Social capital and the spiral of silence

This study explores the role of social capital in the spiral of silence process and investigates whether (1) individual-level indicators of social capital are associated with willingness to express opinions, (2) individual-level indicators of social capital are associated with the perception that others support one's opinions, and (3) perceived support for one's opinions mediates the proposed relationship between individual-level social capital and willingness to express opinions. Three commonly examined individual-level indicators of social capital were analyzed -civic engagement, trust, and neighborliness. Results of a representative survey conducted on Guam showed that civic engagement had a direct effect on willingness to express opinions. Neighborliness and trust had direct positive effects on perceived support for one's opinions, which in turn, were positively related to willingness to express opinions. Implications were discussed. The Author 2012. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The World Association for Public Opinion Research. All rights reserved.2012