SPSS Exercises

SPSS and Online Analysis Instructions

The SPSS and Online Analysis questions at the end of each chapter utilize data from the Midlife in the United States Study (MIDUS Refresher, 2011–2014) and from the MIDUS 2 (Biomarker Project, 2004–2009). Links to both the downloadable version of these data sets and the online analysis tool are available on the study site. You will need to either download the appropriate file for each exercise and follow the SPSS instructions or follow the instructions for completing the exercises using the online analysis tool. You will begin your empirical investigation by thinking a bit about the topic and the data you have available for study.

SPSS Instructions:

  1. Download the MIDUS2011 file and save it in a directory. Start SPSS. In the SPSS menu, click on File, then on Open and Data, and then on the name of the data file in the directory where it is saved.
    1. How many respondents are there in this subset of the complete MIDUS file? (Scroll down to the bottom of the data set in Data View.)
    2. What would you estimate as the level of life satisfaction in the United States in this wave of the data?
  2. Let’s look to see what the exact question and answer choices for this life satisfaction variable were
    1. Find the variable “RA1SR1” in the column labeled “Name”
    2. Expand the “label” column to see the question for this variable
    3. Click on the three dots in the cell under the “value” column to see the answer choices for this variable.
  3. Now let’s examine the distribution:
    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.
  4. Describe the distribution of life satisfaction in the United States. What percentage of the population rated their life as “the worst possible life overall?”

Online Analysis:

  1. Open your Internet browser and go to the following link: https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/ICPSR/studies/36532/summary. Click on “Analyze online” > “DS1: Aggregate Data” > “SDA”
    1. You will be asked to first create an account in order to proceed. Follow the instructions to create a new account and then log in using that information.
    2. Read through the terms of agreement and click “I agree” at the bottom of the page.
  2. What would you estimate as the level of life satisfaction in the United States in this wave of the data?
  3. Let’s look to see what the exact question and answer choices for this life satisfaction variable were
    1. Click on “codebook”
    2. On the left side bar, select “standard variable list” and find the variable “RA1SR1”
    3. Click on the variable to see the question and answer categories used in this study
  4. Now let’s examine the distribution:
    1. On the right-hand side of the screen type “RA1SR1” in the ROW box.
    2. Under TABLE OPTIONS, select column percentages and summary statistics.
    3. Under CHART OPTIONS, select bar chart.
    4. Click “run the table.”
  5. Describe the distribution of life satisfaction in the United States. What percentage of the population rated their life as “the worst possible life overall?”