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GSS 1972-2024 Cumulative Datafile - Release 3


Family Planning, Sex, and Contraception

chldidelideal number of children
Text of this Question or Item
What do you think is the ideal number of children for a family to 
have?
Percent N Value Label
1.3 591 0
2.3 1,107 1
49.3 23,243 2
23.3 10,978 3
10.5 4,929 4
1.6 735 5
0.7 339 6
0.4 204 7 7 or more
10.6 5,001 8 as many as you want


1,365 .d don't know


27,192 .i iap


4 .n no answer


11 .s skipped on web

100.0 75,699
Total
Properties
Data type: numeric
Missing-data codes: .d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z
chldmoreexpect more children
Text of this Question or Item
Do you expect to have any (more) children?
Percent N Value Label
21.5 4,504 1 yes
68.2 14,302 2 no
4.1 857 3 uncertain
6.2 1,297 4 inappropriate


47,702 .i iap


184 .n no answer


6,853 .y not available in this year

100.0 75,699
Total
Properties
Data type: numeric
Missing-data codes: .d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z
chldnumhow many children expected
Text of this Question or Item
Do you expect to have any (more) children? 
A. How many (more)?
Percent N Value Label
33.1 1,428 1
45.1 1,947 2
14.5 628 3
5.0 217 4
1.1 49 5
0.7 30 6
0.1 5 7
0.4 16 8 8 or more


368 .d don't know


64,158 .i iap


6,853 .y not available in this year

100.0 75,699
Total
Properties
Data type: numeric
Missing-data codes: .d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z
chldsoonchildren expected in 5 years
Text of this Question or Item
Do you expect to have any (more) children? 
B. How many (more) in the next five years?
Percent N Value Label
19.6 459 0
49.3 1,156 1
27.8 651 2
2.6 61 3
0.5 11 4
0.3 6 5


102 .d don't know


66,084 .i iap


316 .n no answer


6,853 .y not available in this year

100.0 75,699
Total
Properties
Data type: numeric
Missing-data codes: .d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z
pillbirth control information
Text of this Question or Item
A. In some places in the United States, it is not legal to supply 
birth control information. How do you feel about this--do you think 
birth control information should be available to anyone who wants it, 
or not?
Percent N Value Label
92.0 7,179 1 available
8.0 628 2 not available


144 .d don't know


60,883 .i iap


12 .n no answer


6,853 .y not available in this year

100.0 75,699
Total
Properties
Data type: numeric
Missing-data codes: .d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z
teenpillbirth control information to teens
Text of this Question or Item
B. Do you think birth control information should be available to 
teenagers who want it, or not?
Percent N Value Label
84.0 6,495 1 available
15.9 1,232 2 not available
0.0 3 3 depends on age


194 .d don't know


60,883 .i iap


39 .n no answer


6,853 .y not available in this year

100.0 75,699
Total
Properties
Data type: numeric
Missing-data codes: .d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z
pillokybirth control to teenagers 14-16 (form 2)
Text of this Question or Item
Do strongly disagree, disagree, agree, or strongly agree that methods 
of birth control should be available to teenagers between the ages of 
14 and 16 if their parents do not approve?
Percent N Value Label
21.9 146 1 strongly agree
32.3 216 2 agree
24.9 166 3 disagree
21.0 140 4 strongly disagree


12 .d don't know


68,165 .i iap


1 .n no answer


6,853 .y not available in this year

100.0 75,699
Total
Properties
Data type: numeric
Missing-data codes: .d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z
pillokbirth control to teenagers 14-16
Text of this Question or Item
C. Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree that 
methods of birth control should be available to teenagers between the 
ages of 14 and 16 if their parents do not approve?
Percent N Value Label
28.6 9,404 1 strongly agree
31.9 10,494 2 agree
22.0 7,251 3 disagree
17.5 5,745 4 strongly disagree


742 .d don't know


41,936 .i iap


83 .n no answer


44 .s skipped on web

100.0 75,699
Total
Properties
Data type: numeric
Missing-data codes: .d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z
sexeducsex education in public schools
Text of this Question or Item
Would you be for or against sex education in the public schools?
Percent N Value Label
87.4 37,496 1 favor
12.6 5,401 2 oppose
0.0 9 3 depends on age/grade (vol.)


892 .d don't know


31,762 .i iap


107 .n no answer


32 .s skipped on web

100.0 75,699
Total
Properties
Data type: numeric
Missing-data codes: .d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z
divlawdivorce laws
Text of this Question or Item
A. Should divorce in this country be easier or more difficult to 
obtain than it is now?
Percent N Value Label
30.7 12,136 1 easier
47.5 18,766 2 more difficult
21.8 8,616 3 stay as is


2,261 .d don't know


29,746 .i iap


141 .n no answer


1 .s skipped on web


4,032 .y not available in this year

100.0 75,699
Total
Properties
Data type: numeric
Missing-data codes: .d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z
divlawydivorce laws-version y
Text of this Question or Item
B. Should divorce in this country be easier to obtain, more difficult 
to obtain, or stay as it is now?
Percent N Value Label
23.7 175 1 easier
34.2 252 2 more difficult
42.1 310 3 stay same


33 .d don't know


68,075 .i iap


1 .n no answer


6,853 .y not available in this year

100.0 75,699
Total
Properties
Data type: numeric
Missing-data codes: .d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z
spdueever entitled to alimony or chld support
Text of this Question or Item
Are you currently or have you ever been entitled to alimony or child 
support payments from a former (husband/wife)?
Percent N Value Label
33.7 124 1 yes
66.3 244 2 no


68,448 .i iap


30 .n no answer


6,853 .y not available in this year

100.0 75,699
Total
Properties
Data type: numeric
Missing-data codes: .d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z
sppaidregularly received alimony - chld supprt
Text of this Question or Item
Are you currently or have you ever been entitled to alimony or child 
support payments from a former (husband/wife)?
A. During the time you were entitled to alimony or child support, did 
you receive these payments on a regular basis, occasionally, or not 
at all?
Percent N Value Label
46.7 57 1 regular basis
23.8 29 2 occasionally
29.5 36 3 not at all


68,692 .i iap


32 .n no answer


6,853 .y not available in this year

100.0 75,699
Total
Properties
Data type: numeric
Missing-data codes: .d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z
premarsxsex before marriage
Text of this Question or Item
There's been a lot of discussion about the way morals and attitudes 
about sex are changing in this country. If a man and woman have sex 
relations before marriage, do you think it is always wrong, almost 
always wrong, wrong only 
sometimes, or not wrong at all?
Percent N Value Label
24.7 11,290 1 always wrong
8.5 3,894 2 almost always wrong
19.1 8,707 3 wrong only sometimes
47.7 21,806 4 not wrong at all
0.0 0 5 other


1,141 .d don't know


28,611 .i iap


204 .n no answer


46 .s skipped on web

100.0 75,699
Total
Properties
Data type: numeric
Missing-data codes: .d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z
teensexsex before marriage:teens 14-16
Text of this Question or Item
There's been a lot of discussion about the way morals and attitudes 
about sex are changing in this country. If a man and woman have sex 
relations before marriage, do you think it is always wrong, almost 
always wrong, wrong only sometimes, or not wrong at all?
A. What if they are in their early teens, say 14 to 16 years old?  In 
that case, do you think sex relations before marriage are always 
wrong, almost always wrong, wrong only sometimes, or not wrong at 
all?
Percent N Value Label
63.7 21,586 1 always wrong
17.1 5,795 2 almost always wrong
12.0 4,085 3 wrong only sometimes
7.2 2,435 4 not wrong at all
0.0 0 5 other


390 .d don't know


41,254 .i iap


88 .n no answer


66 .s skipped on web

100.0 75,699
Total
Properties
Data type: numeric
Missing-data codes: .d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z
xmarsexsex with person other than spouse
Text of this Question or Item
What is your opinion about a married person having sexual relations 
with someone other than the marriage partner--is it always wrong, 
almost always wrong, wrong only sometimes, or not wrong at all?
Percent N Value Label
74.5 34,484 1 always wrong
14.5 6,690 2 almost always wrong
8.3 3,836 3 wrong only sometimes
2.7 1,256 4 not wrong at all
0.0 0 5 other


550 .d don't know


28,670 .i iap


160 .n no answer


53 .s skipped on web

100.0 75,699
Total
Properties
Data type: numeric
Missing-data codes: .d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z
homosexhomosexual sex relations
Text of this Question or Item
What about sexual relations between two adults of the same sex--do 
you think it is always wrong, almost always wrong, wrong only 
sometimes, or not wrong at all?
Percent N Value Label
57.1 25,544 1 always wrong
4.6 2,037 2 almost always wrong
6.8 3,022 3 wrong only sometimes
31.4 14,041 4 not wrong at all
0.2 82 5 other


1,879 .d don't know


28,670 .i iap


341 .n no answer


83 .s skipped on web

100.0 75,699
Total
Properties
Data type: numeric
Missing-data codes: .d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z
homochnghomosexuality: inherent or choice?
Text of this Question or Item
Do you think being homosexual is something people choose to be, or do 
you think it is something they cannot change?
Percent N Value Label
48.1 393 1 something people choose to be
51.9 424 2 something they cannot change


129 .d don't know


67,888 .i iap


12 .n no answer


6,853 .y not available in this year

100.0 75,699
Total
Properties
Data type: numeric
Missing-data codes: .d,.i,.j,.m,.n,.p,.r,.s,.u,.x,.y,.z
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