A Review of the Article "Social Interaction and Urban Sprawl" by Jan K. Brueckner and A. G. Largey

Abstract

Using data from the Social Capital Benchmark Survey, the authors examine the effects of density on social interactions. They find that as urban density increases, measures of social interaction decrease, the opposite of what was predicted in the popular sociology book Bowling Alone. Comparing one standard deviation above and below the mean, the results show that the given decline in density raises the likelihood of talking to neighbors at least once a week by 7%, increases the number of times the respondent socializes with friends in a public place by 11%, raises the likelihood of belonging to a hobby club by 24%, and raises the number of club meetings attended, or the number of group memberships by 26% and 8%, respectively. These percentages would be doubled if comparisons were made between the most and least dense city in the survey.

Keywords

• urban sprawl
• urban density
• social interactions
• urban size
• chicago school
• social capital