The past few days have been filled with long talks, deep ideas, and plenty of reflection as my friend and fellow social capitalist, Tristan Claridge, has been visiting. Our conversations have circled around something both of us have been sensing for a while — a paradigm shift within the study and practice of social capital.
For decades, the field has largely centered on what people do — the actions, exchanges, and observable behaviors that demonstrate connection. But as we continue to explore this space, a new understanding is emerging: social capital may be less about the actions themselves and more about the perceptions that shape them.
At its core, social capital isn’t just built through activity — it’s experienced through the unique lens of human perception. The trust, reciprocity, and belonging that define our social worlds exist first as felt realities, not simply measurable transactions.
This lens raises an important and humbling point: many researchers of social capital — myself included — have sometimes focused so intently on defining and measuring it that we’ve lost sight of the living, breathing experience of being in relationship. In other words, researchers of social capital have not always been the best creators of it.
Perhaps it’s time to rebalance — to study connection while also practicing it. To remember that behind every data point is a person with stories, emotions, and perceptions that give social capital its true depth and meaning.
What Tristan and I have been exploring isn’t just theory — it’s an invitation.
To see social capital not as a formula of actions, but as a reflection of how we experience being human together.
Here’s to the next evolution of the field — one where scholarship and relationship stand hand in hand.
— Dr. Rick L. Mask
Author | Researcher | Builder of Human Connection
The Official Author Page of Dr. Rick L. Mask (The Social Capitalist) and the Home of Social Capital 2.0 