The Relationship between Social Capital and Two Types of Political Participation

Abstract

This study mainly explores the role of bonding and bridging social capital in affecting offline and online political participation. This study uses a nationally-representative adult sample in Taiwan to examine the relationship between two types of social capital (measured by extensity and network resource component scores), offline participation and online participation. The results showed that both bonding and bridging social capital enhanced offline participation, while bonding social resource indicators were positively related to online participation. Results suggested that bonding social capital enhanced online political participation.