Exploring Social Capital at School: A Framework for Measuring Networks, Trust, and Prosociality

Abstract

Stefania Badiglio*

This study introduces an innovative methodology for measuring social capital among students, with the aim of examining its variations across different territorial contexts. The proposed model is grounded in a multidimensional perspective of social capital, structural, normative, and cognitive, and employs three integrated tools: a questionnaire, a sociometric mapping, and age-appropriate economic games. The research involved more than 300 students, aged 9 to 12, from five Sicilian municipalities characterized by diverse socioeconomic and cultural profiles. Although the analysis of the data has not yet been carried out, the study provides a solid methodological framework to explore how social networks, trust relationships, and prosocial preferences develop and differ depending on the life context and the school environment. In this way, the study aims to contribute to the understanding of social capital as a relational and value-based resource, fostering social cohesion, educational inclusion, and civic participation in both school and territorial settings.

HTML PDF