Social capital and the effects on saving among IDA participants: are immigrants or US Natives more likely to be affected?

The purpose of this study is to determine how social capital (informal obligations and social norms) affects the ability to save within IDAs among immigrant and US Native individuals. Social capital is the capacity for someone or a group of persons to access resources and secure benefits through social networks (Portes, 1998; Flores, 2010). Coleman (1988) identifies three forms of social capital: obligations and expectations, informational channels, and social norms. Portes (1998) states that at least four negative consequences can be identified: exclusion of outsiders, excess claims on group members, restrictions on individual freedoms, and downward leveling norms. The author aims to examine the influence of social capital among IDA participants