An article examined the mechanisms might be responsible for the correlation between countries' welfare efforts and the social capital of their inhabitants, using European data.
Source: John Gelissen, Wim van Oorschot, and Ellen Finsveen, 'How does the welfare state influence individuals social capital?', European Societies, Volume 14 Issue 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-Oct
A paper used longitudinal data to examine some of the putative causes of social, or generalized, trust. The results showed little support for the widely held view that social trust resulted from integration within social networks, of either a formal or an informal nature.
Source: Patrick Sturgis, Roger Patulny, Nick Allum, and Franz Buscha, Social Connectedness and Generalized Trust: A longitudinal perspective, Working Paper 2012-19, Institute for Social and Economic Research (University of Essex)
Links: Working paper
Date: 2012-Oct
A study examined the Scottish evidence for a link between social capital and health outcomes. People's level of social capital assets did, to varying degrees, predict their level of general health or mental well-being. Having regular contact with relatives, friends, and neighbours, was particularly associated with good or very good self-reported health.
Source: Rachel Ormston, Social Capital and Health: Findings from the Scottish Health Survey and Scottish Social Attitudes Survey, Scottish Government
Date: 2012-Oct
A study found that social capital in Scotland varied significantly across different socio-economic and demographic groups. Higher levels of social capital were found among: people living in rural areas (rather than large urban areas); those living in the most deprived areas (rather than the least); and people educated to degree level generally (relative to those who had no educational qualifications).
Source: Rachel Ormston and Susan Reid, Exploring Dimensions of Social Capital in Scotland: Findings from the Scottish Social Attitudes Survey and Scottish Household Survey, Scottish Government
Date: 2012-Oct
A new book examined the determinants of social capital across 85 European regions.
Source: Emanuele Ferragina, Social Capital in Europe: A comparative regional analysis, Edward Elgar Publishing
Links: Summary
Date: 2012-Sep
A report examined the causal impact of social capital on health in 14 European countries (including the United Kingdom). There appeared to be strong causal relationship between social capital and individual health. Community social capital (defined at regional level) appeared not to affect health once individual-level social capital was controlled for. This suggested that policy interventions should be targeted at improving primarily individual social capital.
Source: Lorenzo Rocco and Marc Suhrcke, Is Social Capital Good for Health? A European perspective, World Health Organisation (Regional Office for Europe)
Links: Report
Date: 2012-Aug
A new book examined caring relationships, identities, and practices within and across a variety of cultural, familial, geographical, and institutional arenas. Separate sections covered: caring within educational institutions; caring among communities and networks; caring and families; and caring across the life-course.
Source: Chrissie Rogers and Susie Weller (eds.), Critical Approaches to Care: Understanding caring relations, identities and cultures, Routledge
Links: Summary
Date: 2012-Jun
A new book said that care should be an essential value in private lives and public policies. It considered the importance of care to well-being and social justice, and applied insights from feminist care ethics to care work, and care within personal relationships. It also looked at 'stranger relationships', how people related to the places in which they lived, and the way in which public deliberation about social policy took place.
Source: Marian Barnes, Care in Everyday Life: An ethic of care in practice, Policy Press
Links: Summary
Date: 2012-Jun
An article used four waves of the British Household Panel Survey to examine temporal relationships between social capital and health outcomes. The results suggested that prior levels of generalized trust seem to independently predict future health status. But a lack of consensus as to what 'generalized trust' measured created ambiguity in the understanding of mechanisms linking trust to health.
Source: Giuseppe Nicola Giordano, Jonas Bjork, and Martin Lindstrom, 'Social capital and self-rated health – a study of temporal (causal) relationships', Social Science & Medicine, Volume 75 Issue 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-May
An article examined the extent to which individual social capital was associated with self-rated health and mediated the relationship between neighbourhood deprivation and self-rated health. Generalized trust, participation with friends and relatives, and having network members from the salariat class were found to be positively associated with self-rated health. Having network members from the working class was, however, negatively related to self-rated health. Moreover, these social capital elements partly mediated the negative relationship between neighbourhood deprivation and self-rated health.
Source: Verhaeghe Pieter-Paul and Gindo Tampubolon, 'Individual social capital, neighbourhood deprivation, and self-rated health in England', Social Science & Medicine, Volume 74 Issue 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-May
An article examined the role of social capital in building community resilience and health in England, using the 'bonding, bridging, and linking' social capital framework. Most indicators of social capital were significantly associated with neighbourhood deprivation and self-reported health. In particular, bonding and bridging social cohesion, civic participation, heterogeneous socio-economic relationships, and political efficacy/trust appeared important for community health after controlling for neighbourhood deprivation. However, no support was found for the hypothesis that the different aspects help to act as a buffer against the detrimental influences of neighbourhood deprivation.
Source: Wouter Poortinga, 'Community resilience and health: the role of bonding, bridging, and linking aspects of social capital', Health and Place, Volume 18 Issue 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-Mar
An article examined the association between education and levels of trust and tolerance in Europe. The association varied significantly across countries, and a major source of this variation lay in the way in which individuals reacted to the level of diversity in the country where they lived.
Source: Francesca Borgonovi, 'The relationship between education and levels of trust and tolerance in Europe', British Journal of Sociology, Volume 63 Issue 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2012-Mar
A paper examined the place, role, and significance of social capital, as demonstrated in the policies and statements of the Labour and Conservative/Liberal coalition governments over the previous decade.
Source: Derek McGhee, Pathik Pathak, and Jenny Freeman, Social Capital: A Research Review, Faculty of Social and Human Sciences, University of Southampton
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Mar
A paper examined whether there was a relation between income inequality and trust in a sample of western developed economies. No significant effect of inequality on trust was found when account was taken of national wealth – suggesting that in western countries the amount of resources rather than its distribution explained trust.
Source: Sander Steijn and Bram Lancee, Does Income Inequality Negatively Affect General Trust?, Discussion Paper 20, GINI Project (European Commission)
Links: Paper
Date: 2012-Feb
A study examined attitudes to low-level dishonesty and anti-social activity – the extent to which ordinary people 'bent the rules' in their day-to-day lives. Lying, adultery, drug-taking, breaking the speed limit, drink-driving, and handling stolen goods were all seen as more acceptable than they had been at the turn of the century. There was a noticeably higher tolerance of dishonesty among young people.
Source: Paul Whiteley, Are Britons Getting More Dishonest?, Essex Centre for the Study of Integrity
Links: Report | Essex University press release | ESDS press release | Christian Institute press release | Guardian report | Telegraph report
Date: 2012-Jan