International Social Survey Programme

The International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) is a voluntary grouping of study teams in over twenty nations, each of which undertake to run a short, annual self-completion survey containing an agreed set of questions asked of a probability-based, nation wide sample of adults. The topics change from year to year by agreement, with a view to replication every five years or so. This study is largely a replication of the 1991 Religion Survey, held by the SSDA (ZA No 2150). The data consists of Australian respondents’ answers to international questions asked as a component of the National Social Science Survey (NSSS).

The current module looks at the impact of religious beliefs and behaviours on social, political and moral attitudes. Variables include government responsibility; criminal penalties; sexual relations; working women; religious beliefs; the influence of religious leaders on voting and goverment decisions; religious affiliation of respondent and respondent’s partner and parents; church attendance and involvement in other religious activities; blasphemy; image of God and image of the world. Demographic variables include age; sex; geographical location; ethnicity; marital status; employment status; occupation; trade union membership; level of education; political party affiliation; personal income; spouse’s income; characteristics of spouse; occupation of father and mother; father’s and mother’s level of education; size and composition of household.