Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

The survey is the first high income country survey designed to fully operationalise the freedom aspect of the capabilities approach based on Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum’s theoretical frameworks to welfare economics and political theory. In particular, the researchers sought to focus on the measurement of adult capabilities across a wide range of life domains delivering to a sample of approximately 1000 adults with the aid of YOUGOV, a UK based opinion polling and market research company specialising in the use of on-line panels. The survey instrument has been translated into Spanish and is potentially suitable for replication in other countries or with different populations (this is not available at the UK Data Archive). Some of the questions are also potentially suitable for selection and incorporation into studies where understanding opportunities and constraints is important. Further information about these can be obtained from the project website The Capabilities Measurement Project.

Main Topics:

The main topics include: opportunities; abilities and constraints in areas that include health; bodily integrity; freedom of political and religious expression; autonomy; stress; opportunity to holiday; quality of work.

One-stage stratified or systematic random sample

On-line panel survey