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The Buffering Effects of Social Capital on Inequalities in Subjective Well-Being Among Older People

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  • Bomi Choi

    (Yonsei University)

  • Hey Jung Jun

    (Yonsei University)

Abstract

Empirical evidence regarding the buffering effects of community social capital on health inequality is limited. This study aims to examine the moderating effects of a community’s social capital on socioeconomic inequalities in subjective well-being (life satisfaction) among older people. Using cross-sectional data from Seoul, South Korea, 5000 older people (65 years old or older) were analyzed. Cognitive social capital was operationalized as the average level of generalized and public trust, and structural social capital was measured by the average group membership per capita. As social capital has been found to function in beneficial ways by promoting social interactions, norms and resources, it was hypothesized that it would reduce the socioeconomic gradients of life satisfaction. Multilevel models were applied to examine the contextual and cross-level interaction effects. The results showed that socioeconomic inequalities in life satisfaction among older people do exist. Some moderating effects of community social capital were also found. Generalized trust at the community level decreased the association between education and life satisfaction (B = − .472, p

Suggested Citation

  • Bomi Choi & Hey Jung Jun, 2022. "The Buffering Effects of Social Capital on Inequalities in Subjective Well-Being Among Older People," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 160(2), pages 565-583, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:160:y:2022:i:2:d:10.1007_s11205-020-02352-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-020-02352-5
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