Current Population Survey, November 2009: Civic Engagement Supplement

This data collection is comprised of responses from two sets of survey questionnaires, the basic Current Population Survey (CPS) and a survey administered as a supplement to the November 2009 CPS questionnaire on the topic of Civic Engagement.The CPS, administered monthly, collects labor force data about the civilian noninstitutional population aged 15 years old or older living in the United States. Moreover, the CPS provides current estimates of the economic status and activities of this population which includes estimates of total employment (both farm and nonfarm), nonfarm self-employed persons, domestics, and unpaid helpers in nonfarm family enterprises, wage and salaried employees, and estimates of total unemployment. Data from the CPS are provided for the week prior to the administration of the survey.The civic engagement supplement questions were asked of all persons 18 years or older in outgoing rotation households. Self or proxy response were allowed for the supplement, that is a single respondent could provide answers for themselves or provide answers for all eligible household members, provided the respondent him/herself was a household member 18 years of age or older.The supplement questions sought to measure the level of civic engagement of individuals in the United States. Civic engagement is a broad concept that can be defined by one's level of or involvement in: empowerment and political action; groups and networks; trust and solidarity; information and communication; and social cohesion and inclusion. The supplement questions specifically related to people's level of communication with their friends and family, involvement and level of participation in their communities as well as organized groups, extent of political action and knowledge, extent of connections with other community members, and how often individuals get news and information from various media sources.Demographic variables include age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, marital status, veteran status, educational background, occupation, industry, and income.