Study on the Relationship between Perceptions of Corruption and Social Capital (Case study: urban population of Mazandaran province)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Ph.D. student of sociology

2 Faculty of Sociology, Islamic Azad University, Babol Branch, Mazandaran, iran

Abstract

 


 

In this paper, we study on the relationship between the perception of corruption and social capital in urban population over 30 years old in Mazandaran province. In the variable "perception of corruption", theories proposed by Hoetjes, Thrisman and Heiden Heimer and in the variable "social capital" have been used from the institutionalized approach, and in particular from the Bo Rothsteine and Stolle theories. The required data were collected using a survey method and a questionnaire tool from a sample of 400 subjects. The descriptive findings of the research indicated that the level of perception of corruption index and all of its dimensions (i.e. micro corruption, macro corruption, system corruption, and international corruption) were at high level and the level of social capital index and all its constituent variables (i.e. social awareness, social trust, general norms, participation social, and social cohesion) were at a low level. The explanatory findings of the research indicated that there is a reverse, strong, and significant relationship and effect between perception of corruption and all its dimensions and social capital. In Pearson correlation coefficient, the inverse relationship between perceptions of corruption and all its dimensions and social capital was significant. In multi-variatble regression analysis, the regression model of research and the inverse effects of all dimensions of perception of corruption were significant, and the most direct effect based on the Beta coefficient was the dimension of the perception of systemic corruption on social capital. Also, according to the results of structural equation modeling, the theoretical model based on various indices such as CMIN / DF, RMSEA, NFI, CFI, PCFI, etc had a reasonable fit. The results of this study confirm findings of empirical background and the theoretical framework of the research based on the institution-based approach. Also, results determined that the as perception of corruption in all its dimensions increases, the level of social capital and all its variables decreases.

Highlights

 

Keywords