaluations including measures of well-being, misanthropy, and life satisfaction; attitudinal questions on such public issues as crime and punishment, race relations, gender roles, and spending priorities; and demographic characteristics of respondents and their parents. The survey is currently administered biennially. The GSS contains a core of demographic and attitudinal questions, many of which have remained unchanged to facilitate time trend studies. The survey also contains topical modules about topics of special interest. The cumulative dataset merges all previous years of the GSS into a single file, with each year or survey constituting a subfile. Data for this exercise came from the 2004 topical module on altruism.

This exercise will use the following variables:

• People should help less fortunate others (OTHSHELP)
• I often have tender, concerned feelings for people less fortunate than me (EMPATHY1)
• How often have you done volunteer work for a charity? (VOLCHRTY)
• How often have you given food or money to a homeless person? (GIVHMLESS)

Goal & Concept - Dataset - Application - Interpretation & Summary - Bibliography