Does knowing people in authoritative positions protect or hurt health? This study examines two competing theories on the health effects of authoritative contacts using nationally representative data of working-age urban adults in China. Social capital theory expects authoritative contacts to protect health directly and indirectly through increasing financial satisfaction and the receipt of unsolicited job leads, but comparative reference group theory predicts the opposite. This study focuses on one mental health outcome, depression, and measures access to two types of authoritative contacts in the workplace: the leader of the work unit and the leader of the supervising work unit. Results from path analysis show no evidence for the direct effects but show evidence for the indirect effects of knowing such leaders. Consistent with comparative reference group theory, knowing people in authority in the work context is positively associated with depression indirectly through increasing financial dissatisfaction and receipt of unsolicited job leads in urban China.
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