Research method

Data from the Income Panel Survey (IPO) in 1985 and 2005 were used to examine the relation between the income positions of two consecutive generations. Income data of persons in the sample survey IPO 2005 are linked to data of their parents from 1985. Two criteria apply to improve comparability between the 1985 and 2005 data:

- The participants in the 1985 survey were underage, whereas in the 2005 survey they were (partner of) the main breadwinner.
- Survey participants in 2005 were aged between 30 and 35 (hence between 10 and 15 in 1985).

The sample survey population comprises 4,245 persons. The incomes of the parents from 1985 and the incomes of the following generation are divided into quartile groups to survey the income relations.