Generating trust? Sport and community participation

Abstract

This article explores the claim that generalized trust and community participation are positively associated and reports results from a survey that collected data on individuals’ involvement in sport and non-sport community organizations. Data were collected on levels of involvement in community sport and other non-profit community organizations, selected demographic variables and the standard measure of generalized trust. The analysis included an estimation of the direction of causality between involvement and trust and indicated that sport membership led to trust elevation. The findings support the arguments of Stolle and others: that joining community organizations creates heightened trust. Further, sport membership was a strong and significant predictor of trust. The findings have implications both for policy-related social capital interventions and the theory of social capital and trust generation.