Effects of Social Capital on Collective Action for Community Development

Abstract

I applied a multilevel and multidimensional approach to assess the effects of social capital on collective action. Using data from a national survey on social capital in the United States, I tested the effects of individual-level social networks (bonding, bridging, and linking), community-level social trust, and cross-level interaction on residents' collective actions toward community development. Results from the hierarchical generalized linear model generally supported the network dynamic model, showing that social networks are critical to the underprivileged who lack resource mobilization opportunities. Specifically, the bridging and linking qualities of social networks produced a strong influence on collective action more than any other variable. However, the effect of community-level social trust was small and did not explain the extent to which individual-level social networks exerted influence on collective action.