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The German Socio-Economic Panel as a Reference Data Set

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Listed:
  • Thomas Siedler
  • Jürgen Schupp
  • C. Katharina Spieß
  • Gert G. Wagner

Abstract

This paper discusses how household panels in general - and the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) in particular - can serve as reference data for researchers collecting datasets that do not represent the full universe of the population of interest (e.g., through clinical trials, intervention studies, laboratory and behavioural experiments, and cohort studies). We first discuss potential benefits of using questions similar to those in the SOEP for studies where researchers are interested in using the SOEP as reference data. We present a comprehensive list of SOEP core questions that we recommend researchers to consider when collecting their own data. We focus on seven topics: (1) demographic and parental characteristics; (2) labour market; (3) health; (4) personality, preferences, and subjective orientations; (5) subjective wellbeing; (6) political involvement and participation, and finally, a set of core questions for young children before they enter school. Of course the selection of a minimum set of questions depends on the research question. In this paper, we offer general advice for the selection of variables to researchers interested in comparing their own data with the SOEP.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas Siedler & Jürgen Schupp & C. Katharina Spieß & Gert G. Wagner, 2008. "The German Socio-Economic Panel as a Reference Data Set," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 150, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    • Handle: RePEc:diw:diwsop:diw_sp150
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    7. Ulrich Schimmack & Jürgen Schupp & Gert Wagner, 2008. "The Influence of Environment and Personality on the Affective and Cognitive Component of Subjective Well-being," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 89(1), pages 41-60, October.
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    11. Jürgen Schupp, 2007. "Greifkraftmessung im Sozio-oekonomischen Panel (SOEP)," Data Documentation 23, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    12. S. Anger & J. R. Frick & J. Goebel & M. M. Grabka & O. Groh-Samberg & H. Haas & E. Holst & P. Krause & M. Kroh & H. Lohmann & R. Pischner & J. Schupp & I. Sieber & T. Siedler & C. Schmitt & C. K. Spie, 2008. "Zur Weiterentwicklung von SOEPsurvey und SOEPservice," Vierteljahrshefte zur Wirtschaftsforschung / Quarterly Journal of Economic Research, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research, vol. 77(3), pages 157-177.
    13. Gert G. Wagner & Joachim R. Frick & Jürgen Schupp, 2007. "The German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP) – Scope, Evolution and Enhancements," Schmollers Jahrbuch : Journal of Applied Social Science Studies / Zeitschrift für Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin, vol. 127(1), pages 139-169.
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    Cited by:

    1. Martin Spieß & Martin Kroh & Rainer Pischner & Gert G. Wagner, 2008. "On the Treatment of Non-Original Sample Members in the German Household Panel Study (SOEP): Tracing, Weighting, and Frequencies," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 98, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    2. Elke Holst & Mechthild Schrooten, 2006. "Sending Money Abroad – What Determines Migrants’ Remittances?," Discussion Papers 009, Europa-Universität Flensburg, International Institute of Management.
    3. Sandner, Malte, 2013. "Effects of Early Childhood Intervention on Maternal Employment, Fertility and Well-Being. Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial," Hannover Economic Papers (HEP) dp-516, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät.
    4. Hank, Karsten & Jürges, Hendrik & Schupp, Jürgen & Wagner, Gert G., 2006. "Die Messung der Greifkraft als objektives Gesundheitsmaß in sozialwissenschaftlichen Bevölkerungsumfragen: Erhebungsmethodische und inhaltliche Befunde auf der Basis von SHARE und SOEP," Discussion Papers 2006/6, Technische Universität Berlin, School of Economics and Management.
    5. Siedler, Thomas, 2007. "Schooling and Citizenship: Evidence from Compulsory Schooling Reforms," IZA Discussion Papers 2573, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Anna Maffioletti & Agata Maida & Francesco Scacciati, 2013. "Survey Design and Response Analysis: a Study on Happiness, Life Satisfaction and Well-being in Piedmont, a Region of Italy," LABORatorio R. Revelli Working Papers Series 131, LABORatorio R. Revelli, Centre for Employment Studies.
    7. Franke, Thomas & Krems, Josef F., 2013. "Interacting with limited mobility resources: Psychological range levels in electric vehicle use," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 109-122.
    8. Thomas Siedler, 2007. "Does Parental Unemployment Cause Right-Wing Extremism?," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 666, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    9. Gash, Vanessa & Mertens, Antje & Romeu Gordo, Laura, 2006. "Are fixed-term jobs bad for your health? : a comparison of West-Germany and Spain," IAB-Discussion Paper 200608, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
    10. Helmut Rainer & Thomas Siedler, 2009. "O Brother, Where Art Thou? The Effects of Having a Sibling on Geographic Mobility and Labour Market Outcomes," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 76(303), pages 528-556, July.
    11. Robert Fenge & Silke Uebelmesser & Martin Werding, 2002. "Second-best Properties of Implicit Social Security Taxes: Theory and Empirical Evidence," CESifo Working Paper Series 743, CESifo.
    12. Siedler, Thomas, 2006. "Family and Politics: Does Parental Unemployment Cause Right-Wing Extremism?," IZA Discussion Papers 2411, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    13. Matthias Hans Belau & Heiko Becher & Alexander Kraemer, 2021. "Impact of Family Separation on Subjective Time Pressure and Mental Health in Refugees from the Middle East and Africa Resettled in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-13, November.
    14. Anna Maffioletti, Agata Maida, Francesco Scacciati, 2019. "Happiness, life satisfaction, well-being: survey design and response analysis," European Journal of Comparative Economics, Cattaneo University (LIUC), vol. 16(2), pages 277-312, December.
    15. repec:hum:wpaper:sfb649dp2006-044 is not listed on IDEAS
    16. Michaela R. Kreyenfeld & Dirk Konietzka, 2001. "The transferability of foreign educational credentials - the case of ethnic German migrants in the German labor market," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2001-002, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    17. Bedaso, Fenet, 2021. "The Labor Market Integration of Refugees and other Migrants in Germany," GLO Discussion Paper Series 884, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    18. Bernd Lachmann & Anna Doebler & Cornelia Sindermann & Rayna Sariyska & Andrew Cooper & Heidrun Haas & Christian Montag, 2021. "The Molecular Genetics of Life Satisfaction: Extending Findings from a Recent Genome-Wide Association Study and Examining the Role of the Serotonin Transporter," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 305-322, January.
    19. Johannes Schwarze & Guido Heineck, 2001. "Auswirkungen der Einführung der Sozialversicherungspflicht für geringfügige Beschäftigung: eine Evaluation des "630-DM-Jobs"-Reformgesetzes," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 257, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    20. Bernd Görzig & Martin Gornig & Axel Werwatz, 2004. "East Germany's Wage Gap: A Non-Parametric Decomposition Based on Establishment Characteristics," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 451, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    21. Bettina Sonnenberg & Michaela Riediger & Cornelia Wrzus & Gert G. Wagner, 2011. "Measuring Time Use in Surveys: How Valid Are Time Use Questions in Surveys? Concordance of Survey and Experience Sampling Measures," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 390, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    clinical trials; intervention studies; behavioural experiments; cohort studies; household panels; SOEP; reference data;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C81 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology; Computer Programs - - - Methodology for Collecting, Estimating, and Organizing Microeconomic Data; Data Access
    • C9 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments
    • I11 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Analysis of Health Care Markets
    • I3 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty

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