The basis
of the Lifestyles and Energy Household Survey is information
obtained from a probability sample of households in the United
States. Interviews were completed in 1,455 households in May and
June 1973, by members of the national interviewing staff of
Response Analysis Corporation of Princeton, New Jersey. The
questionnaire used in the survey was drawn up after extensive
consultation with physicists, engineers, sociologists, consumer
economists, statisticians, and environmentalists.
The
respondent for the interview was the head of household, (either
spouse was eligible in the case of households headed by husband and
wife). Since much of the interview was concerned with factual
information about the housing unit and members of the households,
interviewers were instructed to accept answers to factual questions
from either the respondent or spouse. Interviews ranged from about
30 to 90 minutes in length, with a median length of 50 minutes.
Drafts of
the survey questionnaire were reviewed and revised on a number of
occasions. To test for clarity of questions, ability of respondents
to answer in meaningful terms and length of interview, 35 pretest
interviews were conducted. Test interviews were completed in ten
different locations throughout the United States.