Exploring Relationships Between Structural and Cognitive Forms of Social Capital and Bystander Action

• In Event: Intervening Against Crime on Campus. How Bystanders and Opportunities Shape Responses

Abstract

Renewed concerns over sexual violence against college women have increased the demand for institutions of higher education to advance prevention and response efforts. Bystander intervention has emerged as a leading strategy and developments in the ecological approach to bystander action provide the needed direction for integrating community and cultural factors into a more comprehensive approach. In addition, we suggest how a social capital framework may be useful to more fully understand the interpersonal and community factors inherent in the ecological model of bystander action. The current study uses data from a survey of college students enrolled at a small private college (N=433) to examine relationships between structural and cognitive forms of social capital and bystander action. Implications for an ecological approach to bystander action and constructive context-based bystander intervention strategies will be discussed.

Authors

• Janine A Bower, Keuka College

• Tim D Bower, Independent Sociologist

• Tracy McFarland, Keuka College