The Link Between Trust and Subjective Health: Role of Bridging Social Capital Depending on the Cultural Context

Abstract

Objective: Various forms of social relationships (e.g., family, romantic relationships, friendship) have been shown to predict health-related outcomes. Bridging social capital, referring to a less intimate social circle, is among those forms of social relationships associated with health. For the first time, the current study aims to examine whether the link between bridging social relationships and a health outcome (i.e., subjective health evaluations) would differ based on the cultural context defined in terms of the individualism-collectivism dimension. Methods and Measures: Data, including representative samples from 64 countries ( N = 94,278), were analyzed using the last wave of the World Values Survey. Results: Findings indicated that the positive link between bridging social capital and subjective health was more salient when individualism scores were greater after controlling for the covariates (gender, age, education, income, marital status, and the number of children). However, the effect size was weak. Conclusion: Given that the predictor role of bridging social ties on health could vary based on the cultural context, findings suggested a more nuanced perspective regarding the influence of social relationships on health.