The LifE3G-Study
The LifE-study is the longest-running longitudinal study on life courses and intergenerational relationships in the German-speaking world and is among the few of its kind worldwide, having been conducted for over four decades.
In the LifE-study, the same approximately 2,000 women and men have been repeatedly surveyed—first in 1979 at around 12 years old, and most recently in 2024 at about 57 years old, marking the eighth wave of data collection. The data gathered allows for the detailed tracking of individual development over time. The study's original title, "LifE," stands for "Life Courses into Early and Advanced Adulthood." However, with the 2024 survey, the study's title has been updated to "LifE3G – Life Courses of Three Family Generations." This reflects the new inclusion of data from three generations within the same families: the anchor generation (the original participants) and their children—who will be surveyed for the first time in 2024. The parents of the anchor generation were also surveyed during the second and third waves of data collection, employing a multi-actor approach. The study's comprehensive data set enables the exploration of familial influences on the younger generation, such as their attitudes or career development, while also accounting for cultural influences and societal change.
A distinctive feature of the LifE-study is its multi-domain approach, which provides insights into various life areas, including education and career, family relationships, partnerships, cultural, religious, and political orientations, as well as personality and health.
The LifE-study is interdisciplinary, addressing questions from educational science, sociology, and psychology.
The findings of the LifE-study play a crucial role in scientific discussions and hold significant implications for educational practice and political decision-making, particularly concerning educational opportunities, equity, and participation possibilities.
