European Social Survey (ESS)

Aims
The European Social Survey is a biennial cross-national survey using new cross-sectional, representative samples at each wave. The survey maps the attitudes, beliefs and behaviour patterns of diverse populations of more than thirty European nations, charting stability and change in social structure, conditions and attitudes and facilitating investigation in to how Europe’s social, political and moral fabric is changing.

Institution
European Social Survey European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ESS-ERIC) - City, University of London

Geographic coverage - Nations
England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland
+ 29 European Countries

Geographic coverage - Regions
Nationwide

Start date
2002

Catalogue record last updated
23/09/2024

Sample type
Repeated cross-sectional study

Sample details
The ESS uses cross-sectional, probability samples which are representative of all persons aged 15 and over resident within private households in each country. New representative samples are recruited and interviewed at each sweep.

Sample size at recruitment
At wave, each country must achieve a minimum effective sample size of 1,500 participants. For smaller countries (those with a population of less than 2 million), this number is reduced to 800.

Sample size at most recent sweep
As above

Sex
All

Age at recruitment
15 years +

Cohort year of birth
Varied