Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

The aim of the survey was to monitor changes in attitudes of the British public towards the EEC since 1971 and to analyse the factors behind such changes.

Main Topics:

Attitudinal/Behavioural Questions Attitudes to the Common Market and Britain's relationship with other EEC countries: 1) Economic factors (prices, wages, employment, competition, prosperity, growth and progress). 2) Sovereignty (influence in the world, independence, autonomy, links with other nations or blocs, Commonwealth). 3) Perceived knowledge of the EEC, its influence and its work, interest in it, overall attitude to Britain's future relationship with the EEC. Interest in politics, evaluation of importance of devolution (Scottish and Welsh), trade union power and inflation. Trade union membership, religion, television ownership and viewing habits, daily/Sunday newspapers read. Background Variables Age, sex, marital status, household status, house size and tenure, occupation (qualifications, responsibility), age finished full-time education, income, driving licence, language spoken, visiting abroad.

One-stage stratified or systematic random sample

100 parliamentary constituencies were drawn in each of England (65 constituencies), Scotland (20 constituencies) and Wales (15 constituencies), stratified by region; in each urban constituency, one ward was selected and within it two polling districts in which ten electors' names were drawn from the electoral register; in rural constituencies one parish was selected and 20 names drawn from the electoral register

Face-to-face interview