printSocial Participation as a Structural Component of Social Capital:
Factors and Conditions Of Formation
Burko V.A.
Cand. Sci (Sociol.), Assoc. Prof., Department of Sociology and Political Science, Perm National Research Polytechnic University, Perm, Russia. victor-burko@yandex.ru
This work is supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, project No. 18-011-00548.
Burko V.A. Social Participation as a Structural Component of Social Capital: Factors and Conditions Of Formation. Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya [Sociological Studies]. 2026. No 2. P. 144-150
The author continues the structural analysis of the concept “social capital” in this article, with previous results presented in his earlier published works. The study focuses on the genesis of one of the most important components of social capital – “social participation.” In the paper, a definition of this concept is provided that distinguishes it from other forms of public interaction. The author proposes to assess the significance of factors influencing the formation of predisposition towards social participation. Sociodemographic and sociopsychological conditions are grouped according to stages of dynamics in personal growth and expansion of individual’s spheres of interaction: micro-level, meso-level, and macro-level. An evaluation is conducted regarding the interrelation between sociological characteristics at different levels and the fact of interested involvement or non-involvement by respondents in various organizations, movements, communities, and charitable entities. Based on comparisons using Pearson’s T-test for means, the following conclusions are drawn: (1) At the micro level, social participation is more prevalent among young respondents under 30 years old, women, as well as those whose mother had higher than average education and held a relatively high occupational position when the respondent finished school; (2) At the meso level, inclination toward social participation is characteristic of individuals who have above-average secondary special education, associate their life with chosen profession, enjoy sufficient material security, reside in urban-type settlements or cities, and describe their relationships with colleagues overall as good; (3) At the macro level, there is a strong correlation between social activity and an increased level of interpersonal trust (generalized trust). A positive attitude towards market reforms and economic innovations was also revealed among respondents who demonstrated a readiness for social participation.
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