Educational Research - the Ethics and Aesthetics of Statistics

120 N. Hodgson
Q. 23 Generally speaking, would you say that most people can be trusted, or that you can’t
be too careful in dealing with people? Please tell me on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 means
that you can’t be too careful and 10 means that most people can be trusted.
Q. 25 In all countries there sometimes exists tension between social groups. In your opinion,
how much tension is there between each of the following groups in this country?
Poor and rich people
Management and workers
Men and women
Old people and young people
Different racial and ethnic groups
Different religious groups
Other questions relate more specifically to the feelings or perceptions of the
individual:
Q. 28 Please tell me whether you strongly agree, agree, neither agree or disagree, disagree
or strongly disagree with each statement:
I am optimistic about the future
On the whole my life is close to how I would like it to be
In order to get ahead nowadays you are forced to do things that are not correct
I feel left out of society
Life has become so complicated today that I almost can’t find my way
I don’t feel the value of what I do is recognised by others
Some people look down on me because of my job situation or income
Q. 29 All things considered, how satisfied would you say you are with your life these days?
Please tell me on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 means very dissatisfied and 10 means very
satisfied.
Questions pertaining to happiness, well-being and life satisfaction refer not only
then to the material circumstances of one’s life but also to the individual’s assessment
of their ability to deal with these circumstances. There are similarities and
some cross-over between the questions asked in the European Quality of Life Survey
and the European Social Survey (http://www.europeansocialsurvey.org/index.php?
option=com_content&view=article&id=63&Itemid=356). The latter, however,
begins with questions about the media. Of television, radio and newspapers, respondents
are asked how much time per week they spend using each. This is followed
in each case by a question asking how much of this time is spent watching/listening
to/reading about news, politics and current affairs (A1–A6). Then there is a switch,
and the question of trust appears again: “Generally speaking, would you say that
most people can be trusted, or that you can’t be too careful in dealing with people?
Please tell me on a score of 0 to 10, where 0 means you can’t be too careful and 10
means that most people can be trusted.” (A8) This is then echoed by similar questions:
Would most people try to take advantage of you if they got the chance, or
would they try to be fair? (A9) Most of the time would people try to be helpful, or
are they mostly looking out for themselves? (A10) The questions return again to politics,
to interest, understanding, and ease of decision-making, and to trust in political
and legal institutions at the national and European levels (B1–10). Questions then