DOI: 10.3886/icpsr07762.v1
title: Quality of American Life, 1978
title: Version 1

description: This dataset is a continuation of one created seven years
earlier, QUALITY OF AMERICAN LIFE, 1971 (ICPSR 3508). In the 1978
study, a national sample was drawn that included many respondents from
the 1971 study. The purpose of the study was to survey Americans about
their perceived quality of life by measuring their perceptions of
their socio-psychological condition, their needs and expectations from
life, and the degree to which those needs were satisfied. The data,
similar in scope and content of that in the 1971 survey, were collected via
personal interviews from a nationwide probability sample of 3,692
persons 18 years of age and older during the summer of 1978. Closed
and open-ended questions were used to probe respondents'
satisfactions, dissatisfactions, aspirations, and disappointments in a
variety of life domains, such as dwelling/neighborhood, local services
(e.g., police, roads, and schools), public transportation, present
personal life, life in the United States, education, occupation, job
history/expectation, work life, housework, leisure activities,
organizational affiliations, religious affiliation, health problems,
financial situation, marriage (including widowhood, divorce, and
separation), children/family life, and relationships with family and
friends. In addition to broad questions about satisfaction with each
of these domains and their importance to the respondents, specific
sources of gratification and frustration were explored. Other
questions focused on life as a whole and about the extent to which
respondents felt they had control over their lives (e.g., rating of
various aspects of life, (dis)satisfaction with life, personal
efficacy, and social desirability measures). A major difference
between this study and the earlier study is that the 1978 respondents
were asked more detailed questions concerning their perceived
financial status relative to their family, friends, and
past personal financial status. Personal data include sex, age, race,
ethnic background, childhood family stability, military service, and
father's occupation and education. Observational data are included on
housing and neighborhood characteristics as well as respondents'
appearance, intelligence, and sincerity.
description: A national multistage area probability sampling of 3,692
 persons (weighted to 9,561) was used. Two independently chosen samples
 were combined to form the total sample: (1) a sample of 761 segments
 (clusters of approximately four housing units) selected at the overall
 rate of 1 in 22,250 for the 1971 Quality of Life sample, and (2) a new
 sample of 549 segments (clusters of approximately four housing units)
 selected at the overall rate of 1 in 35,490 for the 1978 Quality of
 Life sample. The combined samples include approximately 4,870
 households (occupied housing units). Even though each of the two
 samples is located in 74 primary areas, they are not in all cases the
 same 74 areas. In 1971 the SMSA definitions and population counts that
 determined selection probabilities were those reported for the 1960
 Census. In 1972 the sample of primary areas was revised to incorporate
 1970 SMSA definitions and population counts. Nine of the 1971 sample
 points were dropped and nine others added in the revision process. The
 1978 household sample was selected from the revised primary area
 sample. When the two samples (1971 and 1978) are combined, there are
 83 different sample points located in 37 states and Washington
 DC. First stage stratification of SMSAs and counties was carried out
 independently within each of the four major geographical regions --
 Northeast, North Central, South and West -- each of which received
representation in proportion to population.
description: Datasets: 
DS1: Quality of American Life, 1978
description: Persons aged 18 years of age or older living within the
conterminous United States, exclusive of households on military
reservations.
description: Some inconsistencies (primarily in the series of
variables concerning the events from 1973-1978) still exist. When
checked, it was found that these inconsistencies accurately reflected
the information given by the respondents.