Exercises

Descriptives

For all exercises, use the “WVS” data set which is available in the Downloads Section.

wvs <- read_dta("wvs.csv")
  1. What is the average value for survival/self-expression values? What does this mean?
  2. Filtering through Waves, how has this average changed?
  3. Repeat these two steps with traditional/rational values.
  4. Why is the comparison of these values over time difficult?

Linear Regression

  1. For which waves do traditional–rational values in the population explain a country’s level of democracy?
  2. For which waves do survival–self-expression values in the population explain a country’s level of democracy?
  3. Identify reasons why earlier waves fail to explain the level of democracy.
  4. Assessed jointly, how much more or less democratic do survival/self-expression value and GDP growth make countries in wave 5 (2005-2009)?

Probit

  1. For which waves do traditional–rational values in the population explain a country’s probability to be a democracy?
  2. For which waves do survival–self-expression values in the population explain a country’s probability to be a democracy?
  3. Identify reasons why earlier waves fail to explain regime type.
  4. Calculate a model assessing the impact of GDP growth on the probability of democracy for countries in wave 5.
  5. How much less likely is a country to be a democracy moving from minimum GDP growth to maximum GDP growth in wave 5?
  6. Calculate a model assessing the impact of traditional–rational values, and GDP growth on the probability of democracy for countries in wave 5. Interpret the results.
  7. Considering the main propositions of cultural modernisation, what are the implications of these results? Assess the results of each of the previous tasks in turn.

## Solutions {-}

You can find the solutions to these exercises in the Downloads Section.