Most data in Understanding Society is collected through standardised questions in the annual interview. The Innovation Panel gives us the opportunity to also collect a range of novel types of data using other methods.
Life events
Between Waves 11 and 13 of the Innovation Panel respondents were asked to answer a short monthly survey for one year. The monthly survey asked about the occurrence of certain life events in the previous calendar month. If respondents had not experienced any of the list of events, the survey ended after the first question. If they had experienced one or more of the events, follow-up questions were asked about the event.
Two experiments were embedded in this data collection; one on incentives and a second on the timing of the reminders. Data from the life events study is available from the UK Data Service: Understanding Society: Innovation Panel Life Events Study, 2020.
Read the research: Trialling event triggered data collection in the Understanding Society Innovation Panel: response and measurement quality
Household finances
Two studies have been run in the Innovation Panel exploring household spending. In the first, respondents were invited to download an app to report daily expenditure for a month. App users were asked to upload shopping receipts or report spending directly into the app. This study included two experiments on incentives. Spending Study 1 data are available from the UK Data Service: Understanding Society: Spending Study 1, 2016-2017.
Read the research: Participation in a mobile app survey to collect expenditure data as part of a large-scale probability household panel
The second spending study invited respondents to keep a diary on an app for one month, recording their expenditure including daily spending, direct debits and standing orders. This study included an experiment on how respondents were invited to take part. Spending Study 2 data are available from the UK Data Service: Understanding Society: Spending Study 2, 2018-2019.
Read the research: Increasing participation in an mobile app study: the effects of a sequential mixed-mode design and in-interview invitation
Time use
In Wave 7 of the Innovation Panel respondents were asked to keep a time diary on two separate days. The diary asked them to record how they spent their 24-hour day in 10 minute periods. Respondents were randomly allocated one weekday and one weekend day for their household, although different household members could complete the diary in different weeks. The diary was designed to be ‘light touch’, with respondents indicating their activities against a pre-coded list. These data are available as part of the IP7 dataset and documented in the IP User Guide.
Download the data: Understanding Society: Innovation Panel, Waves 1-16, 2008-2023
Social media data
At Wave 10 of the Innovation Panel respondents were asked for permission to link their Twitter data to their survey responses. A dataset is available containing data collected from consenting respondents retrieved through the Twitter API between June 2007 and February 2023. Data in this dataset can be linked to data on the same individuals from previous and future waves of the Innovation Panel.
Download the data: Understanding Society: Innovation Panel Twitter Study, 2007-2023
Biomeasures, cognition, and wellbeing
Several studies have been carried out collecting new types of health and wellbeing data.
Finger measurement
In IP 16 all respondents were asked to provide measurements of their second and fourth finger to investigate prenatal testosterone exposure effects on human development. These data are available in the IP16 data release and documented in the IP User Guide.
Hair sample
Respondents were asked to provide a small sample of their hair, either taken by themselves or by a visit from a professional nurse. The data coded from these samples includes hair cortisol, hair cortisone, hair progesterone, and hair testosterone. These data were released as part of the IP12 data release and documented in the IP User Guide.
Read the research: Collection of biomarkers using nurses, interviewers, and participants: the design of IP12
Dried blood sample
Respondents were asked to provide a dried blood sample, which they either collected themselves or was collected by a professional nurse. The data coded from these samples include dried blood triglycerides, dried blood cholesterol, dried blood high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and dried blood glycated haemoglobin. These data were released as part of the IP12 data release and documented in the IP User Guide.
Read the research: Understanding Society: health, biomarker and genetic data
Pre-interview blood pressure measure
This was an advance letter experiment, where all eligible respondents were requested to take their blood pressure prior to their annual interview and then to provide the measurement in the interview. One third of the sample was provided with information on their nearest pharmacy, one third were provided with an altruistic appeal text in the invitation letter, and the last third acted as a control group. The data from these measurements were released as part of the IP12 data release and documented in the IP User Guide.
Child Red Book data
Respondents were asked to send photographs of pages of their child’s Red Book showing information on height and weight. These data were released as part of the IP16 data release and are documented in the IP16 Working Paper.
Read the research: Understanding Society Innovation Panel wave 16: results from methodological experiments and new data
Body volume index
Respondents in IP15 were asked to download an app which asked profile questions and invited them to take two pictures of their body using their device camera. The app calculated body measures, such as body fat and waist/hip ratio. Experiments in this study included unconditional versus conditional incentives, and whether offering feedback in the app affected response. These data were released as part of the IP15 data release and are documented in the IP User Guide.
Read the research: Understanding Society Innovation Panel wave 15: results from methodological experiments
Spatial navigation
Respondents in IP16 were invited to use a cognition app – Sea Hero Quest. This navigation game measured spatial cognition over a series of increasingly difficult levels. An experiment on incentives was included in this study. These data were released as part of the IP16 data release and documented in the IP16 Working Paper.
Read the research: Understanding Society Innovation Panel Wave 16: results from methodological experiments and new data
Wellbeing app
Respondents in IP13 were invited to download an app and every evening for days respond to a set of questions on their interactions with loved ones, stressors they had experienced that day, and their mood. This app study included experiments on bonus incentives, the length of the daily questionnaire, and the position of the invitation in the IP interview. Data from the wellbeing app study is available from the UK Data Service: Understanding Society: Innovation Panel Wellbeing App Study, 2020.