American National Election Studies, Cumulative Data File, 1948-2004

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VCF0838 There has been some discussion about abortion during recent years. Which one of the opinions on this page best agrees with your view? You can just tell me the number of the opinion you choose. (see ARDA summary page for previous question wordings)   0) NA; no Post IW   1) By law, abortion should never be permitted.   2) The law should permit abortion only in case of rape, incest, or when the woman's life is in danger.   3) The law should permit abortion for reasons other than rape, incest, or danger to the woman's life, but only after the need for the abortion has been clearly established.   4) By law, a woman should always be able to obtain an abortion as a matter of personal choice.   9) DK; other

Pie Chart Bar Chart Cumulative Bar Chart

Category	Frequency	Percentage	Cumulative Percentage	Z-Score
NA; no Post IW	311	1.4%	1.4%	-2.05
By law, abortion should never be permitted.	2597	11.9%	13.4%	-1.35
The law should permit abortion only in case of rape, incest, or when the woman's life is in danger.	6430	29.5%	42.9%	-.65
The law should permit abortion for reasons other than rape, incest, or danger to the woman's life, but only after the need for the abortion has been clearly established.	3550	16.3%	59.2%	.04
By law, a woman should always be able to obtain an abortion as a matter of personal choice.	8426	38.7%	97.9%	.74
DK; other	465	2.1%	100%	4.23

Variable Comparisons

Gender Race Age Education Religion Worship attendance

Gender (I-GENDER)

	Male	Female	TOTAL
NA; no Post IW	1.4% 136	1.5% 175	1.4% 311
By law, abortion should never be permitted.	10.6% 1029	13.0% 1568	11.9% 2597
The law should permit abortion only in case of rape, incest, or when the woman's life is in danger.	29.4% 2860	29.6% 3570	29.5% 6430
The law should permit abortion for reasons other than rape, incest, or danger to the woman's life, but only after the need for the abortion has been clearly established.	17.7% 1721	15.2% 1829	16.3% 3550
By law, a woman should always be able to obtain an abortion as a matter of personal choice.	38.4% 3734	38.9% 4692	38.7% 8426
DK; other	2.6% 250	1.8% 215	2.1% 465
TOTAL	100.0% 9730	100.0% 12049	21779

Race (I-RACE)

	White	Black	Asian	Native American	Hispanic	Other	TOTAL
NA; no Post IW	1.2% 206	1.9% 52	3.3% 10	1.4% 9	2.1% 26	0.00% 0	1.4% 303
By law, abortion should never be permitted.	10.1% 1683	19.6% 536	11.6% 35	13.5% 87	19.1% 237	0.00% 0	11.9% 2578
The law should permit abortion only in case of rape, incest, or when the woman's life is in danger.	29.7% 4963	27.4% 752	26.4% 80	33.3% 215	30.9% 384	0.00% 0	29.6% 6394
The law should permit abortion for reasons other than rape, incest, or danger to the woman's life, but only after the need for the abortion has been clearly established.	17.3% 2881	12.3% 336	16.2% 49	14.3% 92	14.1% 176	0.00% 0	16.3% 3534
By law, a woman should always be able to obtain an abortion as a matter of personal choice.	39.7% 6627	36.2% 992	39.9% 121	34.4% 222	31.7% 394	0.00% 0	38.6% 8356
DK; other	2.0% 332	2.7% 73	2.6% 8	3.1% 20	2.2% 27	0.00% 0	2.1% 460
TOTAL	100.0% 16692	100.0% 2741	100.0% 303	100.0% 645	100.0% 1244	100.0% 0	21625

Age (I-AGE)

	17-24	25-34	35-44	45-54	55-64	65 and older	TOTAL
NA; no Post IW	1.3% 29	0.9% 44	1.3% 61	1.7% 54	1.5% 42	1.9% 77	1.4% 307
By law, abortion should never be permitted.	11.5% 264	9.9% 479	11.7% 542	10.9% 344	13.1% 368	14.9% 592	11.9% 2589
The law should permit abortion only in case of rape, incest, or when the woman's life is in danger.	31.0% 711	27.8% 1341	25.0% 1161	28.4% 897	33.3% 936	34.5% 1373	29.6% 6419
The law should permit abortion for reasons other than rape, incest, or danger to the woman's life, but only after the need for the abortion has been clearly established.	16.3% 374	15.6% 753	16.1% 748	18.2% 573	16.8% 471	15.7% 624	16.3% 3543
By law, a woman should always be able to obtain an abortion as a matter of personal choice.	39.2% 901	44.0% 2126	44.3% 2061	38.9% 1228	32.6% 916	29.5% 1173	38.7% 8405
DK; other	0.7% 17	1.8% 87	1.7% 79	1.8% 58	2.7% 75	3.6% 143	2.1% 459
TOTAL	100.0% 2296	100.0% 4830	100.0% 4652	100.0% 3154	100.0% 2808	100.0% 3982	21722

Education (I-EDUC)

	Grade school or less (0-8 grades)	High school (12 grades or fewer)	Some college (13 grades or more but no degree)	College or advanced degree	TOTAL
NA; no Post IW	2.3% 39	1.2% 114	1.4% 73	1.3% 62	1.3% 288
By law, abortion should never be permitted.	25.5% 431	14.2% 1368	8.6% 463	6.6% 321	12.0% 2583
The law should permit abortion only in case of rape, incest, or when the woman's life is in danger.	38.5% 652	33.8% 3252	27.1% 1453	20.9% 1016	29.6% 6373
The law should permit abortion for reasons other than rape, incest, or danger to the woman's life, but only after the need for the abortion has been clearly established.	9.8% 166	15.7% 1509	17.8% 955	18.4% 893	16.4% 3523
By law, a woman should always be able to obtain an abortion as a matter of personal choice.	17.8% 301	33.5% 3226	43.4% 2330	50.9% 2475	38.7% 8332
DK; other	6.1% 104	1.5% 149	1.7% 93	2.0% 99	2.1% 445
TOTAL	100.0% 1693	100.0% 9618	100.0% 5367	100.0% 4866	21544

Religion (I-RELIGION)

	Protestant	Catholic	Jewish	Other and none (also includes don't know preference)	TOTAL
NA; no Post IW	1.1% 150	1.1% 61	2.2% 10	1.6% 45	1.2% 266
By law, abortion should never be permitted.	13.1% 1706	13.6% 720	1.6% 7	5.4% 149	12.0% 2582
The law should permit abortion only in case of rape, incest, or when the woman's life is in danger.	32.3% 4207	31.7% 1686	8.3% 37	17.2% 477	29.7% 6407
The law should permit abortion for reasons other than rape, incest, or danger to the woman's life, but only after the need for the abortion has been clearly established.	17.1% 2230	16.4% 870	12.7% 57	13.2% 365	16.3% 3522
By law, a woman should always be able to obtain an abortion as a matter of personal choice.	34.4% 4492	35.0% 1861	72.8% 326	60.2% 1671	38.7% 8350
DK; other	2.0% 259	2.2% 115	2.5% 11	2.5% 68	2.1% 453
TOTAL	100.0% 13044	100.0% 5313	100.0% 448	100.0% 2775	21580

Worship attendance (I-ATTEND)

	Every week	Almost every week (no cases in 1970)	Once or twice a month	A few times a year	Never	No religious preference (1970-1988)	TOTAL
NA; no Post IW	1.0% 57	1.5% 37	1.1% 33	1.2% 54	1.6% 82	0.5% 4	1.2% 267
By law, abortion should never be permitted.	24.1% 1358	11.9% 294	10.4% 307	5.9% 270	6.2% 316	5.1% 40	12.0% 2585
The law should permit abortion only in case of rape, incest, or when the woman's life is in danger.	42.2% 2376	34.4% 849	29.3% 866	24.7% 1132	20.1% 1028	17.3% 137	29.6% 6388
The law should permit abortion for reasons other than rape, incest, or danger to the woman's life, but only after the need for the abortion has been clearly established.	12.8% 723	20.0% 493	19.1% 564	18.2% 834	15.7% 805	13.1% 104	16.3% 3523
By law, a woman should always be able to obtain an abortion as a matter of personal choice.	17.5% 988	29.9% 739	38.4% 1133	48.3% 2217	54.4% 2782	61.0% 483	38.7% 8342
DK; other	2.3% 131	2.3% 56	1.7% 50	1.8% 84	2.0% 102	3.0% 24	2.1% 447
TOTAL	100.0% 5633	100.0% 2468	100.0% 2953	100.0% 4591	100.0% 5115	100.0% 792	21552