An Examination of Social Capital among U.S. Adults: Patterns that Facilitate Social Well-being as Measured by PIAAC
Keywords:
social capital; PIAAC; civic engagement; social trust, social capital; community involvement; political efficacy; social trustAbstract
Communities thrive when individuals work together to
share knowledge and resources. This phenomenon, social capital, is
widely understood as the access and proficiency individuals have to
knowledge and networks that facilitate acquisition of economic
resources and social well-being (Putnam, 2000). This paper presents
findings from data collected in the Programme for the International
Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) related to three elements
of social capital. Community involvement, political efficacy, and social
trust were explored as they relate to age, educational attainment, and
time of residence in the United States. Key results include low levels
of all social capital variables and differences by age and educational
attainment. Findings add to the understanding of the ways in which
sub-groups of U.S. communities engage with their social networks.
https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.18.2.1
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Copyright (c) 2019 Christy Michele Rhodes, Leslie Cordie, Michael Wooten
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