A Study on the Development of a Scale to Measure Social Capital

Based on the Conclusion of Agreement on Direct Payment System in Hilly and Mountainous Area

Abstract

This study aimed to develop a scale that adequately and concisely measure social capital in Japanese communities. The data used in this study was 4939 representative samples living in 181 settlements in A city, Kyoto prefecture. We composed a scale (Integrated Social Capital Index) based on 6 questions made by examples from World Bank, ONS in U.K., and Cabinet Office in Japan. In order to assess the reliability of ISCI, we calculated the Cronbach α (0.82). A significant linkage between ISCI and the conclusions of agreement in settlements to Direct Payment System in Hilly and Mountainous Area (odds ratio 3.21, p=0.01) in a logistic regression suggests the high criterion-related validity of ISCI.