Correlated social capital and child outcomes may share hidden confounding causes.

Evidence

What we really want to know is whether the observed differences across states in child well-being are linked directly to social capital itself or to some other factor or factors that influence both child well-being and social capital. — Robert D. Putnam, Bowling Alone The Collapse and Revival…, 1044

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Adult education levels barely affect child outcomes once social capital is held constant. — Robert D. Putnam, Bowling Alone The Collapse and Revival…, 1045; Informal social ties predict school achievement better than formal civic memberships do. — Robert D. Putnam, Bowling Alone The Collapse and Revival…, 1054