The relationship between relative income position and social capital

• Main Authors: Wu, Tanping, 吳丹萍
• Other Authors: Chang, Wenchung
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2011
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/65655853520549986818

碩士 === 國立臺北大學 === 財政學系 === 99 === In reality, it’s very normal for making a comparison of one’s own situation with others’. People will compare their statuses with a reference group to understand their relative positions and to learn about whether they are in the advantage or disadvantage positions. More specifically, people tend to compare with others and care about their relative positions, and this will influence their behaviors and performances in the interactions with others. However, there are only few empirical studies on the effects of relative income position on an individual’s behaviors and attitudes. Most of the existing empirical literature focuses on the impacts of relative income position on the perceptions of happiness rather than its effects on social capital. By using data from the 2004 Taiwan Social Change Survey (TSCS), this study investigates the relationship between relative income position and various forms of social capital. Since individuals in a disadvantaged position presumably have some negative feelings, they would have stronger senses of injustice and relative deprivation. The results of this study confirm that when an individual has a lower level of relative income and in a disadvantage position, he tends to have a lower level of trust for other people, and reduces his participations in community activities. However, people with a lower relative income are found to be more actively participate in religious or church activities for spiritual reposing and solace.