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Social Capital, Frequency of Media Exposure, and Subject Well-Being: Based on 2015 CGSS Data in China

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Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between social capital, frequency of media exposure, and subject well-being while adequately controlling for other variables in China. This study was based on 2015 Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) and the multilevel regression analyses analysis, empirically estimating the impact of social capital and frequency of media exposure on subject well-being (SWB) in China. The results are as follows: (1) Social capital has a significant positive impact on improving subject well-being of the residents, as the more social capital they have, the happier they become; (2) frequency of reading the newspapers and magazines is positively related to social capital; (3) both watching television and listening to the radio are positively associated with subject well-being although there are no positive relations between watching television and listening to the radio with social capital; and (4) the relationship between frequency of using the Internet, using mobile devices to receive information, and social capital with subject well-being shows no significant effect. Limitation and directions for future research are also discussed.

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Acknowledgments

Data analyzed in this study were gathered by the research project “China General Social Survey (CGSS)” sponsored by the China Social Science Foundation. This research project was carried out by the Department of Sociology, RENMIN University of China, and Social Science Division, Hong Kong Science and Technology University, and directed by Dr. Li Lulu and Dr. Bian Yanjie. The author appreciates the assistance in providing data by the institutes and individuals aforementioned.

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  1. Department of Communication, Western Illinois University, 1 University Circle, Memorial Hall 319, Macomb, IL, 61455, USA

    Fanbin Zeng

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Zeng, F. Social Capital, Frequency of Media Exposure, and Subject Well-Being: Based on 2015 CGSS Data in China. East Asia 37, 281–299 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12140-020-09344-9

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