Social capital

Social capital is made up of a web of social relations that allow us to thrive – or cause us to struggle when absent. Social capital is what generates social cohesion and connectedness, and it is created through reciprocity, trust, and cooperation between and amongst individuals who make up a social unit. Access to social capital is a determinant of well-being in society.

Look around your neighbourhood – which car brands and models do you see? You may notice that people tend to buy the same vehicle that they see in their street and in their neighbourhood. Through our ethnographic research for an automotive manufacturer we found that cars represent social capital – they can help an individual gain status in the community, and owning a similar car can also be a gesture that says ‘I’m one of you’.

We discovered that SUV owners in the UK are acutely aware of the social capital that their car gives them (though they don’t use those words!). Many had bought a 7-seater vehicle, not because they had a large family (indeed, many did not), but rather to be able to offer lifts and reciprocate kindness to other families in the neighbourhood.