Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (WLS)
The Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, or WLS, is a long-term study of a random sample of over 10,000 men and women who graduated from Wisconsin high schools in 1957, along with a randomly selected sibling. Early data includes records of social background, aspirations, schooling, military service, family formation, labor market experiences and social participation. More recent data focuses on health and aging. Researchers can study the impact of early life events and circumstances on later life outcomes. This specific group of individuals precedes the baby boom generation by about a decade so the WLS can monitor indications of trends that will impact society. The WLS is the largest, longest-running social science research project in the world.
Outcomes
The WLS has been used to advance research in economics, sociology, psychology, political science, public health, evolutionary biology, the medical sciences, microbiology, and population genetics. In the last 5 years alone, well over 1,000 peer reviewed articles have been published using these data.
Focus Areas
Project Leader
Carol Roan
Associate Scientist, College Of Letters And Science
- Department/Unit
- Social Science Research Services
- School or College
- College of Letters & Science