| Abstract [eng] |
Social capital holds a fundamental role in shaping societies and influencing various outcomes, encompassing economic development, political stability, and individual well-being. This master's thesis aims to construct a comprehensive measurement instrument of global social capital, leveraging extensive datasets from the World Values Survey and World Development Indicators. The study establishes a robust measurement framework, differentiating between cognitive and structural components, discerning the emotional and behavioral elements shaping social relationships. The findings unveil that higher levels of education and engagement in collective work or study environments are associated with increased social capital. While social capital generally escalates with age, there appears to be a potential decline in structural social capital due to reduced energy or time available for group activities and political engagement. Notably, control of corruption emerges as a pivotal country-specific factor influencing social capital. The findings of this research complement existing studies by revealing nuanced influences on social capital. Also, the comprehensive analysis of global data sets this study apart, as many previous analyses tend to focus on regional research. |
