Supporting Statement B - 2022 GSS Arts Supplement-FINAL 11.23.21

Supporting Statement B:
Arts Supplement to the 2022 General Social Survey
B. COLLECTION OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS
B.1. Universe and Respondent Selection
GSS data are collected every two years, and made available to the research community and the
public as soon as possible after data collection is complete. Until 2004, the GSS was designed as a
repeated cross-sectional survey. Beginning in 2006, a panel component was added to the GSS
design. In 2012, there was three panels: a new cross-section, the first reinterview wave of cases
from the 2010 GSS (1,530 respondents), and the second reinterview wave of the 2008 GSS panel
(1,300 respondents). In 2020, and due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the GSS was conducted as two
studies: 1) a reinterview of past respondents from the 2016 and 2018 cross-sectional GSS studies
(referred to as the 2016-2020 GSS Panel), and 2) an independent fresh cross-sectional addressbased sampling push-to-web study (referred to as the 2021 GSS Cross section). The second study
is referred to as the 2021 GSS Cross-section because the majority of the data was collected in
2021.
Through the use of appropriate sampling weights, each biennial GSS will provide nationally
representative estimates of distributions of survey items measuring a wide variety of social and
political attitudes, opinions, and behaviors of U.S. adults.
B.2. Procedures for Collecting Information
The supplemental questions are designed to obtain the required information while keeping
respondent burden to a minimum. For the 2022 GSS, half of the respondents will be interviewed
face-to-face, with the use of computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI), while the other half
will respond to questions via the internet.
B.3 Methods for Maximizing Response Rate and Dealing with Nonresponse
The GSS has high responses rates, exceeding 70%. Field interviewers are trained in data collection
methods and given specifications for issues that may arise (e.g., what to do if a respondent does
not understand a question).
Nonrespondents are subsampled and weighted to represent all nonrespondents as of a cutoff
date. This approach has been used in many other surveys, including the Census Bureau’s
American Community Survey. For the 2018 GSS at the end of the preliminary field period for
release 1 after about twelve weeks, 1,949 temporary nonrespondents where identified,
subsampled at 54.8% and 1,069 were retained in the study. The retained sub-sample cases and
the partial/appointment/Spanish-language cases were then pursued. At the end of collection,
2,348 cases were obtained. The data include weights adjusted to account for nonresponse. For
more detailed information on sampling design and weighting, refer to the documentation
prepared by NORC (included in Attachment C).

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B.4. Test of Procedures and Methods
Prior to the fielding of the arts supplement, the NEA developed and proposed questions to NSF
for inclusion in the GSS arts supplement that will enable the NEA to better gauge the impact of
the COVID-19 pandemic on U.S. arts participation, including participation through web streaming
of live events and the use of technology to create and share art. The NEA reviewed feedback and
comments from the expert review and cognitive testing conducted by NORC to finalize the
survey’s language. Following the pretest, some minor revisions were made to the instrument.
These are incorporated in the copy of the instrument provided in Attachment B). After the
questions are programmed for CAPI, the system will be tested to ensure that the program
functions correctly.
B.5. Consultations on Statistical Aspects of the Design
The questions were reviewed and revised based on expert review and cognitive testing conducted
by NORC. The NORC General Social Survey Board reviewed and approved the supplement in 2021.
Attachments
A.

Federal Register Notice 1, October 25, 2021

B.

2022 GSS Arts Supplement Questionnaire

C.

GSS Codebook – Documentation on Sampling Design and Weighting

D.

Expedited/Emergency Request for Paperwork Reduction Act approval

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