If you had to choose, would you call yourself liberal or conservative?

Liberal or conservative if forced to choose · Asked in 15 waves, 1984–2020 · 16,121 responses · weighted estimates computed from individual responses

Not comparable across years as a series: in 1984, 1986, and 1990 the follow-up was asked only of people who said DK or 'haven't thought much' on the 7-point scale; in 1988, 1992, and 1996 on, moderates were asked too. The volunteered 'moderate' answer also ranges from 1% or less (2002, 2020) to 55% (2016) with the instrument. Codes that include 'no Pre/Post IW' were dropped for respondents without that interview. Dropped as not asked: 0 'R has made choice on 7pt scale VCF0803 1984,1986,1990); R has made choice on VCF0803 7pt scale other than ‘moderate’ (1988,1992 and later); R not administered 7pt scale series (2000)'. Dropped only in years where the codebook names a design split (alternate form, half sample, abbreviated or web instrument): 9 in 2020. Kept and flagged: 8 (dk), 9 (no_answer). Codebook notes: See also VCF0803 and VCF0849. GENERAL NOTE: This is the follow-up ‘choice’ question asked 1984 and later of Rs who replied to the full 7-point scale question (VCF0803) with ‘Don’t know’ or ‘haven’t thought much’; except for years 1984, 1986 and 1990 this question was also asked of Respondents who answered ‘moderate.’ Using the initial 7-point scale (VCF0803) and this follow-up, a final 3-category summary was also constructed in these years: the final 3- category summary is VCF0849. If R’s response to the 7-point scale question (VCF0803) was NA then this follow-up question was not asked. 2000 NOTE: This variable represents 7-point scale data from interviews conducted using both modes; approximately half of the 2000 Study respondents (both modes) were randomly selected for administration of a branching series. The latter respondents are excluded here. In 2020, one case was coded -4 ‘technical error’; this has been coded ‘0’ in the Cumulative Data File.