Impacts of the built environment on social capital in China: Mediating effects of commuting time and perceived neighborhood safety

Planners intend to promote social capital by improving the built environment. However, the impact of the built environment on social capital and the pathways of this impact remain unclear, particularly in developing countries, such as China. This study examines how the built environment is associated with informal social capital mediated by commuting time and perceived neighborhood safety in the Chinese context. Using 2014 China Labor Force Dynamics Survey data, we employ generalized structural equation models to explore this complex relationship. The results show that higher population density reduces social capital (i.e., familiarity, trust, and reciprocity) by increasing commuting time and reducing perceived neighborhood safety, which is contrary to the argument for New Urbanism. A shorter distance to the business center promotes social capital by reducing commuting time. Higher facility density and a shorter distance to transit have positive associations with social capital by increasing perceived neighborhood safety. These findings provide new evidence for understanding associations between built environment elements and social capital, which may have important implications for policymakers.