Watergate Hearings Panel Survey

This panel study was conducted in three waves: the first wave in May 1973, prior to the Senate Watergate Committee hearings, the second wave during the hearings (Memorial Day recess), and the third wave in July 1973, after John Dean's testimony, which confirmed suspicions of President Richard Nixon's involvement in the affair. The survey probed interest in politics and Watergate and assessed how closely respondents followed the events surrounding the Watergate affair, their media usage, feelings toward government and politicians, and opinions on the individuals involved in the affair. Respondents were also asked who they thought was to blame for the Watergate scandal. Additional information was collected on the interviewees' voting behavior and degree of trust in government and politicians. Demographic variables include age, sex, education, and occupation. Most of the non-demographic questions were asked in each wave to allow an evaluation of public opinion and values changes as the hearings proceeded.