Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

To assess the political socialisation and recruitment of Salford residents and their political behaviour in regard to local politics.

Main Topics:

Attitudinal/Behavioural Questions Respondent's political and social participation, and the preponderant political party identification of the respondent's major reference groups are assessed. These reference groups include the childhood family, current family (nuclear as well as extended), neighbourhood acquaintances and friends, and union contacts. Each group is dealt with in a separate sequence, rounded off by asking the respondent for a subjective assessment of the influence he perceives the group to have had on his own political views. Voting and political party participation history is taken. Attitudes towards local government functionaries and functions are assessed. Indicators of political knowledge include correct identification of councillors and aldermen, members of parliament, the mayor (plus whether any of these dignitaries have ever been contacted and with what outcome), knowledge of local and national issues, and ward politics, readership of newspapers and knowledge of the newspapers' political bias are given. Knowledge or political sophistication is tapped also in a question which asks what strategy the respondent would adopt if he `wanted to get something done in Salford'. Background Variables Length of residency in Salford, place of birth, nationality, date of birth, sex, religion, respondent's subjective social class, characteristics of respondent's childhood family including parents' occupation and subject's assessment of parental social class, parental party preferences, respondent's educational history, income, characteristics of current family, respondent's first and current occupations (6 categories, plus place of work and industry type and size), and current occupation of spouse.

One-stage stratified or systematic random sample

the stratification factor was size of ward electorate

Face-to-face interview