Singapore Panel Study on Social Dynamics (SPSSD)
Synopsis
Since 2014, Social Lab has been conducting a longitudinal study of a panel of up to 5,000 households, or up to 10,000 individuals, representative of the Singapore population. The study will track changes in the lives of the same people over time. The purpose is to measure family dynamics, societal values and attitudes relevant to national identity and social mobility over an extended period.
Waves 1 to 6 of data collection have been completed.
Information on the SPSSD
Media Reports
Frequently Asked Questions
- How was I chosen for this Study?
- What do I have to do for this Study?
- How long will the interview take?
- Can I refuse to take part in this Study?
- Where will the interview be conducted?
- When will the interview be conducted?
- Will I be paid for participating in this Study?
- Are there any risks in participating in this Study?
- Will my information be passed to other parties?
- Who is conducting this Study?
- Where can I learn more about findings of this Study?
1. How was I chosen for this Study?
Your address was randomly selected from the database of all residential addresses in Singapore. This sample selection service for household surveys is a public resource provided by the Singapore Department of Statistics for research purposes. We will interview 5,000 households headed by Singapore citizens and permanent residents. Households will be sent an invitation letter addressed to the Head of Household and a randomly-selected Second Respondent over the age of 21 years. See Invitation Letter here.
2. What do I have to do for this Study?
You will be asked to complete a questionnaire on the demographic details of your household, including matters concerning education, health, finances and living arrangements. The questionnaire is available in English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. The interview session will be conducted as follows:
- You will be briefed on the details of the Study. See Participant Information Sheet here.
- Interviewer will take your informed consent. See Consent Form here.
- You will be asked for your responses to the survey questionnaire.
3. How long will the interview take?
Each interview will take around 60 minutes and will vary according to household size.
4. Can I refuse to take part in this Study?
Your participation in this Study is entirely voluntary. While there are no direct benefits from taking part, your input will help researchers better understand family structures and social dynamics in Singapore – with the aim of informing policymakers.
5. Where will the interview be conducted?
You may request for the interviewer to conduct the survey at the location of your choice. The interview can take place at your home, office, or even a public place. If you prefer, you can make an appointment for the interviewer to meet you at your chosen location.
6. When will the interview be conducted?
You may request for the interviewer to conduct the survey at your preferred time and date. You have the option to make an appointment for the interviewer to return to your household or the location of your choice.
7. Will I be paid for participating in this Study?
Upon successful completion of the interview, participants will be given S$50 worth of vouchers as reimbursement for time spent on the survey. Incomplete interviews will not be eligible.
8. Are there any risks in participating in this Study?
As this is a household survey, some of the questions may involve personal information, including matters about your education, health, finances and living arrangements. You may refuse to answer any question in the survey. At any point during the interview, you may stop for a break, and have the option to arrange another time for the interviewer to return. If you decide to discontinue the interview and withdraw from the Study, your information will be deleted from our database. You will not receive the S$50 reimbursement.
9. Will my information be passed to other parties?
Information collected for this study will be kept strictly confidential and stored under secure conditions. Your data and responses, to the extent of applicable laws and regulations, will not be made available to other parties. Only the Principal Investigator, Data Administrator and Study Sponsor will have full access to the data with personal identifiers.
10. Who is conducting this Study?
The Study is conducted by Social Lab at the Institute of Policy Studies, at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore. The Principal Investigator of the Study is A/P Tan Ern Ser, Academic Advisor at the Institute of Policy Studies (Social Lab). The co-Investigator is Dr Teo Kay Key, postdoctoral fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies (Social Lab). The Study is commissioned by the Resilience Security Unit in the Prime Minister’s Office of Singapore.
11. Where can I learn more about the findings of this Study?
Initial findings from Wave 1 and Wave 2 of the Study have been released. Each household who participated in the survey would have received an information pamphlet with the findings in English and one other language (either Chinese, Malay or Tamil). Online versions of the information pamphlet in different languages are available for Wave 1 and Wave 2. If you are a survey participant and have not received your information pamphlet by post, please contact IPS Social Lab at the details below.
Enquiries
For enquiries, please contact IPS Social Lab at tel: 6601-3223/ 8668-8992, or email: ips.soclab@nus.edu.sg