New addition at infas: In the fall of 2020, infas was awarded the contract to conduct the surveys for the Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP). This is a considerable challenge, as around 32,000 people in 22,000 households are surveyed for this long-term study every year. The SOEP is considered the oldest long-term study on social developments in Germany. Since the study switched to infas during the Corona pandemic, this resulted in additional requirements. This is because, as with other panel studies, certain survey procedures or methods could not be carried out unchanged due to the Corona-related restrictions and had to be replaced in such a way that the results would not be affected over time. The SOEP, also known to respondents as “Life in Germany,” is a panel study that has been conducted since 1984. This makes it one of the longest-running multidisciplinary panel studies in the world. The study is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the German states and is based at the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW), Berlin. The SOEP is a household survey divided into three sub-studies, each consisting of several subsamples: the so-called SOEP-CORE, the survey of refugees (SOEP-REF), and the innovation sample (SOEP-IS). All three sub-studies are each a representative repeat survey. The sub-study “Survey of Refugees” (SOEP-REF) is a cooperation project between SOEP, the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) and the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). The target group of this sub-study, which was surveyed for the first time in 2016, is persons who fled to Germany from 2013 onward. The Innovation Sample sub-study (SOEP-IS) has been running since 1998 and it mainly tests innovative content for the main study (SOEP-CORE). SOEP-IS has been a separate sub-study of SOEP since 2009. Since 2012, international researchers from all disciplines have had the opportunity to investigate their own questions or research interests.
Diese sogenannten innovativen Module haben dabei vielfältige Themen und Zielrichtungen: Es kann sich dabei beispielsweise um vertiefende Fragen zu persönlichen Meinungen und Einstellungen, Fragen zu Veränderungen nach wichtigen Lebensereignissen und sogar kurze Verhaltensexperimente handeln. Unabhängig davon, in welcher Teilstudie oder Stichprobe sich der zu befragende Haushalt oder die Befragungsperson befindet, wird alles über den Studientitel „Leben in Deutschland” kommuniziert. Für Teilnehmende ist die Begrifflichkeit Sozio-oekonomisches Panel im Allgemeinen nicht verständlich und daher als Studientitel nicht geeignet. Für die Kommunikation mit den Befragungspersonen ist ein visuelles Design entwickelt worden, das sowohl über digitale als auch analoge Medien gleichermaßen gut transportiert werden kann und die Vielfältigkeit der Studie widerspiegelt. Der Zusatz SOEP im Studienlogo und die Auswahl der Farben stellen hierbei die Verbindung zum wissenschaftlichen Gesicht der Studie dar. Die Herausforderung für das visuelle Design der Studie liegt zum einen darin, von Jung bis Alt, unabhängig vom Geschlecht, möglichst alle Menschen gleichermaßen anzusprechen, und zum anderen in den zahlreichen Varianten der Erhebungsunterlagen, die für die Logistik der Studie klar voneinander unterscheidbar sein müssen, aber trotzdem einen hohen Wiedererkennungswert bekommen sollten. Neben dem Studienlogo und einer festen Anzahl an definierten Farben ist eine Form- und Bildsprache entwickelt worden, die das visuelle Gesicht der Studie komplettiert und mit der die vielfältigen Themenfelder bebildert werden können. Das wird unter anderem auf der Studienwebseite (www.leben-in-deutschland.de) deutlich: Hier können sich alle Interessierten und Angesprochenen über die Studie informieren, es werden regelmäßig aktuelle Ergebnisse auf Deutsch und Englisch online gestellt. Bei der Fotoauswahl steht der Mensch in Interaktion im Fokus: Die ausgewählten Szenen sollen möglichst aus dem Alltag gegriffen wirken und identitätsstiftend sein. Zusätzlich ist ein Motivationsfilm für die Befragungswelle 2022 gedreht worden, der auf der Studienwebseite zu finden ist und die Studie vor allen Dingen auch neuen Befragungsteilnehmern nahebringt. Die Protagonisten im Film sind reale Personen und Familien aus der Panelstichprobe, die der Studie zum Teil schon lange verbunden sind. Sie erklären, was ihre Beweggründe sind, an der Studie teilzunehmen. Und schließlich sind kurze Motivationsvideos entstanden, in denen SOEP-Forschende und Mitarbeiter von infas sich und ihre Arbeit vorstellen und so einen Blick hinter die Kulissen der Studie gewähren. Darüber hinaus wird in jedem Video eine Kernbotschaft transportiert, die die Befragten zur (weiteren) Teilnahme motivieren. Alle diese Maßnahmen sollen Motivation und Vertrauen in die Studie geben und verstärken und damit auch die Arbeit der Interviewerinnen und Interviewer vor Ort unterstützen und im besten Fall auch vereinfachen. Denn die Daten des SOEP werden seit Studienbeginn im Jahr 1984 in persönlichen Interviews in den Haushalten (Face-to-Face) erhoben. Zunächst wurden sie mit Hilfe von Papierfragebögen, später dann auch computerunterstützt durchgeführt. Mit den Jahren gab es auch für einzelne Teilstichproben die Möglichkeit, die Befragung online zu beantworten. Jedoch ist der Hauptmodus, nämlich Face-to-Face-Interviews, bis heute durchgehend erhalten geblieben. Neu seit 2021 ist hingegen, dass die Studienteilnehmer die Möglichkeit haben, mit ihrer Befragung auf Wunsch komplett oder teilweise in eine andere Erhebungsmethode zu wechseln. So kann die gesamte Befragung oder auch einzelne Teile dieser entweder interviewer- oder selbstadministriert beantwortet werden. Zur Auswahl stehen neben der Faceto-Face-Befragung coronabedingt eine CAPI by PhoneVariante, der computergestützte Selbstausfüller (CASI), der Papierfragebogen (PAPI), ein Online-Interview (CAWI) oder eine telefonische Befragung (CATI).
SOEP-Related Studies
In addition to the Socio-Economic Panel, infas also conducts other so-called SOEP-Related Studies on various topics.
SOEP-LEE2: The Establishment Survey of the Socio-Economic Panel
Based on the hypothesis that a person’s work environment is of essential importance for explaining life success, the surveys in the “SOEP-LEE2” study aim to link personal and company data. Such linked data sets allow, for example, to investigate the influence of organizational structures and processes on social inequality at the individual level. For this purpose, the SOEP-LEE2 project will survey employers of dependent employees from the SOEP-CORE survey 2021. In addition, a comparative survey of establishments from the IAB Establishment File will also be conducted. Topics of these surveys in 2021/22 are, in particular, coping with the Corona pandemic as well as dealing with digitalization and the shortage of skilled workers. In addition, the project also focuses on the self-employed. To this end, a special question module was added to the SOEP-CORE questionnaire for 2022. A mixed-mode design with CATI , CAWI, PAPI and CAPI is also implemented in the context of this study. The questionnaire for self-employed persons, which is collected within the SOEP-CORE 2022, is available in the methods CAPI, CATI, CAWI and CASI. This project is a collaborative effort between SOEP at the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW), Berlin, and the Institute for Personnel and Work (IPA) at Helmut Schmidt University (HSU).
RKI-SOEP-2: Living in Germany – Corona Monitoring 2021
The Corona Monitoring 2021 study investigated how many people have already been infected with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus without realizing it, how many people have already been vaccinated, and how long antibodies can be detected in the blood. For this purpose, respondents aged 14 years and older were asked to answer a questionnaire (in writing or online) and to self-collected a few drops of blood from their finger to determine antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 (dry blood test). In total, more than 21,000 participants of the Socio-Economic Panel were asked to participate. Participation in the study had to be confirmed in writing on an informed consent form. Participation was self-administered by the respondents. For this purpose, comprehensive study information, notes on data protection and instructions (illustrated and on video) were prepared and sent to the respondents by mail. To enable non-German-speaking respondents to participate in the study, all survey materials and study information were translated into English, Polish, Romanian, Bulgarian, Arabic, and Farsi. During the field period, several written reminders were sent as well as a telephone contact to remind about participation and to answer possible follow-up questions. infas was commissioned to conduct the study by the SOEP at the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) in cooperation with the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). Further cooperation partners are the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) and the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). Results from the Corona Monitoring 2021 can be found online at www.rki.de/lid-studie.
The method in which an interview is ultimately realized has no influence on the contacting, which initially takes place regularly in the face-to-face field. The procedure is as follows: The initial contact with a household takes place via the mailing of the study announcement. This is sent to all respondents of a household listed in the panel register who will turn 18 in the calendar year (in 2021, for example, this was all household members up to the age group 2003) about two weeks before the field start. In order to create a transition to the new visual appearance for all panel households, the envelopes and an announcement card were printed with the previous lettering “Living in Germany” and the SOEP logo. In contrast, the study documents that were then mailed shortly before the field start, the envelope, letter, and information flyer with the reference to the study website at www.leben-in-deutschland.de were in the new visual look.
IAB-BIB-BAMF-SOEP: Survey of refugees from Ukraine
The war in Ukraine triggered a flight movement of people living there. Many of them are also seeking protection in Germany. To learn more about how refugees from Ukraine are faring in Germany and how their situation will develop in the coming months and years, the Institute for Employment Research (IAB), the Federal Institute for Population Research (BiB), the Research Center of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF-FZ), the Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) at the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW), and the infas Institute for Applied Social Science are jointly conducting the study “IAB-BIB-BAMF-SOEP: Survey of Refugees from Ukraine.” For the study, a nationwide residents’ registration office sample of people who have moved from Ukraine since the outbreak of war was drawn. For the first survey in summer 2022, 48,000 of these people will be contacted and asked to participate. The questionnaire is available in Ukrainian and Russian and can be answered either online (CAWI) or in writing-postally (PAPI). The study is designed as a panel and a second survey is planned from January 2023.
SOEP-FGZ Panel: Living Together in Germany
The SOEP-FGZ Panel is a panel survey on the cohesion of people in Germany. It collects detailed information on the living conditions of people in Germany, such as their social relationships, education, employment situation, income and housing. The survey also asks about people’s perceptions of living together in Germany and their opinions on current social issues. The first survey wave of the SOEP-FGZ panel with its two parts was conducted in 2021 and 2022 using the CAWI and PAPI method mix. Starting with the second wave in summer 2022, annual surveys are planned. The study, designed as a panel survey, is intended to provide a better understanding of our society and to track changes over time. This study is a cooperative project of the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) Berlin and the Research Institute for Social Cohesion (FGZ) at the University of Bremen.
The next contacting step depends on whether or not a valid telephone number is available for the household. If a number is available, the face-to-face interviewer contacts the household by telephone. If it is not available or if the attempts to contact the household by telephone are unsuccessful, the face-to-face interviewer contacts the household in person. For this face-to-face contact, the interviewer has the so-called message card at his or her disposal to leave his or her request and contact information with the household if no one can be found in the household. Once contact has been made with the household, an interview appointment is set up. The recording of household composition using the computer-based household and relationship matrix developed by infas is compulsorily computer-based and interviewer-administered with the head of household. For the subsequent answering of the other questionnaires, all other survey modes, i.e. CASI, PAPI/CAWI and CATI, are available to the household respondents. A look at the realizations of the 2021 survey wave shows that the offer of the different methods was used accordingly on the part of the respondents. For example, about 24 percent of the adult respondents answered their personal questionnaire self-administered online (CAWI) or in paper form (PAPI). For the 2021 surveys, 13 questionnaire variants in four different languages were implemented in paper form for the SOEP-CORE sample only, and the same number of CAWI questionnaires. Each paper questionnaire also contained an individualized access link to the online questionnaire, so that each person could change the survey method again at this point. Sophisticated technical control made it possible to control access to the online questionnaire via a landing page and still present the respondents with the respective questionnaires as one instrument. This was not possible for the paper questionnaires, where different titles were used to ensure that each household received the correct selection of questionnaires in the selected survey language.
