Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas - CIS
Verify CIS extension
Sede Electrónica
ES CA GL EU FR
The use of algorithms for automatic translation may affect the accuracy of the presented content
whastapp linkedin x email

Barometer Methodology

Barometers are surveys conducted monthly—except in August—and their main objective is to measure the current state of Spanish public opinion. To do this, randomly selected individuals are interviewed across the country. In addition to their opinions, extensive social and demographic information is collected for analysis.

These surveys are included in the Inventory of Statistical Operations used to formulate the National Statistical Plan.

The CIS barometers consist of a standardized questionnaire, carried out using the same methodology, currently characterized by the following elements:

  • Personal survey conducted by telephone (CATI).
  • National scope
  • Universe: Spanish population of both sexes aged 18 and over.
  • Sample size of 4,000 individuals. (*)
  • Non-proportional allocation. Based on a proportional distribution by autonomous community, the allocation is adjusted so that all communities achieve a minimum of 100 interviews, except for the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla, where a total of 20 interviews is set for each. (*)
  • Procedure using random selection of landline and mobile phone numbers. The final units (individuals) are selected by applying sex and age quotas.
    The strata were formed by crossing the 17 autonomous communities, with the habitat size divided into seven categories: less than or equal to 2,000 inhabitants; from 2,001 to 10,000; from 10,001 to 50,000; from 50,001 to 100,000; from 100,001 to 400,000; from 400,001 to 1,000,000; and more than 1,000,000 inhabitants.
  • The sampling error, under the assumption of simple random sampling, is +/-1.6% for the entire sample, for a confidence level of 95.5% (two sigmas) and the most unfavorable situation (P=Q).
  • Fieldwork is carried out during the first half of each month, with the exception of August, when the study is not conducted.
  • The publication of the preliminary results on the website of the Center for Sociological Research (www.cis.es), with dissemination of marginal tables and cross-references for the main sociodemographic variables, will be carried out within five days of the completion of the fieldwork. (*)
  • The microdata file is available on the website of the Center for Sociological Research (www.cis.es) within 15 days of the end of the fieldwork (*).

(*) In the sections marked with an asterisk, there may be exceptions to the general methodology of the barometers, depending on their specific objective.

Fixed Barometer Questions

The questions that are routinely repeated each month in the CIS barometers are the following:

  1. Assessment of the current economic situation of the country
  2. Assessment of the current personal economic situation
  3. Assessment of the current political situation in the country
  4. Assessment of the country's political situation compared to the situation 1 year ago
  5. Main problems of the country in the opinion of the person interviewed
  6. Problems that most affect the person interviewed
  7. Ideological Self-Placement Scale
  8. Voting reminder in the general elections
  9. Religiosity of the person interviewed
  10. Frequency of attendance at religious services
 

Furthermore, on a monthly basis, the barometers typically include questions about the interviewees' political attitudes and voting intentions:

  1. Assessment of the Government's performance
  2. Assessment of the opposition's performance
  3. Confidence in the President of the Government
  4. Confidence in the opposition leader
  5. Assessment of the leaders of the main political parties
  6. Assessment of the members of the Government
  7. Voting intention in the general elections
  8. Sympathy for political parties
 

However, common questions may not appear in all barometers due to the specific context in which they are conducted.