How Study Measured Community Connections

The Social Capital Community Benchmark Survey, paid for by about three

dozen foundations, attempts to measure formal and informal social connections between people, using 11 different categories. They are:

Giving and volunteering. Measured how often people volunteer, as well as how generous they are in giving money.

Membership in charities and other groups. Measured membership in a wide range of groups, including religious organizations, other charities, self-help programs, and professional groups.

Civic leadership. Gauged how frequently people lead or take part in groups, and local discussions of town or school affairs.

Religious leadership. Measured church attendance and leadership, participation in other church activities or in organizations associated with religion, giving to religious causes, and volunteering at places of worship.

Social trust. Assessed trust of others, including neighbors, co-workers, shop clerks, members of the same religion, local police, and people in general.

Trust between races. Measured the extent to which different racial groups — whites, blacks, Hispanics, and Asians — trust one another.

Diversity of social networks. Determined the variety of friends people have, including business owners, home owners, people on welfare, manual workers, or those of different faiths, race, or ethnicity.

Involvement in politics. Measured whether people are registered to vote, interested in politics, knowledgeable about politics, and read the newspaper regularly.

Participation in political protests. Calculated whether people take part in marches, demonstrations, or boycotts.

Informal socializing. Measured how often people meet friends at home or in public, socialize with co-workers, play cards or board games, and visit relatives.

Egalitarian civic participation. Measured whether people from all walks of life, income groups, and ethnic or racial background participate at equal levels in civic affairs.