This study investigates whether local social capital (neighbor networks and norms of trust/reciprocity) buffered the impact of mixing/mobility restrictions on psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. It draws on two nationally representative panel surveys: the UK Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS) Mainstage survey (n = 31,805 person-observations) and UKHLS COVID-19 survey (n = 22,933 person-observations), a subsample of the Mainstage survey respondents followed during the pandemic. Individual-level and (prepandemic/peripandemic) contextual-level local social capital indicators are tested. Longitudinal fixed-effects analyses indicate that distress increased with the onset of mixing restrictions, and peripandemic psychological distress increased more in areas experiencing greater spatial immobility (measured using Google spatial mobility data). However, increases in distress were significantly smaller among individuals reporting both higher individual and contextual social capital. Differences in social contact or neighborhood social support did not explain social capital's buffering role. Results suggest social capital be considered a key element of crisis preparedness.
The John Henryism hypothesis (JHH) suggests high John Henryism may adversely affect the health of individuals with low socioeconomic status (SES). Although prevalent among Black Americans, its impact on Black women's mental health across ethnic subgroups remains understudied. Using National Survey of American Life data (2001-2003), a factor analysis and negative binomial regression examined John Henryism patterns and psychological distress among 1,209 African American and 371 Caribbean Black women. Distinct factor structures indicated the need for group-specific versions of John Henryism variables to capture its role within each population. The analysis found no direct link between John Henryism and distress for either group. However, after accounting for sociodemographic factors and stressors, high John Henryism was associated with lower distress among Caribbean Black women. Evidence supporting the JHH was found only among Caribbean Black women, where John Henryism was protective for those with low and moderate SES but unrelated to distress for high-SES individuals.
We propose a novel approach to test the fundamental cause theory (FCT) by analyzing the association between socioeconomic status (SES), as measured by the order titles "brothers" and "padres," and mortality in 2,421 German Catholic monks born between 1840 and 1959. This quasi-experiment allows us to study the effect of SES on mortality in a population with largely standardized living conditions. Mortality analyses based on Kaplan-Meier product limit estimation show that there were no statistically significant survival differences between the high and lower SES monks. This holds for all birth cohorts, indicating that monastic life offers health protection for monks with a lower SES regardless the disease patterns, causes of death, or main risk factors in a given period. These findings support the FCT: Whereas SES-related differences in mortality are a widely confirmed finding in the general population, a context with largely standardized conditions eliminates the importance of SES-related resources.

