No Bowling at all

Television, the Vita Inactiva , and Social Capital

Bibliographic Data

ID10562245
AuthorsCarl L Bankston (Tulane University, corresponding author)
Year2003
Volume36
Issue2
Pages99-109
Publication date2003-05-01
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueSociological Focus (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0038-0237 • E-ISSN: 2162-1128
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/00380237.2003.10570718
OpenAlexW2033466945
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited30

Robert D. Putnam has suggested that putatively decreasing civic engagement may result from the growing role of electronic entertainment, especially television, in American life. In this study, I point out that the social capital argument is rooted in a long-standing theoretical perspective on civic life as the realization of human potential through public engagement. I argue that the quality of being active is essential to this engagement and that there is some evidence that television, as a passive medium, may be inconsistent with being active. Using General Social Survey data, I demonstrate that the more individuals are active in their recreational lives, the more they tend to socialize informally with others and to be members of formal organizations. Television watching, however, is negatively related to recreational involvement and informal and formal social engagement. Moreover, the evidence is consistent with the argument that television viewing is negatively related to public engagement because those who watch TV frequently are relatively inactive in their private pastimes

Advertising · Argument (complex analysis · Business · Civic engagement · Entertainment · Perspective (graphical · Political science · Public engagement · Public relations · Recreation · Social capital · Social engagement · Social science · Sociology · Law · Psychology · Social and Cultural Dynamics · Social Capital and Networks · Social Media and Politics · Social Psychology

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