Sofia Dokuka — Candidate of Sciences in Sociology, Associate Professor, Research Fellow at the Institute of Education, National Research University Higher School of Economics. E-mail: sdokuka@hse.ru

Maria Yudkevich — Candidate of Sciences in Economics, Vice Rector, Director of the Center for Institutional Studies, National Research University Higher School of Economics. E-mail: yudkevich@hse.ru

Address: 20 Myasnitskaya Str., 101000 Moscow, Russian Federation.

The influence of individual characteristics on social structures is a key issue in sociological research. This study examines the evolution of social networks among freshmen at a Russian university to determine the role of generalized trust in social integration. It is demonstrated that trustful individuals are more likely to enter into relationships with people with whom they have no mutual friends and to expand their social networks. Empirical evidence is consistent with the theoretical prediction of sociologists, James S. Colman and Eric M. Uslaner in particular, that interpersonal trust has an impact on the whole social structure, which means it determines how societies function.