Taiwan Social Change Survey, 2015

DOI

10.17605/OSF.IO/WPYFX

Citation

Fu, Y. (2023, June 26). Taiwan Social Change Survey, 2015.

Summary

In the early 1980s, the former National Science Council (now the Ministry of Science and Technology) initiated the Taiwan Social Change Survey (TSCS), which completed the first national representative survey in 1985. Since 1990, the annual TSCS has consisted of two independent survey modules each year. To facilitate time series comparisons, the TSCS devotes one of the two annual survey modules to repeat major research topics every five years. The other module of the annual survey focuses on other social phenomena that are important to the social sciences and the Taiwanese society alike. All the data collected by the TSCS have been released, free of charge, to the academic community.

The 2015 survey is year 1 of the seventh wave of the survey. The 2015 survey was divided into two modules: "General" questionnaire and "Work and Life" questionnaire. This dataset is the "General" questionnaire. Topics covered in the survey include: Globalization, Work, Family, Mental Health, Religion, Mass Communication, Political Participation, and Leisure.

The ARDA has added three additional variables to the original data set to enhance the users' experience on our site.

Data File

Cases: 2034
Variables: 307
Weight Variable: WSEL, WELSO, WR_4, and WR_5

Data Collection

Aug 2 - Nov 9, 2015

Original Survey (Instrument)

Taiwan Social Change Survey 2015 - Round 7, Year 1, Questionnaire I
Taiwan Social Change Survey 2015 - Round 7, Year 1, Report (in Chinese)

Funded By

National Science Council & Institute of Sociology, Academia Sinica

Collection Procedures

The official face-to-face survey work began on Aug. 2 and ended on Nov. 9, covering 130 villages throughout Taiwan as survey areas. Interviewers reported regularly every week on their progress and uploaded the completed survey data. Due to the large number of interviewers, a liaison center was specially established by the project team and the research center during the interview period for effective organization and mobilization of manpower, to promptly resolve any issues that might occur during the interview process. Interviewers could also use the online discussion section to inquire or report any unexpected situations encountered during interviews or confusions about the survey questions. In addition, during the survey period, interviewers could consult experienced interviewers in their area for questions on the survey, field visits, or other related questions.

The crude completion rate for the comprehensive questionnaire group (Research Questionnaire I) and the work and life group (Research Questionnaire II) was 50% each. This project will deduct those who are not living in their registered residence and those who are physically and mentally disabled and unable to communicate (reason 602) from the drawn samples (727 people for Questionnaire I, 635 people for Questionnaire II). This is considered as the adjusted completion rate (I), with 60% for Questionnaire I and 59% for Questionnaire II. Furthermore, according to the definition by The American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR), ineligible interviewees number 11 (521 people for Questionnaire I, 456 people for Questionnaire II).

Sampling Procedures

The selection of samples uses the "stratified multi-stage probability proportional to size (PPS) sampling" method. Within each layer, an equidistant sampling method is used that draws in proportion to the unit size (PPS), gradually drawing from "geographical stratification", "township and city district", "village", and "individual". This project adopts a four-stage sampling method for the pilot survey, and the main sampling method for the official survey is a three-stage sampling method. However, in order to strengthen the regional representativeness of the geographical stratification of Hualien and Taitung, a two-stage sampling is used for this geographical stratification.

Two-stage sampling: The first-stage unit is the "village", then the "individual" is drawn. All "township and city districts" of this geographical stratification are included.

Three-stage sampling: The first-stage unit is the "township and city district", then the "village" is drawn, and finally, the "individual" is selected.

Four-stage sampling: The first-stage unit is the "geographical stratification", the second-stage unit is the "township and city district", the third-stage unit is the "village", and finally, the "individual" is selected.

Principal Investigators

Dr.Yang-chih Fu, Institute of Sociology, Academia Sinica