Turning Social Capital Into Social Performance: Three Case Studies and a New Framework for Value Creation

Sociologists, political scientists, and economists have described different dimensions and functions of social capital from their disciplinary perspectives, emphasizing the value and impact of social relationships, governance institutions, or efficient and reliable economic transactions, respectively. In this article, we propose to integrate all three perspectives and the research accumulated in those fields in a common, practical framework for effectively using social capital assets in producing value‐adding social and organizational performance.     

HOW HOMES INFLUENCE SCHOOLS: EARLY PARENTING PREDICTS AFRICAN AMERICAN CHILDREN'S CLASSROOM SOCIAL–EMOTIONAL FUNCTIONING

Data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Cohort were used to examine the extent to which early parenting predicted African American children's kindergarten social–emotional functioning. Teachers rated children's classroom social–emotional functioning in four areas (i.e., approaches to learning, self‐control, interpersonal skills, and externalizing behaviors). Mothers completed self‐report questionnaires assessing their home‐based parenting practices (i.e., warmth and home learning stimulation). Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that mothers who engaged in more frequent home learning stimulation (e.g., shared book reading) had children with more positive teacher ratings of approaches to learning, self‐control, interpersonal skills, and fewer externalizing behaviors. Notably, demographic characteristics also contributed to children's social–emotional functioning. Specifically, African American girls from more affluent, two‐parent homes with highly educated mothers had the most positive ratings of classroom social–emotional functioning across all four dimensions.     

Self estimates of general,crystallized, and fluid intelligences in an ethnically diverse population

Self-estimated intelligence is a quick way to assess people's conceptions of their own abilities. Furnham (2001) and colleagues have used this technique to make comparisons across culture and gender and different approaches to intelligence (such as g or Multiple Intelligences). This study seeks to build on past work in two ways. First, a large, diverse sample (N = 2309) enables the study of self-estimated intelligence across ethnicity. Second, one of the most prominent accepted intelligence theories is the Cattell–Horn–Carroll (CHC) theory. Can laypeople distinguish between general, fluid, and crystallized intelligence? This study finds evidence for a “modesty bias” in Hispanic Americans. In addition, fluid and crystallized intelligences may simply be seen as general intelligence (particularly by Caucasians and males).