Table 1 Sample characteristics of the analytical sample per survey wave

Sex, % (n)

  Male

51.5 (1,552)

50.1 (2,190)

50.1 (2,143)

50.3 (2,131)

  Female

48.5 (1,464)

49.9 (2,184)

49.9 (2,130)

49.7 (2,108)

Age, mean ± SD

53.9 ± 14.0

56.4 ± 14.2

56.6 ± 14.1

56.4 ± 14.2

Region, % (n)

  West Germany

76.9 (2,318)

74.5 (3,257)

74.1 (3,166)

74.4 (3,154)

  East Germany

23.1 (698)

25.5 (1,117)

25.9 (1,107)

25.6 (1,085)

Nationality

  German

97.5 (2,941)

97.6 (4,271)

97.7 (4,174)

97.6 (4,137)

  Others

2.5 (75)

2.4 (103)

2.3 (99)

2.4 (102)

Children under 16 living in household, % (n)

  No

74.4 (2,243)

78.0 (3,413)

78.2 (3,340)

77.8 (3,297)

  Yes

25.6 (773)

22.0 (961)

21.8 (933)

22.2 (942)

Family status, % (n)

  Single

22.5 (677)

20.2 (883)

19.7 (843)

19.9 (843)

  Married

64.2 (1,935)

63.6 (2,782)

64.1 (2,739)

63.9 (2,709)

  Divorced/widowed

13.4 (404)

16.2 (709)

16.2 (691)

16.2 (687)

Household size, % (n)

  1-person

11.0 (333)

13.1 (573)

13.0 (555)

12.8 (542)

  2-persons

50.1 (1,512)

52.3 (2,289)

52.5 (2,242)

52.4 (2,223)

  3-persons

17.7 (533)

15.9 (696)

15.9 (679)

16.0 (680)

  4 or more persons

21.2 (638)

18.7 (816)

18.6 (797)

18.7 (794)

Big Five Inventory

  Extraversion mean ± SD

2.7 ± 0.9

2.7 ± 0.9

2.7 ± 0.9

2.7 ± 0.9

  Agreeableness mean ± SD

2.7 ± 0.7

2.7 ± 0.7

2.7 ± 0.7

2.7 ± 0.7

  Conscientiousness mean ± SD

3.4 ± 0.7

3.4 ± 0.7

3.4 ± 0.7

3.4 ± 0.7

  Neuroticism mean ± SD

2.3 ± 0.8

2.3 ± 0.8

2.3 ± 0.8

2.3 ± 0.8

  Open-Mindedness mean ± SD

2.9 ± 0.9

2.9 ± 0.9

2.9 ± 0.9

2.9 ± 0.9

Income, % (n)

  Low

23.7 (714)

29.9 (1,310)

30.2 (1,291)

29.9 (1,267)

  Intermediate

38.4 (1,160)

38.1 (1,665)

37.8 (1,617)

37.6 (1,596)

  High

37.9 (1,142)

32.0 (1,399)

31.9 (1,365)

32.5 (1,376)

Educational status, % (n)

  Low

11.1 (333)

17.8 (777)

17.9 (765)

17.4 (738)

  Intermediate

31.2 (942)

33.4 (1,461)

33.7 (1,441)

33.5 (1,419)

  High

57.7 (1,741)

48.8 (2,136)

48.4 (2,067)

49.1 (2,082)