The legacy of Individual and Institutional Background: The Formation of Social Capital in Higher Education

• In Event: 435 - Section on Sociology of Education Roundtables (one-hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 12. Social Capital across Schooling Contexts

Abstract

Many researchers have examined the influence of social capital on educational outcomes. However, we know relatively less about social capital generated in educational settings, especially higher educational settings. Using a multilevel analysis, this study examines the correlation between of the formation of social capital and individual and institutional background. The results show that experience of participating in social capital relevant activities in high school is positively associated with the quality and quantity of social relationship in higher education as well as time spent on co-curricular activities. On the other hand, institutional norms is positively correlated to student’s frequency and satisfaction with their social interactions in college, but the strength of its correlation on co-curricular activities is reduced after controlling for institutional type and selectivity level. This result partially implies that institutional norms may be influenced by institutional type and selectivity level.

Author

• Donghoon Shin, University of Iowa