Gender and willingness to pay for environmental protection (WTP) have long been pivotal topics in environmental sociology. However, studies investigating the impact of gender on WTP have reported divergent findings between China and Western countries. To address this discrepancy, we introduce gender equality awareness as a mediating concept to explore the effect of gender on WTP. Our hypothesis proposes that gender equality awareness influences individuals’ attitudes toward WTP. This study utilizes data from the 2021 Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) and applies multiple linear regression models to analyze the relationships among gender, gender equality awareness, and WTP. Furthermore, gender equality awareness is incorporated into the model as a mediating variable. The findings reveal that (1) women in China demonstrate significantly higher WTP than men; (2) greater gender equality awareness is positively correlated with stronger WTP; and (3) gender equality awareness partially mediates the relationship between gender and WTP. Notably, men tend to exhibit higher levels of gender equality awareness, which attenuates the positive effect of gender on WTP, thereby narrowing women’s advantage in this domain.

Background: Social capital plays a crucial role in sustaining individual health behaviors. While numerous studies have confirmed the positive impact of social capital on individual health outcomes, limited research has explored its influence on specific health behaviors. Based on data from Job Search and Social Networks 2014 (JSNET 2014) in eight China cities, this study assesses social capital through the occupational heterogeneity of the Bainian Network and the breadth of participation in the Dining Network, aiming to analyze the influence of social capital on health behaviors.Methods: First, given that the dependent variable is ordinal, this study employs an ordinal logistic regression model (ordered logistic model) to estimate the cumulative odds of social capital affecting health behaviors. Second, it examines the relationship between social capital and positive health behaviors, including exercise frequency and routine health checkups. Finally, it explores the association between social capital and negative health behaviors, specifically the frequency of alcohol consumption and smoking. All data analyses were conducted using Stata 17.0.Results: (1) Social capital significantly influences both positive and negative health behaviors. (2) There is a positive correlation between social capital and health-promoting behaviors, such as physical activity and routine medical checkups. (3) The relationship between social capital and negative health behaviors-such as increased alcohol consumption and smoking frequency-underscores the dual nature of social networks, which can either foster positive behaviors or reinforce unhealthy habits.Conclusion: The findings suggest that social capital has a dual impact: it promotes positive health behaviors such as physical exercise and regular health checkups, while also reinforcing negative health behaviors like drinking and smoking. Nonetheless, these findings are limited to urban population, and future research should extend to rural population to provide a more comprehensive understanding.