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<p>This paper examines the impact of lockdown policies on social capital, using the 2020 lockdown in Victoria, Australia, as a natural experiment. Using panel data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey, we analyze five dimensions of social capital: Neighborhood Collaboration, Neighborhood Support, Community Participation, Friends &amp; Family Support, and Friends &amp; Relatives Interaction. We find that the lockdown significantly reduced social capital linked to interpersonal engagement, particularly Community Participation and Friends &amp; Relatives Interaction, while increasing Neighborhood Collaboration and Friends &amp; Family Support. Heterogeneity analysis reveals substantial variation across sociodemographic groups. Individuals with low educational attainment experience greater gains in Neighborhood Collaboration but a sharper decline in Friends &amp; Relatives Interaction compared with college graduates. Additionally, foreign-born individuals show a significant decrease in Neighborhood Support. We further examine post-lockdown outcomes and find that the positive effects on Neighborhood Collaboration and Friends &amp; Family Support persisted for at least two years, whereas the negative effects on Community Participation and Friends &amp; Relatives Interaction had fully recovered. These findings highlight the uneven social consequences of lockdowns and the importance of targeted policy responses in future crises.</p>

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The Impact of Lockdown Policies on Social Capital: Evidence from Australia

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年1月12日

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  • Hyeyeong Son,
  • Jun Sung Kim

摘要

This paper examines the impact of lockdown policies on social capital, using the 2020 lockdown in Victoria, Australia, as a natural experiment. Using panel data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey, we analyze five dimensions of social capital: Neighborhood Collaboration, Neighborhood Support, Community Participation, Friends & Family Support, and Friends & Relatives Interaction. We find that the lockdown significantly reduced social capital linked to interpersonal engagement, particularly Community Participation and Friends & Relatives Interaction, while increasing Neighborhood Collaboration and Friends & Family Support. Heterogeneity analysis reveals substantial variation across sociodemographic groups. Individuals with low educational attainment experience greater gains in Neighborhood Collaboration but a sharper decline in Friends & Relatives Interaction compared with college graduates. Additionally, foreign-born individuals show a significant decrease in Neighborhood Support. We further examine post-lockdown outcomes and find that the positive effects on Neighborhood Collaboration and Friends & Family Support persisted for at least two years, whereas the negative effects on Community Participation and Friends & Relatives Interaction had fully recovered. These findings highlight the uneven social consequences of lockdowns and the importance of targeted policy responses in future crises.