World Values Survey Series Holdings and Descriptions

What is the World Values Survey? "The World Values Surveys and European Values Surveys series was designed to enable a crossnational, crosscultural comparison of values and norms on a wide variety of topics and to monitor changes in values and attitudes across the globe. This data collection contains the survey data from the four waves of the World Values Surveys and European Values Surveys, carried out in 1981-1984, 1990-1993, 1995-1997, and 1999-2004. These survey responses have now been integrated into one dataset, to facilitate time series analysis. The surveys provide data from representative national samples of the publics of approximately 81 societies (covering 60 countries) that contain 85 percent of the world's population and cover a full range of variation, from societies with per capita incomes below 300 dollars per year, to societies with per capita incomes of more than 35,000 dollars per year, from long-established democracies to authoritarian states, and from societies with market economies to societies that are in the process of emerging from state-run economies. The surveys cover societies that were historically shaped by a wide variety of religious and cultural traditions, from Christian to Islamic to Confucian to Hindu. The societies covered range from those whose culture emphasizes social conformity and group obligations to societies in which the main emphasis is on human emancipation and self-expression. Broad topics covered in the integrated file include perception of life, family, work, traditional values, personal finances, religion and morale, the economy, politics and society, the environment, allocation of resources, contemporary social issues, national identity, and technology and its impact on society. Specifically, respondents were asked whether the following acts were ever justifiable: suicide, cheating on taxes, lying, euthanasia, divorce, and abortion. Respondents were also asked about the groups and associations they belonged to, which ones they worked for voluntarily, the ethnic group(s) they would not want as neighbors, their general state of health, and whether they felt they had free choice and control over their lives. A wide range of items was included on the meaning and purpose of life, such as respondents' views on the value of scientific advances, the demarcation of good and evil, and religious behavior and beliefs. Respondents were also queried about their attitudes toward morality, politics, sexual freedom, marriage, single parenting, child-rearing, and the importance of work, family, politics, and religion in their lives. Questions relating to work included what financial and social benefits were most important to them in a job, how much pride they took in their work, if they were happy with their current position, and their views on owner/state/employee management of business. Questions pertaining to the stability of the world economy and whether respondents were happy with their financial situation were also asked. Respondents' opinions on various forms of political action, the most important aims for their countries, confidence in various civil and governmental institutions, and whether they would fight in a war for their country were also elicited."

Note: This description was taken from the ICPSR website. For more information, please consult the ICPSR or the World Values Survey homepage.

Notes for Users: Below you will find a list of all WVS files that are in the Electronic Data Center's Holdings. Each list provides the title and year of the survey along with links to available downloads for each study. Note that the sample of countries included in each survey varies, so users should consult the codebooks for details on the sampling procedures.

For most studies, there is a codebook (either in .txt or .pdf format) and an SPSS data file. Occasionally, there will also be further appendices or questionnaires, SPSS portable files, and/or Stata data files. Right-click on the appropriate link. If you are using Internet Explorer, choose "Save link as..." and then identify the appropriate directory on your computer. On Netscape or Mozilla, right-click then choose "Save link target as..." Once these files have downloaded successfully, you should be able to open them on your computer with the appropriate programs. The SPSS files should be ready to use in SPSS, while txt files should open with a program such as Notepad or Wordpad (available under "Accessories" in the Start menu). If you have any problems downloading files, or if you need help with converting files into different formats, please visit the EDC Help Pages or contact a staff member at the EDC.

Home | Analyze Data Online | Help Resources | Contacts & Hours | Emory General Libraries