Social capital, trust and models of associationism in Spain

This paper studies the structure of associations in Spain in order to examine its influence on generalized trust. Using data from a survey conducted in Spain on associative belonging, the link between individuals' networks of associational membership and generalized trust is analyzed. The results highlight that the associative structure in Spain has evolved towards more horizontal forms and that multiple belongings play a role in generating generalized trust, as predicted by Paxton's hypothesis (2007). Both integration in open associations and personal factors linked to the role of psychological well-being (Uslaner, 2002) have proved significant in the formation of generalized trust.