University of Tokyo

Abstract
Survey Number 0762
Survey Title Social Stratification and Social Mobility Survey, 1985
Depositor 2015 SSM Survey Management Committee
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Educational Purpose Available for both research and instructional purposes.
Period of Data Use Permission One year
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Summary The nationwide survey on Social Stratification and Social Mobility, also known as the SSM Survey, is one of the most traditional large-scale social surveys in Japan, and it has been carried out every ten years since the first survey in 1955 (by The Japan Sociological Society).

This 1985 survey is the fourth and was conducted by the SSM National Survey Committee in 1985.

In this survey, we have continued to investigate nearly all of the survey items that were implemented continuously over the previous three times, while an additional three survey items were also introduced: stratum consciousness dynamics, education and social mobility, and women and stratum. For stratum consciousness, items related to “middle” stratum consciousness and value orientation/sense of values were introduced; in education, items on detailed educational history were introduced; and for women, along with improved social status, an original survey was designed and added as new items.

The survey consists of three types: male questionnaire A, focusing on social consciousness; male questionnaire B, focusing on education; and a female questionnaire for women.
Data Type quantitative research
quantitative research: micro data
Universe [Male Questionnaire A] Male aged 20 to 69 years
[Male Questionnaire B] Male aged 20 to 69 years
[Female Questionnaire] Female aged 20 to 69 years
Unit of Observation Individual
Sample Size [Male Questionnaire A] Sample size: 2,030,Valid responses: 1,239 (Response rate: 61.03%)
[Male Questionnaire B] Sample size: 2,030,Valid responses: 1,234 (Response rate: 60.79%)
[Female Questionnaire] Sample size: 2,171, Valid responses: 1,474 (Response rate: 67.89%)
Date of Collection 1985-11 ~ 1986-02
November 1985 – February 1986
Time Period 1985 ~ 1985
Spatial Unit Japan
Japan (300 sites)
Sampling Procedure Probability: Systematic random
Probability: Stratified
Probability: Multistage
Sampling method: two-stage stratified sampling/ equal interval sampling
Sampling roster: voter registration list
Mode of Data Collection Face-to-face interview
Investigator 1985 SSM National Survey Committee

Survey was carried out in 168 sites by SSM Survey Committee with the cooperation of universities on each site and in 132 sites by private survey agencies on consignment.

DOI 10.34500/SSJDA.0762
Sponsors (Funds) Integrated Research (A) subsidized by Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
Related Publications (by the Investigator) Please refer to the abstract in Japanese.
Related Publications (based on Secondary Analysis) List of related publications (based on Secondary Analysis)
Documentation [Questionnaire]
Major Survey Items <Note: (*) represents (employment-related status, business type of employer, number of employees, job description, position title)>

[Male Questionnaire A]
- Age
- Number of siblings around age 15, birth order
- Current occupation
- (*), Whether or not respondent is a member of a labor union
- Employment history
- (*), age at the time of employment
-Highest level of educational attainment, experience attending specialized training college/miscellaneous school, etc.
- Level of satisfaction with work and life
- Father’s birth year, highest level of educational attainment
- Father’s occupation when respondent was 15 years old, father’s occupation when respondent got first job, father’s main occupation
- (*)
- Marital status, age at the time of first marriage, situation of children
- Wife’s highest level of educational attainment
- Wife’s current occupation
- (*)
- Main occupation of wife’s father
- (*)
- Stratum identification (5 levels, 10 levels), class identification, image of stratum division
- Criteria for stratum identification
- Self-assessment (10 levels)
- Income, highest level of educational attainment, occupation, property, level of comfort in life in general
- Level respondent views class/stratum as important
- Political consciousness/pros and cons of authoritarianism
- Important matters of life
- Feeling of fairness, feeling of unfairness
- Network of friends
- Ordinary consciousness
- Property held
- Type of housing
- Political party supported, political party supported before, political party of preference
- Household income, personal income, wife’s income

[Male Questionnaire B]
- Age
- Number of siblings when respondent was around age 15, birth order
- Current occupation
- (*), whether or not respondent is a member of a labor union
- History of employment
- (*), age at the time of employment
- Highest level of educational attainment, experience attending specialized training college/miscellaneous school, etc.
- List of schools respondent attended
- Level of satisfaction with work and life
- Father’s birth year, his highest level of educational attainment
- Father’s occupation when respondent was 15 years old, father’s occupation when respondent got the first job, father’s main occupation
- (*)
- Marital status, age at the time of first marriage, situation of children
- Wife’s highest level of educational attainment
- Wife’s current occupation
- (*)
- Main occupation of wife’s father
- (*)
- Stratum identification (5 levels, 10 levels), class identification, image of stratum division
- Life in junior high school years
- Grades at the time of graduation from junior high school, economic situation
- Significance and impact of attending junior high school
- View on academic background
- Current working life
- Number of sons who have already graduated/currently attending college of technology or higher, age of eldest son, highest level of educational attainment, first job, current job
- Children in high school or lower grades
- Number of children, gender, birth order, school level, year in school/age, level of education desired, educational expenses outside of school
- Important/unimportant things regarding children’s education
- Property held
- Type of housing
-Political party supported, political party supported before
- Household income, personal income, wife’s income

[Female Questionnaire]
- Age
- Number of siblings around age 15, birth order
- Current occupation
- (*), working hours, working days
- Reasons for getting a job, desire to be employed, reasons for not working, reasons for not wanting to work
- History of employment
- (*), age at the time of employment
- Highest level of educational attainment, experience attending specialized training college/miscellaneous school, etc.
- Level of satisfaction with work and life
- Father’s highest level of educational attainment
- Father’s main occupation
- (*)
- Marital status, age at the time of first marriage, romance-based/arranged marriage, how respondent started dating, age when respondent got divorced or separated by death
- Number of children, age at the birth of the first child, age at the birth to the youngest child, age when a child first got employed/married, age when all children were employed/married
- Husband’s occupation at the time of marriage, current occupation
- (*)
- Husband’s age, his highest level of educational attainment
- Main occupation of husband’s father
- (*)
- Mother’s highest level of educational attainment, whether she has ever been employed
- (*)
- Stratum identification (5 levels), image of stratum division, important factors in determining stratum
- Desired educational level, occupation, marriage and work when respondent was in the third year of junior high school
- View on gender roles
- Comparison of status between being a housewife and having an occupation
- Number of people in household, cohabiting relatives
- Leisure activities
- Property held
- Type of housing
-Political party supported, political party supported before
- Household income, personal income, husband’s income
Date of Release 2011/08/31
Topics in CESSDA Click here for details

Equality, inequality and social exclusion
Social and occupational mobility
Social behaviour and attitudes
Topics in SSJDA Society/Culture
Version 1 : 2011-08-31
Notes for Users Variable and value labels are written in Japanese.