helpful
Details
Question Would you say that most of the time people try to be helpful, or that they are mostly just looking out for themselves?
Values
[1]try to be helpful[2]looking out for themselves[3]depends[NA(d)]don't know[NA(i)]iap[NA(j)]I don't have a job[NA(m)]dk, na, iap[NA(n)]no answer[NA(p)]not imputable[NA(r)]refused[NA(s)]skipped on web[NA(u)]uncodeable[NA(x)]not available in this release[NA(y)]not available in this year[NA(z)]see codebook
Question Years and Ballots
| ballots | years |
| -/- | 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987 |
| B/C | 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2022 |
Overview
For further details see the GSS Data Explorer page for helpful.
Counts by year:
| year | try to be helpful | looking out for themselves | depends | don't know | iap | no answer | not available in this year | Total |
| 1972 | 749 | 740 | 100 | 22 | 1 | 1 | - | 1613 |
| 1973 | 702 | 739 | 56 | 4 | - | 3 | - | 1504 |
| 1975 | 836 | 545 | 99 | 8 | - | 2 | - | 1490 |
| 1976 | 646 | 756 | 91 | 5 | - | 1 | - | 1499 |
| 1978 | 907 | 536 | 80 | 4 | - | 5 | - | 1532 |
| 1980 | 714 | 678 | 64 | 9 | - | 3 | - | 1468 |
| 1983 | 917 | 603 | 68 | 11 | - | - | - | 1599 |
| 1984 | 763 | 650 | 54 | 3 | - | 3 | - | 1473 |
| 1986 | 817 | 565 | 76 | 7 | - | 5 | - | 1470 |
| 1987 | 787 | 935 | 81 | 11 | - | 5 | - | 1819 |
| 1988 | 494 | 448 | 46 | 6 | 484 | 3 | - | 1481 |
| 1989 | 518 | 459 | 52 | 5 | 502 | 1 | - | 1537 |
| 1990 | 464 | 372 | 55 | 7 | 473 | 1 | - | 1372 |
| 1991 | 496 | 436 | 72 | 8 | 500 | 5 | - | 1517 |
| 1993 | 551 | 431 | 60 | 14 | 549 | 1 | - | 1606 |
| 1994 | 932 | 935 | 128 | 9 | 981 | 7 | - | 2992 |
| 1996 | 833 | 940 | 138 | 10 | 979 | 4 | - | 2904 |
| 1998 | 911 | 815 | 176 | 7 | 921 | 2 | - | 2832 |
| 2000 | 866 | 851 | 166 | 10 | 921 | 3 | - | 2817 |
| 2002 | 431 | 391 | 88 | 2 | 1853 | - | - | 2765 |
| 2004 | 438 | 359 | 76 | 3 | 1936 | - | - | 2812 |
| 2006 | 867 | 924 | 194 | 4 | 2521 | - | - | 4510 |
| 2008 | 621 | 624 | 118 | 2 | 658 | - | - | 2023 |
| 2010 | 647 | 588 | 135 | 5 | 667 | 2 | - | 2044 |
| 2012 | 618 | 612 | 98 | 8 | 636 | 2 | - | 1974 |
| 2014 | 795 | 742 | 145 | 5 | 851 | - | - | 2538 |
| 2016 | 917 | 892 | 137 | 7 | 911 | 3 | - | 2867 |
| 2018 | 717 | 694 | 142 | 9 | 785 | 1 | - | 2348 |
| 2021 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4032 | 4032 |
| 2022 | 512 | 549 | 149 | 9 | 2325 | - | - | 3544 |
| Total | 20466 | 18809 | 2944 | 214 | 19454 | 63 | 4032 | 65982 |