Final answer:
An increase in human capital refers to improving the economic value of workers' skills and experience. Obtaining a higher education degree would be classified as an increase in human capital as it enhances an individual's productivity and potential earnings. Other listed activities do not directly lead to an economic deepening of human capital.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept of human capital refers to the economic value of a worker's experience and skills, including factors like education and training. When discussing activities that would be classified as an increase in human capital, one of the key elements is the improvement of skills or knowledge that contribute to an individual's productivity in the workforce.
Out of the options given, the one that would clearly be classified as an increase in human capital would be obtaining a higher education degree. This is an investment in skills and knowledge that leads to higher productivity and typically results in increased earnings over time. The importance of higher education is underscored by the fact that during financial downturns, such as the Great Recession, worldwide spending on higher education increased, as documented by UNESCO. People and countries alike view higher education as a pathway to prosperity, leading to the deepening of human capital in the economy.
Buying a new car, taking a vacation, or eating a healthy meal, while potentially beneficial in other aspects of life, do not directly correspond to a deepening of human capital in the economic sense of upgrading the workforce's health, skills, or knowledge. These activities do not enhance a worker's productivity in the same way that formal education or job-related training would.
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