The ALLBUS datasets and documentation materials can be downloaded free of charge via the GESIS dataset catalog (DBK).
The ALLBUS Scientific-Use-File
The beginner's version featuring a core demography.
Since 1980, a random sample of the German population has been surveyed every two years in the cross-sectional surveys of the German General Social Survey (GGSS / ALLBUS). Each ALLBUS cross-sectional survey consists of one or two focus modules on changing topics. These are supplemented by further content-related questions and a core module with detailed demographic information. Additional information on the interview and the interviewers is also provided.
The ALLBUS cumulation contains the data of all previous ALLBUS participants and all data collected at least twice in the ALLBUS programme. The Cumulation data is therefore particularly suitable for analyses of time series.
Questions that were never replicated are only contained in the data sets of the respective cross-sectional studies and are not part of the cumulation. If required, information from the cross-sectional studies can be added to the cumulation using a respondent's personal identification number in connection with the survey year.
This data set contains the following sensitive regional variables (both key numbers and names) which are not included in the regular Use Files available in the GESIS Data Catalogue (DBK) for data protection reasons:
In order to take into account changes in the territorial status of the regional units (e. g. district reforms, municipality incorporations), the regional variables are offered as time-harmonized variables as of December 31,2015 in addition to the status as of December 31 of the previous year of survey.
The required regional variables of this data set can be merged with the individual cross-sectional ALLBUS studies or ALLBUS cumulations via the identification number of the respondents by FDZ (Research Data Center) ALLBUS.
This sensitive data is subject to a special access restriction and can only be used within the scope of an on-site use in the Secure Data Center in Cologne. Further information and contact persons can be found on our website.
If you want to use the regional variables to add additional context characteristics (regional attributes such as unemployment rate or election turnout, for example), you have to send us this data before your visit. In addition, we require a reference and documentation (description of variables) of the data. Note that this context data may be as sensitive as the regional variables if direct assignment is possible. Due to data protection it is problematic if individual characteristics can be assigned to specific regional units – and therefore ultimately to the individual respondents – even without the ALLBUS dataset by means of a table of correspondence. Accordingly, the publication of (descriptive) analysis results based on such contextual data is only possible in a coarsened form.
Please contact the ALLBUS User Service first and send us the filled ALLBUS regional data form, specifying exactly which ALLBUS datasets and regional variables you need. Please note that due to the large number of enquiries we can't grant students access to the data.
As soon as you have clarified with the ALLBUS user service if you can get access and which regional features are to be made available for on-site use, the data use agreement for the use of the data at a Secure Data Center guest workstation (Safe Room) in Cologne will be sent to you. Please specify all data sets you need, i.e. both the "ALLBUS Sensitive Regional Data (ZA5260)" and the Use Files to which the regional variables are to be assigned. Furthermore, under "Specific variables", please name all the regional variables you need (see ALLBUS regional data form).
| ALLBUS sensitive regional data | ZA5260 |
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The small-scale geodata offer a refinement of the existing spatial references, which - in contrast to the administrative and territorial units - are standardized with regard to the reference size and thus homogeneous. In addition, they supplement the collected individual data with demographic, socio-economic and traffic-noise-related data of the respondents' small-scale residential environment.
The addresses of ALLBUS survey respondents form the basis for the allocation of small-scale geodata. With the aid of geocoding (i.e. the calculation of geo-coordinates from the addresses), the point coordinates were linked with external geodata. These geodata originate on the one hand from the geodata provided by the 2011 census (census atlas) and on the other hand from the official noise mapping according to the Bundes-Immisionsschutzgesetz (Federal Immission Control Act).
The grid cells of the census atlas assigned to ALLBUS respondents contain information on:
• the population (1 km and 100 m)
• the average age and proportions of under-18-year-olds and over-65-year-olds (1 km)
• the gender ratio (1 km)
• the proportion of foreigners (1 km)
• household and apartment size and vacancy rate (1 km).
For the survey years 2016 and 2018, the small-scale geodata also include census data on a 100m × 100m grid level from the following categories:
• Demography
• Households
• Families
• Buildings
The small-scale geodata of the ALLBUS 2014 also contain point-related data on:
• road traffic noise
• rail traffic noise
• aircraft noise.
The daytime average and night values and the distance to the specified noise source are given as well.
The small-scale geo-variables of this data set can be merged with the survey data of the ALLBUS by the identification number of the respondents.
Just like the regional identifiers, this data set is subject to special access restrictions, because the small-scale geo-attributes may allow deanonymization of the survey participants. For this reason, the data can only be used on-site in the Secure Data Center of GESIS. You will find more information and contact persons on our website.
Please contact the ALLBUS user service first and send us the completed ALLBUS geodata form in which you specify exactly which variables you need from the data set. As soon as you have clarified the modalities of data access with the ALLBUS user service, the data usage contract for the use of the data at a guest workstation (Safe Room) will be sent to you.
| ALLBUS - Small-scale geodata 2014, 2016 und 2018 | ZA5262 |
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| ALLBUS 1986 Non-Response Study | The aim of this methodological study is to assess the representativeness of the realized sample and to locate possible distortions. Specifically, this meant that a comparison of participants and non-participants in the main ALLBUS 1986 survey was to be used to describe possible over- and under-representations of certain respondent groups in population surveys. | ZA1669 |
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| ALLBUS 1984 Test-Retest Study | Method study to determine the test-retest reliability. | ZA1601 |
| ALLBUS 1980 Methods study | Methodological study on the question of interviewer influences in personal interviews. | ZA3761 |
