The European Social Survey (ESS) is an academically-driven multi-country survey, which has been administered in over 30 countries to date. Its three aims are: first - to monitor and interpret changing public attitudes and values within Europe and to investigate how they interact with Europe's changing institutions; second - to advance and consolidate improved methods of cross-national survey measurement in Europe and beyond; and third - to develop a series of European social indicators, including attitudinal indicators.
This dataset includes two types of variables: 1) percentage of respondents choosing a particular response option, and 2) average response per country, weighted using design weights (dweight), as recommended by the ESS.
Last updated by source: 2023-07-05
| Dataset type: | Time-Series |
| Dataset level: | Individual |
(European Social Survey
European Research Infrastructure (ESS ERIC), 2023a)
(European Social Survey
European Research Infrastructure (ESS ERIC), 2023b)
Average reply to D30-32: "To what extent are you in favour or against the following policies in [country] to reduce climate change? A law banning the sale of the least energy-efficient household appliances". (1) Strongly in favor, (2) Somewhat in favor, (3) Neither in favor nor against, (4) Somewhat against, (5) Strongly against. Answers (7) Refusal and (8) Don't know are deleted. A higher score means that there is a higher aversion towards the proposed ban in the general population. A lower score means that there is a higher support towards the ban in the general population.
More about this variablePercent of replies "(1) Entirely by natural processes" and "(2) Mainly by natural processes" to D22: "Do you think that climate change is caused by natural processes, human activity, or both?". (1) Entirely by natural processes, (2) Mainly by natural processes, (3) About equally by natural processes and human activity, (4) Mainly by human activity, (5) Entirely by human activity, (55) I don't think climate change is happening, (77) Refusal, (88) Don't know. A higher score means that there are more people who believe that climate change is happening due to natural rather than human-induced causes. A lower score means that there are fewer people who believe that these are natural processes that are behind climate change.
More about this variableAverage reply to D23: "To what extent do you feel a personal responsibility to try to reduce climate change?". (00) Not at all - (10) A great deal. Answers (77) Refusal and (88) Don't know are deleted. The higher the score the more people feel personal responsibility for reducing climate change. The lower the score the fewer people feel personal responsibility for reducing climate change.
More about this variablePercent of replies "(3) Probably not changing" and "(4) Definitely not changing" to D19: "You may have heard the idea that the world's climate is changing due to increases in temperature over the past 100 years. What is your personal opinion on this? Do you think the world's climate is changing?". (1) Definitely changing, (2) Probably changing, (3) Probably not changing, (4) Definitely not changing, (7) Refusal, (8) Don't know. A higher score means that more people believe that the climate is not changing. A lower score means that more people believe that the climate is changing.
More about this variableAverage reply to D20 and D21: "How much have you thought about climate change before today?". (1) Not at all, (2) Very little, (3) Some, (4) A lot, (5) A great deal. Answers (7) Refusal and (8) Don't know are deleted. D20 was only asked to those who replied "(4) Definitely not changing" to question D19 "Do you think climate is changing?". D21 is the same question but was asked to everyone else. In this dataset, we combined the replies for D20 and D21 before taking an average. A higher score means that a larger part of the population thought about climate change prior to the survey. A lower score means that a smaller part of the population thought about climate change prior to the survey.
More about this variableAverage reply to D28: "And how likely do you think it is that governments in enough countries will take action that reduces climate change?". (00) Not likely at all - (10) Extremely likely. Answers (77) Refusal and (88) Don't know are deleted. A higher score means that larger parts of the population believe that enough governments will take action towards climate change. A lower score means that fewer people believe that enough governments will take action towards climate change.
More about this variableTaking all things together, how happy would you say you are? 0. Extremely Unhappy 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Extremely Happy
More about this variableHow is your health in general? Would you say it is: 1. Very Good 2. Good 3. Fair 4. Bad 5. Very Bad
More about this variableAverage reply to CARD 76: "Now I will briefly describe some people. Please listen to each description and tell me how much each person is or is not like you. Use this card for your answer; She/he strongly believes that people should care for nature. Looking after the environment is important to her/him". (1) Very much like me (2) Like me (3) Somewhat like me (4) A little like me (5) Not like me (6) Not like me at all Answers "Don't know" are deleted. A higher score means that fewer people think that it is important to care about nature/environment. A lower score means that more people think that it is important to care about nature/environment.
More about this variableAverage reply to D30-32: "To what extent are you in favour or against the following policies in [country] to reduce climate change? Increasing taxes on fossil fuels, such as oil, gas and coal".(1) Strongly in favor, (2) Somewhat in favor, (3) Neither in favor nor against, (4) Somewhat against, (5) Strongly against. Answers (7) Refusal and (8) Don't know are deleted. A higher score means that the aversion towards a fossil fuel tax is higher in the population. A lower score means that there is more support towards a fossil fuel tax in the population.
More about this variableAverage reply to D27: "How likely do you think it is that large numbers of people will actually limit their energy use to try to reduce climate change?". (00) Not likely at all - (10) Extremely likely. Answers (77) Refusal and (88) Don't know are deleted. A higher score means that more people believe that a large number of people are likely to limit energy consumption to reduce climate change. A lower score means that fewer people believe that a large number of people are likely to reduce energy consumption to reduce climate change.
More about this variableRegardless of whether you belong to a particular religion, how religious would you say you are? 0. Not at all Religious 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Very Religious
More about this variableAverage reply to D30-32: "To what extent are you in favour or against the following policies in [country] to reduce climate change? Using public money to subsidise renewable energy such as wind and solar power". (1) Strongly in favor, (2) Somewhat in favor, (3) Neither in favor nor against, (4) Somewhat against, (5) Strongly against. Answers (7) Refusal and (8) Don't know are deleted. A higher score means that there is more aversion in the population towards government subsidies towards renewable energy. A lower score means that there is more support for renewable energy subsidies.
More about this variablePlease tell me on a score of 0-10 how much you personally trust each of the institutions I read out. 0 means you do not trust an institution at all, and 10 means you have complete trust. The Legal System.
More about this variablePlease tell me on a score of 0-10 how much you personally trust each of the institutions I read out. 0 means you do not trust an institution at all, and 10 means you have complete trust. The Parliament.
More about this variablePlease tell me on a score of 0-10 how much you personally trust each of the institutions I read out. 0 means you do not trust an institution at all, and 10 means you have complete trust. The Political Parties.
More about this variableGenerally speaking, would you say that most people can be trusted, or that you can't be too careful in dealing with people? Please tell me on a score of 0 to 10, where 0 means you can't be too careful and 10 means that most people can be trusted.
More about this variablePlease tell me on a score of 0-10 how much you personally trust each of the institutions I read out. 0 means you do not trust an institution at all, and 10 means you have complete trust. The Police.
More about this variablePlease tell me on a score of 0-10 how much you personally trust each of the institutions I read out. 0 means you do not trust an institution at all, and 10 means you have complete trust. The Politicians.
More about this variableAverage reply to D24: "How worried are you about climate change?". (1) Not at all worried, (2) Not very worried, (3) Somewhat worried, (4) Very worried, (5) Extremely worried. Answers (7) Refusal and (8) Don't know are deleted. A higher score means that there is a higher degree of worry in the population about climate change. A lower score means that there is less worry in the population about climate change.
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