The Connection Between Social Capital and Help Seeking on Facebook

• In Event: Relationship Maintenance on Facebook

Abstract

Mobilization requests – broadcasted status updates which request information, favors, or other forms of assistance from one’s network – can help us understand social capital dynamics as they unfold on Facebook. Specifically, we view these requests and the responses they receive as a window into how, why, and with what results individuals turn to their Friends network for help. In this study, we synthesize the existing research on mobilization requests via Facebook (e.g., Ellison et al., 2013; AUTHORS, in press) and present analyses of survey data collected from a random sample of Facebook users who have made any post in the past week (N=573) and a sample of those who have posted a mobilization request in the past week (N=1,074). To identify mobilization requests, an automated classifier trained on a hand-labeled sample of public status updates was used. Using participants’ self-reported survey data and server-level behavioral data, we examine how often participants request assistance using the status update tool, how effective such requests are in recruiting help, and how these requests relate to perceptions of bridging and bonding social capital. Finally, we examine related variables such as engagement in Facebook Relational Maintenance Behaviors.

Authors

• Nicole Ellison, School of Information

• Rebecca Gray, Michigan State U

• Cliff Lampe, University of Michigan

• Andrew Fiore, Facebook