Themes of Social Capital Onyx and Bullen (2000) have identified five themes most commonly used by the ones familiar with this concept. The first is that social capital refers to networks: that is, lateral associations that vary in density and occur among both individuals and groups. The second is that social capital is based on reciprocity, defined as the expectation that in the long or short term, kindness and services will be returned. The third term pertains to trust, people are willing to take risks in a social context based on the belief that the others will respond as expected. The fourth theme is that social capital is based on social norms, the unwritten shared values that direct behavior and interaction. The final theme is personal