Article summary with Social capital and prosocial behavior as sources of well-being by Helliwell et al.

What is this article about?

This is a review of the evidence of the relationship between social capital, prosocial behavior, and subjective well-being. More prosocial behavior, deeper social connections, and higher levels of trust in others are linked to higher subjective well-being. Prosocial behavior is also linked to social capital. This is an exploration of how these relationships work.

What is the impact of social capital on well-being?

What is the influence of social capital on an individual level?

Social connections in the workplace are an important predictor of overall well-being, because most people spend so much time at work. Higher trust in management even has a bigger impact on well-being than increase in income. Social capital refers to the networks of relationships among people, that enable that the groups can work or live effectively together. At the workplace, this is called workplace social capital. Workplace social capital seems more important for women than for men. People who see their immediate superior more as a partner than as a boss, are overall happier and show less fluctuations in happiness during the workweek and the weekend. These people also show less of a dip in their life satisfaction. Usually, people peak in life satisfaction in their 20s and in their 60s. The dip in between that is less grave for people with a good relationship with their superior. 

Marriage and cohabitation are also important predictors of overall well-being. This effect is a lot bigger in cultures where marriage is seen as very important, but it is positive no matter how people view marriage. Both marriage and friends are important sources of well-being, but the effects of marriage are twice as big for people who regard their spouse as their best friend.

What is the influence of social capital on a community level?

Social capital has an important role in the national well-being levels. There is a strong effect of social trust on the national well-being. So, the evidence supports the positive effects of social capital on well-being, both individually and collectively. Social capacity also provides a resource that can be tapped into collectively in times of need. Communities with higher social capital, particularly higher social trust, recover more quickly from natural disasters. This is because trusting each other helps with cooperation, so it can make a community much more efficient in dealing with problems. 

What is the influence of social capital on health?

Because of increasing pressures on budgets and capacities, a lot of people are getting less personal care. There is just no time or money to really get to know patients or clients. But research suggests that not only would the patients benefit from receiving more personal attention, but also the caregivers. It has also been proven that health improves faster when people feel cared for, and when the focus is on their well-being as a whole, not just on the issue that needed fixing in the first place. 

What is the influence of social capital on the provisions of public services?

Well-being depends more on the quality of services provided than on the funds devoted to their provision. It also does not seem to matter whether the political process is democratic or not, as long as people experience efficiency and integrity.

What is the impact of trust and generosity on well-being?

What is the influence of trust on well-being?

Trust can be seen as a part of social capital, but you could also look at it as independent but co-determined, with bidirectional links between the two concepts. Social trust is often measured with questions such as "do you think that other people can generally be trusted, or do you feel like you cannot be too careful in dealing with people?" Higher trust in the workplace and in communities have been said before to influence well-being levels and efficiency. People who are more trusting are also more capable of coming to the best possible outcome together. Trust and co-operation can be created and employed in ways that improve well-being.

What is the influence of generosity and other prosocial behavior on well-being?

We have seen that meaningful connections are one of the most reliable predictors of happiness. This also explains the positive link between generosity and other prosocial behavior and well-being. With prosocial behavior, you get better connections with people and this in turn makes you happier. Research suggests that the "givers" in prosocial acts, become even happier by those acts than the "receivers". Prosocial spending, using your financial resources to help others, is also associated with higher well-being. There are four key factors that help explain when prosociality is most likely to promote well-being:

• The prosocial behavior facilitates social connections.
• Generosity is motivated by altruistic, as opposed to selfish, motives.
• Volition; the prosocial behavior comes from someone's own will and is thus not compelled by others.
• Impact; the prosocial behavior has a notable effect.