Social Capital Survey Scales
Douglas D. Perkins and D. Adam Long. 2002
Brief Sense of Community Index
Social Connections Subscale:
Instructions for items 1-5: “I am going to read some things that people might say about their block. For each one‚ please indicate whether it is mostly true or mostly false about your block” (coded 1 = “false”‚ 2 = “true”; Note: Likert scale recommended for future research).
1. Very few of my neighbors know me.
2. I have almost no influence over what this block is like.
3. I can recognize most of the people who live on my block.
Mutual Concern Subscale:
4. My neighbors and I want the same things from the block.
5. If there is a problem on this block people who live here can get it solved.
6. In general‚ would you say that people on your block watch after each other and help out when they can‚ or do they pretty much go their own way? (coded 1 = “go own way”‚ 2 = “a little of both”‚ 3 = “watch after”)
Community Values Subscale:
7. Would you say that it is very important‚ somewhat important or not important to you to feel a sense of community with the people on your block? (coded 1= “not”‚ 2= “somewhat ”‚ 3= “very”)
8. Some people say they feel like they have a sense of community with the people on their block; others don’t feel that way. How about you; would you say that you feel a strong sense of community with others on your block‚ very little sense of community or something in between? (coded 1 = “very little”‚ 2 = “in between”‚ 3 = “strong”)
Collective Efficacy Scale:
“The following are things a block association might try to do. For each one‚ indicate whether you think it is very likely‚ somewhat likely‚ or not likely that the association on your block can accomplish that goal” (coded 1 = “not likely” to 3 = “very likely”).
1. Improve physical conditions on the block like cleanliness or housing upkeep.
2. Persuade the city to provide better services to people on the block.
3. Get people on the block to help each other more.
4. Reduce crime on the block.
5. Get people who live on the block to know each other better.
6. Get information to residents about where to go for services they need.
Citizen Participation Scale:
1. Are you currently a member of the block association?
2. Have you ever taken part in an activity sponsored by the blockassociation?
3. Thinking about work you might do for the block association outside ofmeetings‚ how many hours would you say you give to the associationeach month‚ if any?
“We would like to know what kinds of things people have done in theassociation. In the past year have you:”
4. Attended a meeting‚
5. Spoken up during a meeting‚
6. Done work for the organization outside of meetings‚
7. Served as a member of a committee‚
8. Served as an officer or as a committee chair?
Note: Each item was coded 1 for participation and 0 for no participation
(#3 was recoded to match this scale‚ from 0 = “none” to 1 = “8 or morehours”).
Neighboring Behavior Scale:
“The following is a short list of things neighbors might do for each other. Please indicate how many times in the past year‚ you have been asked todo each one for a neighbor on this block” (coded 0 = “none”‚ 1-7 = “exactnumber”‚ and 8 = “eight or more”).
1. Watch a neighbor’s home while they were away.
2. Loan a neighbor some food or a tool.
3. Help a neighbor in an emergency.
4. Offer a neighbor advice on a personal problem.
5. Discuss a problem on the block with a neighbor.
- civil society
- Sense of Community
This instrument can be found on pages 317-318 of Neighborhood sense of community and social capital: A multi-level analysis. Available online at: https://my.vanderbilt.edu/perkins/files/2011/09/PerkinsLong.2002.Neighborhood_sense_of_communitysocial_capital.pdf
Perkins‚ D.D.‚ & Long‚ D.A. (2002). Neighborhood sense of community and social capital: A multi-level analysis. In A. Fisher‚ C. Sonn‚ & B. Bishop (Eds.)‚ Psychological sense of community: Research‚ applications‚ and implications (pp. 291-318). New York: Plenum.