Kinship and Social Security (KASS)

To work with this survey you need to visit our <a href=https://www.gesis.org/angebot/daten-aufbereiten-und-analysieren/analyse-sensibler-daten/secure-data-center-sdc target=_blank>Secure Data Center </a> in Cologne, Germany (unless you are a former member of the KASS research team, in which case special rules apply)!

Family structures, kinship networks, general circumstances of life and patterns of mutual support. Income; intra-family transfer benefits. Practical support from state and officially supported social insurance.

Topics: recording of the genealogical links of all relatives by descent or marriage, including deceased ancestors and distant links through descent or marriage. For each member of the network the following information was asked: place of birth and current residence, economic situation, level of education, general state of health, an indicator of living standard. Similar information on the respondents themselves, including their own economic and health situation, information on the frequency and type of social contacts with each member of the network of known kin (including ritual relations such as godparenthood).

Information on the scope and network of support relations, help for third parties, or of help persons themselves received from members of the network of friends and kin; specific information on the type of help, e.g. help with shopping, childcare, leaving an inheritance, covering health or education costs. Similar information was asked on neighbours and friends, with whom the respondents had support relations. For major items of support, help patterns were recorded for the entire life. The influence of parents and relatives and friends on decisions concerning the choice of life partners and family size planning.