TY - JOUR
T1 - Social Capital’s Influence on Environmental Concern in China: An Analysis of the 2010 Chinese General Social Survey
AU - Hao, Feng
AU - Michaels, Jay L.
AU - Bell, Shannon Elizabeth
PY - 2019/1/1
Y1 - 2019/1/1
N2 - This study examines the ways in which social capital influences people’s environmental concern in China. Using data obtained from the 2010 Chinese General Social Survey, we measure social capital through social networks and trust. We find that the ways people think about and act toward others influence the ways they think about and act toward the environment. The structural equation modeling results suggest that one’s connections with others, including socializing with relatives and friends as well as general social networking, are significantly and positively related to various dimensions of environmental concern. Greater trust is positively related to one’s willingness to make sacrifices for the benefit of the environment but is also negatively related to perceived dangerousness of pollution. Our findings highlight the value of social capital in promoting environmental concern. We discuss these findings in the context of existing literature, and propose policy implications and suggest directions for future research.
AB - This study examines the ways in which social capital influences people’s environmental concern in China. Using data obtained from the 2010 Chinese General Social Survey, we measure social capital through social networks and trust. We find that the ways people think about and act toward others influence the ways they think about and act toward the environment. The structural equation modeling results suggest that one’s connections with others, including socializing with relatives and friends as well as general social networking, are significantly and positively related to various dimensions of environmental concern. Greater trust is positively related to one’s willingness to make sacrifices for the benefit of the environment but is also negatively related to perceived dangerousness of pollution. Our findings highlight the value of social capital in promoting environmental concern. We discuss these findings in the context of existing literature, and propose policy implications and suggest directions for future research.
KW - China
KW - environmental concern
KW - social capital
KW - and structural equation modeling
UR - https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/soc_facpub_sm/25
UR - https://doi.org/10.1177/0731121419835504
U2 - 10.1177/0731121419835504
DO - 10.1177/0731121419835504
M3 - Article
VL - 62
JO - Sociological Perspectives
JF - Sociological Perspectives
ER -