German Internet Panel, Wave 9 (January 2014)

The German Internet Panel (GIP) is an infrastructure project. The GIP serves to collect data about individual attitudes and preferences which are relevant for political and economic decision-making processes.

Experimental variations in the instruments were used. The questionnaire contains numerous randomizations (e.g. order of option A and B) as well as a cross-questionnaire experiment.

Topics: 1. Political attitudes: preferred sole governments or government coalitions; preference for a government coalition of CDU/CSU and FDP or for a coalition of SPD and Bündnis90/Die Grünen; maximum monthly amount the respondent would be willing to pay for the realization of the desired coalition; support for nuclear phase-out; maximum monthly amount the respondent would be willing to pay for the implementation of the desired nuclear phase-out and anticipated maximum amount of other supporters; unemployment benefit ALG II: preference for the current or amended ALG II scheme in terms of standard rates and additional earnings limits; expected impact of the amended ALG II scheme on the proportion of ALG II recipients seeking work; expected impact of the amended ALG II scheme on the financial situation of selected groups (unemployed, low-income and high-income workers respectively enterprises); expected impact of the amended ALG II scheme on the personal financial situation, the likelihood of own unemployment and personal living standards; expected effect of an anticipated general wage cut of three per cent on labour demand; estimated percentage by which labour demand would increase or decrease.

2. Preferences and interests in terms of working life: in relation to current and last occupation: actual weekly working hours including overtime; preferred weekly working hours; monthly net wage (classified); year of last wage payment; preferences for selected options in various decision-making situations regarding weekly working hours, monthly net earnings and income from other sources; self-assessment of risk appetite (scalometer); impact of income tax reform on preferred weekly working hours: preferences for selected options in various decision-making situations
(permanent increase or decrease in income tax, partial suspension or one-off increase in income tax).

3. Opinion on the emotional suitability of women for politics; policy competence: complexity of politics and government; opinion on freedom of speech; climate change: knowledge of global changes in average temperatures; general personal confidence; expected persistence of inequality due to benefits for the rich and powerful.

4. Estimate of the likelihood of selected future events occurring in the next 12 months (in percent): job loss, finding a new job, rising cost of living; lowest or highest net monthly wage on a new job (in euros); estimate of the likelihood (in percent) that the monthly wage on a new job is at least sum x.

Demography: sex; citizenship; year of birth (categorised); highest school leaving certificate; highest professional qualification; marital status; household size; employment status; private internet use; federal state.

Additionally coded was: interview date; questionnaire evaluation; assessment of the survey as a whole; unique ID, household ID and person ID within the household.