The successful exercise of democracy requires the full and effective utilization of human capital. One aspect of human capital utilization is the extent to which citizens use one another as sources of information and guidance in making political decisions. This research project will examine the dynamic structure of social communication during a presidential campaign focusing on the structure and composition of social networks for political communication, the factors affecting how these networks change during the campaign, and the circumstances under which communications are influential. Patterns of political communication will be investigated in two urban areas -- Indianapolis and St. Louis. Interviews will be conducted over a period of one year with respondents and a subset of those with whom they share their political views. Respondents will be geo-coded to examine the spatial location of networks. Media coverage of issues and the campaign will also be coded to capture the elite discussion of the campaign as context for the social networks. * * *
