What is the BHPS?

• A panel study of British households

• A panel study surveys the same respondents at regular intervals
• A household survey interviews all (adult) members of the household, and collects household level data too
• Why household?
  • The behaviour and characteristics of individuals are often affected by the behaviour and characteristics of other household members
    • Husbands' and wives' employment status may be associated
    • Standard of living is more affected by household income than personal income
  • Some of the process in which we are interested have to do with household formation and dissolution (e.g., leaving home, forming partnerships, divorce)
  • We may be interested in intra-household processes - income sharing, division of domestic labour, attitude formation
• Why panel?
  • Because longitudinal is better (often)
  • Of the many types of longitudinal study panels have advantages and disadvantages