EVS Trend File 1981-2017

The EVS Trend File 1981-2017 is constructed from the five EVS waves and covers almost 40 years. In altogether 160 surveys more than 224.000 respondents from 49 countries/regions were interviewed.

  • EVS Trend File 1981-2017, ZA7503, v.3.0.0 (2022-12-14), doi:10.4232/1.14021.
  • EVS Trend File 1981-2017 – Sensitive Dataset, ZA7504, v2.0.0 (2022-12-14), doi:10.4232/1.14022.
    Documentation: as of 2022-12-14

Beware: The EVS trend files are based on the updated data of the EVS Longitudinal Data File 1981-2008 (v.3.1.0), the data of the current EVS 2017 integrated dataset, and the EVS/WVS Common Dictionary (v.2021) which follows the new concept to create easier-to-use files.

The new concept of the EVS and WVS trend files

EVS and WVS have agreed upon a new concept to transfer the large EVS and WVS longitudinal data files, which contain almost all variables of the EVS and WVS waves respectively, into leaner and easier to handle files. The EVS data archive (GESIS) has been responsible for generating the EVS Trend File 1981-2017. The WVS archive (JDS Madrid) has been responsible for generating the WVS Trend File 1981-2022.

The two new EVS and WVS trend files are based on the updated Common EVS/WVS Dictionary (2022). It contains only those variables/questions that have been replicated by EVS and/or WVS since the early eighties. To identify the trend variables within EVS or WVS and across both projects, two inclusion requirements were agreed:

  • According to requirement 1, all variables that have been used at least twice in the EVS or twice in the WVS are included in the respective EVS or WVS trend file.
  • According to requirement 2, all variables that have been used at least once in EVS and once in WVS are included in the respective EVS or WVS trend file.

The Common EVS/WVS Dictionary – EVS Trend refers to the EVS Trend Files. It informs about the correspondence of EVS trend variables to EVS waves and WVS waves, displays the EVS variables included in the EVS Trend File, the EVS Trend File – Sensitive Data, the Joint EVS/WVS Data File and the Integrated Values Surveys (EVS/WVS). Additionally, it gives an overview of all variables used in the five EVS waves.

As a result, the EVS Trend File is based on the updated data of the five EVS waves and contains the variables that correspond to the two requirements mentioned.

 Trend 1981-2017Wave 2017Wave 2008Wave 1999Wave 1990Wave 1981
Field work period1981-20212017-20212008-20101999-20011989-19931981-1984
Surveys included1603646332916
Countries/regions 493647332916
Number of respondents224.43459.43866.28041.12538.21319.378
Variables in IDS474477513390370
Variables in Trend635329364358380246

Access to Data and Documentation of the Joint EVS/WVS