Study title

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

The Scottish Social Attitudes (SSA) survey was launched by ScotCen Social Research (formerly the Scottish Centre for Social Research) in 1999, following the advent of devolution. Based on annual rounds of interviews of between 1,200 to 1,500 people drawn using probability sampling (based on a stratified, clustered sample), it aims to facilitate the study of public opinion and inform the development of public policy in Scotland, similar to the British Social Attitudes (BSA) series (held at the Archive under GN 33168). The SSA survey has been conducted annually each year since 1999, with the exception of 2008. The survey has a modular structure. In any one year it typically contains three to five modules, each containing 40 questions. Funding for its first two years came from the Economic and Social Research Council, while from 2001 onwards different bodies have funded individual modules each year. These bodies have included the Economic and Social Research Council, the Scottish Government and various charitable and grant awarding bodies, such as the Nuffield Foundation and Leverhulme Trust.

Further information on the SSA and links to publications may be found on the ScotCen Social Research Scottish Social Attitudes webpages.


Main Topics:

The file contains data from 1,482 respondents. The data includes: responses to the main interview, data from a self-completion questionnaire covering the new electoral system, and geographic information.

Standard measures
Left-right scale: FairShar, RichLaw, TUNtNeed, PrivEnt, PublcOwn, GovResp1.
Libertarian-authoritarian scale: TradVals, Censor, PubMeet, GaySex, Tolerant, BanParty.
Scottish nationalism scale: SWLearn, SWLiv, SWAshmd, SWCrit, SWProud.