VAR CF0849 LIBERAL/CONSERVATIVE 3-CATEGORY SUMMARY

VAR CF0849    LIBERAL/CONSERVATIVE 3-CATEGORY SUMMARY                         
              COLUMNS 547  - 547                                              
              NUMERIC                                                         
              MD EQ 0 OR GE 7                                                 

        We hear a lot of talk these days about liberals and conservatives. I'm
        going to show you [1996-later: Here is] a 7-point scale on which the  
        political views that people might hold are arranged from extremely    
        liberal to extremely conservative.  Where would you place yourself    
        on this scale, or haven't you thought much about this? (7-POINT SCALE 
        SHOWN TO R).                                                          
                                                                              
        (IF R RESPONDS "DON'T KNOW" OR "HAVEN'T THOUGHT MUCH ABOUT THIS"In    
        1984 AND LATER; IF R RESPONDS "MODERATE" IN 1988, 1992, 1996-later:)  
        If you had to choose, would you consider yourself a liberal or a      
        conservative?                                                         
                                                                              
        SUMMARY:  R'S LIBERAL/ CONSERVATIVE SELF-PLACEMENT                    
        -------------------------------------------------------------------   
                                                                              
        USE WEIGHT VARIABLE VCF0009/VCF0009A/VCF0009B.                        
                                                                              
        SEE ALSO VCF0803 and VCF0824.                                         
                                                                              
        THIS IS THE FINAL 3-CATEGORY SUMMARY FOR YEARS 1984 AND LATER,        
        CONSTRUCTED USING THE INITIAL 7-POINT SCALE QUESTION (VCF0803)        
        AND THE THE FOLLOWUP 'CHOICE' QUESTION (VCF0824), WHICH WAS ASKED     
        OF RESPONDENTS WHO HAD REPLIED "DON'T KNOW" OR "HAVEN'TTHOUGHT        
        MUCH" TO THE 7-POINT SCALE QUESTION AND, EXCEPT FOR YEARS 1984,       
        1986, AND 1990, ALSO ASKED OF RESONDENTS WHO HAD ANSWERED             
        "MODERATE".                                                           
                                                                              
        If R's response to the 7-point scale question was NA, then the        
        follow-up question ('if you had to choose...') was not asked and      
        VCF0849 has been coded 9.  If DK/HTM in first question and the        
        response to the follow-up was "don't know," VCF0848 has been          
        coded 8.  If R refused to choose in the follow-up, VCF0848 has        
        been coded 7. If R's response to the follow-up was NA, then           
        VCF0849 has been coded 0.                                             
                                                                              
        Code 1 is comprised of "extremely liberal," "liberal," and "slightly  
        liberal" responses to the 7-point scale question (codes 1-3 in        
        VCF0803) and of "liberal" responses to the follow-up.                 
                                                                              
        Code 3 for 1984,1986,1990 is comprised of Rs who replied "moderate"   
        to the 7-point scale question (code 4 in VCF0803, with the followup   
        not asked) and also of Rs who replied DK or "haven't thought much"    
        to the 7-point scale question and then replied "moderate" to the      
        follow-up.                                                            
        For 1988, 1992, 1996 and later, code 3 is comprised of:               
        1) cases where R replied "moderate" to the 7-point scale question     
        and then refused to choose another category or replied DK/NA to       
        the follow-up;  and  2) Rs who replied DK or 'haven't thought much'   
        to the 7-point scale question and then replied "moderate" in the      
        follow-up.                                                            
                                                                              
        Code 5 is comprised of "extremely conservative," conservative," and   
        "slightly conservative" responses to the 7-point scale question (codes
        5-7 in VCF0803) and of "conservative" responses in the follow-up.     
                                                                              
               1.  Liberal                                                    
               3.  Moderate ('middle of the road')                            
               5.  Conservative                                               
                                                                              
               7.  Refuses to choose (in follow-up [exc. 1988 moderates])     
               8.  DK                                                         
               9.  NA to entire question                                      
               0.  NA to follow-up; INAP, question not used (1952-1982)       
                                                                              
        1984:  369,370          1986:  385,386        1988:  230              
        1990:  406,407          1992:  3513           1994:  839,840          
        1996:  960365-960368    1998:  980399-980402                          
                                                                              
                                                                              
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