Analysis of Social Trends using the General Social Survey

Oregon Convention Center 

As times change, so do societal opinions and attitudes regarding topics as diverse as financial well-being, women's rights, and national policies. Opinions on these topics are often not random, but rather can be related to demographic characteristics such as race, age, and gender, among others. The NORC General Social Survey (GSS) has collected data about Americans' social attitudes since 1972. However, it is not always clear how best to analyze this type of data. In this analysis, we provide several different approaches to analyze the wide-ranging data found in the GSS, from time series analysis of financial well-being, sentiment analysis regarding national policies over time, and a meta-analysis of the distribution of survey questions related to women and women's rights over time. By understanding how these topics are impacted by respondents' demographic characteristics and how these opinions change over time, we can better understand what people value and prioritize and gain insight into the ways social sentiment can influence, or be influenced by, current events.

Social Survey

Sentiment Analysis

Public Opinion

Current Events 

Section on Statistical Computing