Socio-economic Panel (SOEP)
The SOEP is a multi-cohort study that aims to understand human behaviour and decision-making in varying social as well as institutional settings and policy regimes. The study began in 1984 with an initial sample of approximately 5,900 households from former West Germany. Since 1990, additional samples have been regularly integrated, expanding the cohort to include Germans living in both the former East and West Germany, foreign citizens residing in Germany, recent immigrants, and refugees living in Germany. As of 2021, the cohort includes approximately 19,000 households. Participants complete surveys yearly, and the data provide information on every member of every household taking part in the survey.
Study design
Household panel
Number of participants at first data collection
19,032 (households, as of 2021)
Recruitment is ongoing
Age at first data collection
Varied (participants)
Participant year of birth
Varied (participants)
Participant sex
All
Representative sample at baseline?
The residential population of Germany.
Sample features
Country
Year of first data collection
1984
Primary Institutions
German Institute for Economic Research (Deutsches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, DIW Berlin)
Profile paper DOI
Funders
Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, BMBF) now known as Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (Bundesministerium für Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt, BMFTR)
German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG)
Leibniz Association (Leibniz-Gemeinschaft)
Research Network Old-Age Provision (Forschungsnetzwerk Alterssicherung, FNA)
Ongoing?
Yes
Data types collected
- Computer, paper or task testing (e.g. cognitive testing, theory of mind doll task, attention computer tasks)
- Interview – face-to-face
- Interview – phone
- Secondary data
- Self-report questionnaire – paper or computer assisted
- Interviews or focus groups
- None
- Employer data
- Geographic, spatial & environmental data
- Tax, income & benefit data
Engagement
Keywords
