Youth-Parent Socialization Panel Study, 1965-1997: Youth Wave IV, 1997

This panel study is part of a series of surveys designed to assess political continuity and change across time for biologically related generations and to gauge the impact of life-stage events and historical trends on the behaviors and attitudes of respondents. A national sample of high school seniors and their parents was initially interviewed in 1965 with subsequent surveys of the same individuals conducted in 1973, 1982, and 1997. This data collection consists of the fourth wave of youth interviews conducted in 1997. Individuals who were identified and located from Wave III (1982) were reinterviewed for this wave. Information was gathered on respondents' political interest, party identification, political participation, interest in public affairs, issue positions, group evaluations, civic orientations, attitudes and behaviors over time, partisanship, and electoral behavior. Respondents were queried about their views on politics, concept of a good citizen, faith in government, and attitudes toward federal government. Respondents were also asked to indicate their feelings toward labor unions, activist groups, and politicians, and to rate the influence level of certain groups. Additional information was gathered on respondents' personal and family changes since 1982. Summary variables from previous waves of this study are also available. Background variables include age, sex, religious orientation, level of religious participation, marital status, ethnicity, educational status and background, place of residence, family income, and employment status.