The Mediating Role of Social Disorganization: A Case Study of Russian Neighborhoods

Abstract

Following the theory of social disorganization, neighbourhoods with high poverty, ethnic heterogeneity, residential mobility, and a high proportion of incomplete families are expected to be disorganized. Thereupon, social disorganization leads to weak social control. The mediating role of social disorganization is explored in this study. This theory was tested in three Russian cities using self-reports of 9th grade students (n = 4,860) in 198 neighbourhoods. Social disorganization and informal social control were separately operationalized. There are two kinds of informal social control: residential vigilance and reactions to the norm violation. Only the length of residence (as an indicator for residential mobility) and the socioeconomic status (as an indicator for poverty) influenced social organization in the neighbourhoods. Social cohesion has the strongest effects on both kinds of informal social control, however, social disorganization mediates only the relationship between socioeconomic status and informal social control.