SPSS:

1. Take a look again at the distribution of life satisfaction (RA1SR1), this time with what is called a frequency distribution.
   
   1. Click Analyze/Descriptive Statistics/Frequencies.
   2. Highlight RA1SR1 and click on the arrow that sends it over to the Variables window, then click OK.
2. Examine the percentages in the Valid percent column. What percentage of the U.S. population responded that they had “the best possible life overall?”
3. Now select random samples of the MIDUS2011 respondents:
   
   1. Go to the Data Editor window and select a random sample containing 40 of the respondents. From the menu:
      b. Click Data/Select cases/Random sample of cases.
      c. Choose Sample.
      d. For “Sample Size,” choose Exactly and then enter 40 cases from the first 100 cases.
      e. Click Continue/OK. (Before you click OK, be sure that the “Filter out unselected cases” box is checked.)
      f. Determine the percentage of the subsample that rated their life as “the best possible life overall.” Record the percentage.
      
      1. Click on Graphs.
      2. Click on Legacy Dialogs > Bar.
      3. Select “Simple” and “Summaries for groups of cases” under Data in Chart Area > Define.
      4. Place the RA1SR1 variable in the box below “Category Axis:” and select “% of cases” under “Bar Represent.”
      5. Click OK.
   2. Now, repeat Steps 3a through 3f 10 times. Each time, add 100 to the “first 100 cases” request (so that on the last step you will be requesting “Exactly 40 cases from the first 1,000 cases”).
   3. Now, plot the percentages (for “best possible life”) on a graph. Remember that the horizontal axis (x) should go from 0 to 100 in increments of 10 and the vertical axis (y) indicates the number of samples at each point.
4. Select a random sample containing five of the respondents. Now repeat Steps 3a through 3f (10 times), this time for samples of five.
   
   1. Now, plot the percentages (for “best possible life”) on a graph.
5. How does the distribution of RA1SR1 in these subsamples compare with that of the total MIDUS2011 sample? How do they compare to each other?

Online Analysis:

1. Take a look again at the distribution of life satisfaction (RA1SR1), this time with what is called a frequency distribution.
   
   1. In the online analysis tool, type RA1SR1 into “row.”
   2. Under TABLE OPTIONS, select column percent, confidence intervals, and summary statistics
   3. Under CHART OPTIONS, select “no chart.”
2. Examine the percentages in the Valid percent column. What percentage of the U.S. population responded that they had “the best possible life overall?”
3. Now let’s use the selection filter to create a sample of these respondents. Let’s just look at the White participants in this study.
   
   1. Type RA1PF8A1(1) into the “selection filters” box and repeat Questions 1–2.
4. Now let’s just look at African American participants. Type RA1PF8A(2) into the “selection filters” box and repeat Questions 1–2.
5. How does the distribution of RA1SR1 in these two subsamples compare with that of the total MIDUS2011 sample?