IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jhappi/v19y2018i8d10.1007_s10902-017-9926-2.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Social Networks and Subjective Well-Being: A Comparison of Australia, Britain, and China

Author

Listed:
  • Yanjie Bian

    (Xi’an Jiaotong University
    University of Minnesota)

  • Mingsong Hao

    (Xi’an Jiaotong University)

  • Yaojun Li

    (Xi’an Jiaotong University
    University of Manchester)

Abstract

This paper is a comparative study of formal and informal social networks and their effects on subjective well-being in Australia, Britain, and China. Formal social networks are measured by group affiliations, and informal social networks are measured by personal connections with kin, friends, and acquaintances. An analysis of the national representative sample surveys from the three countries shows that the formal networks are of notable importance in increasing people’s subjective well-being in Britain and urban China, but the informal networks have much greater impacts in all three countries, particularly in rural China. We propose a cultural–structural interaction framework to explain the observed differences in the network influence on subjective well-being in the three countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Yanjie Bian & Mingsong Hao & Yaojun Li, 2018. "Social Networks and Subjective Well-Being: A Comparison of Australia, Britain, and China," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 19(8), pages 2489-2508, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:19:y:2018:i:8:d:10.1007_s10902-017-9926-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-017-9926-2
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10902-017-9926-2
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10902-017-9926-2?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. John H. Goldthorpe & Colin Mills, 2008. "Trends in Intergenerational Class Mobility in Modern Britain: Evidence From National Surveys, 1972—2005," National Institute Economic Review, National Institute of Economic and Social Research, vol. 205(1), pages 83-100, July.
    2. Hall, Peter A., 1999. "Social Capital in Britain," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 29(3), pages 417-461, June.
    3. Robert Emmons & Chi Cheung & Keivan Tehrani, 1998. "Assessing Spirituality Through Personal Goals: Implications for Research on Religion and Subjective Well-Being," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 45(1), pages 391-422, November.
    4. Li, Yaojun & Marsh, David, 2008. "New Forms of Political Participation: Searching for Expert Citizens and Everyday Makers," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 38(2), pages 247-272, April.
    5. Burt, Ronald S. & Burzynska, Katarzyna, 2017. "Chinese Entrepreneurs, Social Networks, and Guanxi," Management and Organization Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 13(2), pages 221-260, June.
    6. Yaojun Li & Fiona Devine, 2011. "Is Social Mobility Really Declining? Intergenerational Class Mobility in Britain in the 1990s and the 2000s," Sociological Research Online, , vol. 16(3), pages 28-41, August.
    7. Yaojun Li, 2016. "Social mobility, social network and subjective well-being in the UK," Contemporary Social Science, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(2-3), pages 222-237, July.
    8. Xiaohui Zheng & Sophia Rabe-Hesketh, 2007. "Estimating parameters of dichotomous and ordinal item response models with gllamm," Stata Journal, StataCorp LP, vol. 7(3), pages 313-333, September.
    9. Dolan, Paul & Peasgood, Tessa & White, Mathew, 2008. "Do we really know what makes us happy A review of the economic literature on the factors associated with subjective well-being," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 94-122, February.
    10. Dickens, William T & Lang, Kevin, 1988. "Labor Market Segmentation and the Union Wage Premium," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 70(3), pages 527-530, August.
    11. Bian, Yanjie, 2017. "The Comparative Significance of Guanxi," Management and Organization Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 13(2), pages 261-267, June.
    12. Lindbeck, Assar & Snower, Dennis J, 1986. "Wage Setting, Unemployment, and Insider-Outsider Relations," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 76(2), pages 235-239, May.
    13. Lim, Chaeyoon & Putnam, Robert David, 2010. "Religion, Social Networks, and Life Satisfaction," Scholarly Articles 11105537, Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
    14. Berry, Helen Louise & Welsh, Jennifer A., 2010. "Social capital and health in Australia: An overview from the household, income and labour dynamics in Australia survey," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 70(4), pages 588-596, February.
    15. ED Diener & Carol Diener, 1995. "The wealth of nations revisited: Income and quality of life," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 36(3), pages 275-286, November.
    16. Yaojun Li, 2013. "Social Class and Social Capital in China and Britain: A Comparative Study," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 1(1), pages 59-71.
    17. Lindsay Richards, 2016. "For Whom Money Matters Less: Social Connectedness as a Resilience Resource in the UK," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 125(2), pages 509-535, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Liping Liao & Wenjie Wu & Chenglei Zhang, 2022. "Housing prices and the subjective well-being of migrant workers: evidence from China," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(7), pages 3363-3388, October.
    2. Sven Horak & Yuliani Suseno, 2023. "Informal Networks, Informal Institutions, and Social Exclusion in the Workplace: Insights from Subsidiaries of Multinational Corporations in Korea," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 186(3), pages 633-655, September.
    3. Jiachang Gao & Yuhan Wang & Mei Zhang & Zenghui Huo, 2022. "Group Heterogeneity of Rural Households’ Satisfaction with Good Life from the Perspective of Rural Revitalization—A Case Study from Zhejiang Province of China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-15, April.
    4. Zhang, Man & Hartley, Janet L. & AL-Husan, Faten Baddar & ALHussan, Fawaz Baddar, 2021. "Informal interorganizational business relationships and customer loyalty: Comparing Guanxi, Yongo, and Wasta," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(3).
    5. Yang Xiao & Yanjie Bian & Lei Zhang, 2020. "Mental Health of Chinese Online Networkers under COVID-19: A Sociological Analysis of Survey Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(23), pages 1-17, November.
    6. Fengyu Wu, 2022. "Intergenerational Support and Life Satisfaction of Older Parents in China: A Rural–Urban Divide," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 160(2), pages 1071-1098, April.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Yinxuan Huang, 2018. "The Dynamics of Online Activities and Its Impact on Well-Being in Urban China," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 7(7), pages 1-17, June.
    2. Tim Reeskens & Leen Vandecasteele, 2017. "Economic Hardship and Well-Being: Examining the Relative Role of Individual Resources and Welfare State Effort in Resilience Against Economic Hardship," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 18(1), pages 41-62, February.
    3. Getahun Fenta Kebede, 2018. "Social Capital and Entrepreneurial Outcomes: Evidence from Informal Sector Entrepreneurs in Ethiopia," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Emerging Economies, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, vol. 27(2), pages 209-242, September.
    4. Tsegay Gebrekidan Tekleselassie, 2017. "Subjective Wellbeing and Institutions: The Case of Rural Ethiopia," Working Papers 016, Policy Studies Institute.
    5. Stefano Bartolini & Ennio Bilancini & Francesco Sarracino, 2013. "Predicting the Trend of Well-Being in Germany: How Much Do Comparisons, Adaptation and Sociability Matter?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 114(2), pages 169-191, November.
    6. LEDUC Kristell & GENEVOIS Anne-Sophie, 2012. "Segmentation du marché du travail - le cas luxembourgeois," LISER Working Paper Series 2012-35, Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER).
    7. Landstedt, Evelina & Almquist, Ylva B. & Eriksson, Malin & Hammarström, Anne, 2016. "Disentangling the directions of associations between structural social capital and mental health: Longitudinal analyses of gender, civic engagement and depressive symptoms," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 135-143.
    8. Snower, Dennis J. & Lechthaler, Wolfgang, 2013. "Worker Identity, Employment Fluctuations and Stabilization Policy," IZA Discussion Papers 7413, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    9. Sehee Han & Heaseung Kim & Hee-Sun Lee, 2013. "A Multilevel Analysis of the Compositional and Contextual Association of Social Capital and Subjective Well-Being in Seoul, South Korea," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 111(1), pages 185-202, March.
    10. Abdoulaye Diop & Yaojun Li & Majed Mohammmed H. A. Al-Ansari & Kien T. Le, 2017. "Social Capital and Citizens’ Attitudes towards Migrant Workers," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 5(1), pages 66-79.
    11. J. Haavard Maridal, 2017. "A Worldwide Measure of Societal Quality of Life," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 134(1), pages 1-38, October.
    12. Tekleselassie, Tsegay Gebrekidan, 2016. "Three essays on the impact of institutions and policies on socio-economic outcomes," Economics PhD Theses 1316, Department of Economics, University of Sussex Business School.
    13. Nie, Peng & Li, Qiaoge & Sousa-Poza, Alfonso, 2021. "Energy poverty and subjective well-being in China: New evidence from the China Family Panel Studies," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    14. Berggren, Niclas & Nilsson, Therese & Bjørnskov, Christian, 2015. "What Aspects of Society Affect the Quality of Life of a Minority? Global Evidence from the New Gay Happiness Index," Working Paper Series 1101, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    15. Junfeng Jiang & Peigang Wang, 2022. "Which Generation is More Likely to Participate in Society? A Longitudinal Analysis," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 162(1), pages 209-229, July.
    16. Selezneva, Ekaterina, 2011. "Surveying transitional experience and subjective well-being: Income, work, family," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 35(2), pages 139-157, June.
    17. Getahun Fenta Kebede, 2020. "Network Locations or Embedded Resources? The Effects of Entrepreneurs’ Social Networks on Informal Enterprise Performance in Ethiopia," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 11(2), pages 630-659, June.
    18. Massimiliano Tani & Zhiming Cheng & Matloob Piracha & Ben Zhe Wang, 2022. "Ageing, Health, Loneliness and Wellbeing," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 160(2), pages 791-807, April.
    19. Knies, Gundi & Nandi, Alita & Platt, Lucinda, 2014. "Life satisfaction, ethnicity and neighbourhoods: is there an effect of neighbourhood ethnic composition on life satisfaction?," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 55669, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    20. Sehee Han & Heaseung Kim & Eung-Sun Lee & Hee-Sun Lee, 2013. "The Contextual and Compositional Associations of Social Capital and Subjective Happiness: A Multilevel Analysis from Seoul, South Korea," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 14(4), pages 1183-1200, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:19:y:2018:i:8:d:10.1007_s10902-017-9926-2. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.