Bounded Attitudinal Trajectories: A Longitudinal Analysis of the Political Effects of Bonding and Bridging Associations

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Abstract

Exploiting the advantages of a longitudinal approach, the paper aims at shedding new light on the origins and attitudinal consequences of bonding and bridging social capital produced in voluntary associations. Working with panel data, it is possible to examine the entire trajectory of an individual joining and leaving an association (reason(s) leading to the choice of becoming affiliated, the duration and attitudinal effects of the involvement in associational dynamics, the consequences after leaving). Furthermore, compared to a cross-sectional approach, observing the same individuals over time provides a much higher leverage to distinguish between selection and causal effects. The results show that the different effects of the membership in bonding vs. bridging associations on individual political attitudes can be traced back to a process of path dependence linking all stages of the membership trajectory. The reasons (based on the defense of specific interests and coalescing around networks of close friends vs. based on pre-existing political capital and a general social involvement) leading to join bonding vs. bridging associations are clearly distinct. These, in turn, produce interactions with a set of very similar vs. heterogeneous members. The type of interactions an individual is exposed to influences the effects on her political views (becoming more conservative and narrow focused vs. more liberal and encompassing) and, finally, their stability (the attitudinal changes are relatively stable vs. they tend to dissipate) after having left an association.

Author

• Sinisa Hadziabdic, University of Geneva